DP's and Audio

C

Cedric Akins

Well-known member
Hi guys I thought I would start this post to talk about an awkwadr momen tI had on set a while back. I was hired as the audio guy and the DP, who is a long time friend of the prodcer, came together from another city. We were doing a bunch of interviews over a weekend. On the main interview I was connected to the camera via my mixer and away from the camera. I had the mic on a boompole on a C-stand so that I could mix the two people properly. While in the middle of the interview I briefly looked up at the DP and he was look at the audio levels. I watched him actually turn the audio pots down. He looked up at me and asked me for my headphones. Needles to say that he didn't get them. After the interview I politley asked what was going on at the camera that he felt that he needed to adjust the levels himself. His answer, I felt the audio was cliping. I was rather pissed to say the least. I had the levels on the camera peaking at -12db. I explained to him that the limiter on my mixer set at a certain level to catch anything I was not quick enough to catch. I politely asked him how would he feel if Icame over to the camera and adjusted the focus in the middle of the shot. I told the producer that if there was any really huge issue with the audio I want you to call me and tell me my services will no longer be needed if not let me do the job you hired me for. Needless to say I was back on set the next day and there were no other incidents for the rest of the shoot.

I guess I just had to get that off my chest sorry about the rant. :Drogar-Evil(DBG):
 
no prob... sorry about your dp issue. but I've noticed with people used to doing everything themselves i.e. DPs that are camera men and usually shoot without audio people, tend to be like this.
 
Next time tape the pots down after you set levels.

I am not sure I would have handled in quite the same way considering the politics on a set but it is good that you stuck up for yourself.

Cheers
 
wabbit said:
Next time tape the pots down after you set levels.

I am not sure I would have handled in quite the same way considering the politics on a set but it is good that you stuck up for yourself.

Cheers
Click to expand...

I have to agree with Wabbit. With this add on:

While you should let people know that you are doing things correctly if it comes into question, you have to be very careful how you handle situations like this. Video production is 100% word of mouth business and you have to be technically proficient as well as 100% fun to work with.
 
Were you monitoring the camera audio (e.g., via tape return)? Was the DP? Just curious...
 
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The DP turned the cam pots down during the shot!!! Hard to do anyway. My guess is the levels would have dropped some 6-8db giving concern to what the levels actually ended up at.

Nuts who do stuff like that don't last long, just the tip of the iceberg.
 
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