Finding a good post sound mixer, how?

[Patryk_Rebisz]

You know the old story - the soundman records the audio and with some rudimentary post skills of EQs and what not thinks himself to be post audio mixer as well. The issue is that no matter what he will always try to keep sounding whatever he's recorded as loud as possible even when it should be more subtle. Thus my questions is how to find audio post recorder without insulting the actual production audio guy?

Any recommendations in New York City, i might have two projects coming up?

 

[Alex H.]

Very simply, you hire a production sound mixer to do production sound and nothing more. How is your production mixer getting his hands on post?

Finding an audio post-production facility isn't terribly difficult. The NY film commission should have a directory of sound designers and post facilities. Or, post in the jobs section here... with the magic of the Internet and things like Dropbox it's very easy to work audio post remotely, so you aren't limited to folks in NY.

 

[Rick R]

Good post houses are numerous in NYC. If your on a low budget, it not as easy finding a competent person/facility.
If you want to sit-in on the post sessions that's another problem, both logistically and if a qualified individual's 'suite' is not set up for guests. I've done audio-post on many broadcast documentaries without ever meeting the client face-to-face and an FTP server was necessary. I doubt free cloud sharing would have enough space and speed to move files around efficiently, as is a hi-speed connection. Having integrated phone line/ audio is great for going over problem segments with the client.
FWIW, The premium versions of Drop-Box supports large file sizes and FTP.

 

[Noiz2]

I would agree that you don't need to limit yourself to your local area. I have worked on a number of films and a few hundred ads where I have never met the director in person. It's a bit more complicated in the mix since you have to go through more versions than if you were just sitting in the room but you also don't have to sit through the fix time so...

I do a bid of production and post but I am mainly a post guy. There can be some benefit of having your post person doing production work in that they know what they can fix, but not enough to pick one over an actual experienced production person. Production folks generally don't know a lot about post. Post folks also are doing recording and often have some production experience so in general they cross over better, but not always. And it's almost a totally different tool set. Part of the reason I only do very limited production work is that I have my $$$ invested in post tools and not production tools. I don't own a wireless mic, for instance.

I would always hire someone who is focused on what you want them to do. If they are really good they will want you to hire someone else (who is good) to do what they don't focus on.

Finding a good post person (or actually any person you are going to work with) is a challenge. A credit list is a starting point. Meeting them and seeing if you get along is also a good thing. Your going to be tired and probably stressed, they may be also so it's important that in those times you two work TOGETHER and not at odds.

"reels" can give you an ide of "style" and talking to people they have worked with is also a good thing to do.

In the end if it isn't working can their butt and move on. It doesn't do either of you any good to do a film that you don't like.

 

[davefisk]

So you are kind of in a pickle. You don't want to piss this person off, but it sounds like he isn't taking direction from you. In my post production days, I did whatever the director wanted, unless it was something really stupid, which only happened a handful of times. If the person doing your post isn't giving you want you want, just ask for the session and take it to someone else. You do need to make it clear that you aren't getting what you want from this person, and that is why you are going somewhere else with it. This has happened with friends of mine, and even happened to me once, but the one time it happened to me I was very happy to be rid of the project because the director and I did not get along at all, and it was more of a mutual thing.

 

[Patryk_Rebisz]

I definitely want to make it local experience as doing FXs work with very skilled FXs post house in Romania on a TV show i was directing was pain in the ass. There simply was a communication problem that could be easily solved by physical presence. Lesson learned.

Besides the few people who have PMed me any personal recommendations?

 

[Noiz2]

Well when going remote you might want to limit yourself to people who speak the same language... Actually you probably want them to be in the same country/ area so that you have some common cultural references. But I don't think you should extrapolate too much from an experience working with folks overseas.

That said you are right that a very big part of the job is coming up with a common language so you can understand each other. That sometimes doesn't happen even when you are in the same room though.