What is the production sound department?

The production sound team are present through principal photography and responsible for recording full clean dialogue, wild tracks, off camera lines, room tone and any live action special effects during production. Even if there is no dialogue in the scene, the Sound Department will be recording a guide track and atmos to be used in post-production. The sound team can be quite compact, consisting of the production sound mixer who is the HoD. Boom op, also known as 1st sound assistant on some productions to create parity with the 1st AC regarding pay structure. The sound assistants who can also go by the name of 2nd sound assistant, utility sound technician or the cable person. If you are working on a bigger production, you can find the role of the trainee and Sound Department runner.

To capture live sound, the sound mixer and boom op will hide mics, or ‘plants’, within the shot. They also position radio mics on actors, with the boom op finding ways to place the boom that won’t cast a shadow; the boom op will work this out while the actors are blocking out the scene. The kit is usually supplied by the sound mixer who will arrive with their sound cart complete with mixer, hard drives, space for the radio mic receivers, cables, headphones, etc. Each sound mixer will have their cart set up differently, so if you're coming to the production off the back of another job you may be confronted with an entirely different setup. 

Some sound mixers prefer to work wirelessly which can mean the boom op will have greater freedom of movement, and the mixer can set up in a convenient (often out of sight) location. If the production is using playback for the director, the sound mixer sends a mix track to the playback op who will sync it with the video signal coming from the camera. Playback ops, also known as video assist, will be responsible for setting up video village. Using a laptop, and software such as Qtake, they will provide a reviewing facility known as playback for the director and script supervisor. On smaller productions without the budget for a dedicated PB operator, the responsibility can fall to the script supervisor to operate the equipment which is dry hired in.  

The sound team are required to work with all departments on set:

• Lighting - to help eradicate boom shadow.

• Camera - to give the boom op an edge of frame

• Costume - for mic placement, troubleshooting rustling.

• Locations - to help eliminate extraneous noise if working on location.

• Art Department - props in particular can give the sound mixer a headache if they are particularly noisy.

How do you start a career in production sound?

The role of sound trainee can be found on big-budget films, television dramas and commercials. The sound trainee takes on general running duties for the department, is assigned multiple tasks to accomplish daily and lends a hand to the sound mixer and boom op. Sound mixers like to have an assistant (or 2nd sound assistant) in the team if they have a trainee on board, they would not expect a trainee to be operating at the level of an assistant who can swing a second boom and help place mics.

Working at a rental company is another way of entering the industry and can bring junior staff into contact with sound mixers who arrive at the rental house for ‘kit prep’ if they are hiring in extra kit for the jobs. If you possess excellent interpersonal skills, you can begin to build your network while expanding your knowledge of the equipment. Always keep an ear out for opportunities to act as a trainee, it’s the sound mixer who will do the hiring so be helpful while they are in the kit room.  

Many new entrants find themselves starting out with film runner jobs, with the aim of getting their foot on the ladder. If you find out you don't wish to pursue a career in the AD department and sound is your thing, make time to seek out members of the sound department - during the downtime - to ask their advice. Runner jobs are a great way into the industry and an excellent opportunity to find out what it's really like on a professional set but making your choice about your career path is vital early on. 

IN WHAT OTHER AREAS OF THE INDUSTRY CAN THE SOUND TRAINEE POSITION BE FOUND?

Trainee positions are most commonly found on large scale productions that can justify the extra hands and cost. In other areas of the industry, however, the position of sound assistant can be regarded as a junior role. The responsibilities of the job may vary, and in some cases, a person with trainee level experience can be considered for an assistant's position.  

If there is room in the budget for a third man/woman then the role of the sound assistant can be found in the following productions:

• Commercials

• High-end corporate video

• Music video

• Television drama/comedy

If you're interested in entering the Sound Department and find work as a runner/set PA on any of the above productions let the ADs know, they could be in a position to place you at the sound team’s disposal. If the mixer and the boom op are amenable, you may get to spend some quality time learning about the kit, process and etiquette of the department.

WHAT ARE THE OTHER ROLES IN THE SOUND DEPARTMENT?

The Sound Department on a feature film is comprised of the following roles:

• Production sound mixer (HoD) The mixer is responsible for the department and monitoring the sound for the production. They will have liaised with the sound supervisor/designer in pre-production, but ultimately the sound mixer is running the show on set. Sound mixers keep detailed notes to pass on to the sound designer in post-production. 

• Boom operator or 1st Assistant Sound. Responsibilities include helping the sound mixer place mics, attach radio mics to cast, work out with the camera operator what the edge of frame is for the boom. If the sound mixer is called off-set the boom op will take over and the assistant will swing the boom for the rehearsal.  

• Sound assistant/cable person/utility sound technician (UST). The assistant takes trainee duties if there is no trainee attached to the production, they will be expected to carry out both sets of tasks during the day.

WHAT IS THE CAREER PATH IN THE SOUND DEPARTMENT?

You can work as a trainee for two years before gaining the required skills to move up the ladder on feature films. You will not only be learning about the technical process and equipment as a trainee; you should begin to understand how to conduct yourself on set and how the Sound Department works alongside the other departments during principal photography. When you are working at a junior capacity, observe how the mixer and op collaborate with the rest of the crew. It is often the case that the Sound Department will need the assistance of one of the other departments, such as moving the generator if it's causing a problem, working with costume to eliminate any rustle, etc. So sound need to be accommodating to return the favour, little things like offering a spare USB socket to charge phones or moving without complaint when the DoP wants to put a lamp just where the sound mixers cart is can go a long way. 

The most common career path is to move your way to assistant, boom op and after a lengthy period swinging the boom up to the role of sound mixer. Continuing to work on short film and low budget productions throughout those early stages of your career are always advisable. Experienced production sound mixers are valued highly, and if you enjoy working on set, you may well decide to stay within this career for a period. If you want to work as a sound designer, you would need to make a move into post-production, which can mean starting as a sound editor and working up from there.

WHAT ARE THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE SOUND TRAINEE?

Many of your tasks will be helping the sound assistant manage their responsibilities. The sound assistants will be asked to:

• Swing a second boom.

• Liaise with costume concerning to mic placement.

• Help the boom op place mics on talent.

• Set up and break down the sound cart.

• Make sure all the equipment is functioning properly.

• Organise the Sound Department location move.

• Be responsible for all the consumables.

The role of the sound trainee, therefore, is to help pick up the slack when it comes to maintaining overall departmental functionality. This can involve:

• Moving kit. Even though you may be working wirelessly, there is always kit to lug from one location to another.

• Changing batteries. Keep on top of the consumable situation, let the assistant know if you are running short on supplies. Don’t do this when you only have one 9 volt battery left, make sure to give yourself a window in which to act.  

• Laying cable. In some situations, it may not be possible to work wirelessly, and you can be cable bashing for the boom op or laying cable for the playback operator.

• Sorting out unwanted external noise with the minimum of fuss.

• The time-honoured tradition of the most junior position, fetching the tea. If there is no department runner you will be asked to go on the coffee and tea run, make sure to write down how everyone takes their hot drinks on the first day to save asking later.

While carrying out these tasks you will also be shadowing the sound mixer and boom operator, so make sure you ask questions when appropriate and follow the sound assistant closely.

TOP 3 JOBS OF THE SOUND TRAINEE ON SET OR LOCATION.

WHAT IS THE SOUND DEPARTMENT LIKE TO WORK IN?

Working on set or location can present its fair share of frustrations, ‘waiting on sound’ is a common cause of jovial complaint much to the chagrin of the sound mixer. Those who work in the ‘on-camera’ departments are often acutely aware of any problems as they are clearly visible on the monitor. For the Sound Department who are working ‘off camera’, only the mixer and the director can hear what the microphones pick up. Ultimately, any sound issues that arise which can’t be solved during the shoot are forwarded to the post-production sound team. During production, sound mixers make detailed notes and mark up areas of concern on the sound report sheets, such as a scene that involves dancing on a noisy floor or mumbled dialogue. In situations like this, it's the director’s call to decide what gets solved on the day and what gets left until post.

The majority of people who work in the Sound Department will be technically proficient, and if you need a cable soldered then make your way over to the sound desk. Much of this knowledge comes from working with the delicate kit. Radio mics and XLR cables can be quite fragile, so being able to fix equipment quickly on the job is often necessary.  A trainee who listens carefully to instruction and asks the right questions can learn a lot from mixers and boom operators, who are often very happy to pass on their knowledge and experience.  

The Sound Department is one of the smallest on set, and you will find most mixers and boom ops work together frequently on a variety of jobs, from commercials and features to short films. When working on productions of a smaller budget, the sound team need to be adaptable when it comes to kit, the smaller the production, the less kit they have with them, and the less likely that you as a trainee will be there.

HOW DO I FIND WORK AS A SOUND TRAINEE?

Sound trainees and those wanting to pursue production sound as a career can come into the industry from a variety of backgrounds. Recording studios, post production sound, degree/MA courses and other areas of the industry such as TV entertainment, OB (outside broadcast) units, theatre or music venues. If you’re coming into the film industry as a career change or from another area of the business, you need to know that your initial experiences are not going to be well paid, if indeed paid at all when gaining drama experience on short films. To be considered for trainee or assistant positions you’re going to need to demonstrate some experience and knowledge of drama and location sound recording. Collaborations are a great place to start; you can use this entry point to build experience and contacts in the industry. When looking for paid work as a trainee or assistant you may find that opportunities come infrequently, so it's important to have another source of income to tide you over while waiting for the next job. 

Collaborations

If you are in stage one of your career plan, you are going to need to gain some valuable experience working on scripted drama, one way of doing this is to work on short films or student productions to get a taste of what working n a drama is going to be like. A CV without any experience stands a poor chance of success when looking for trainee roles. The film industry is fiercely competitive so you need to use all resources available to you.  Alongside the opportunities we list here on MFJF, you can also look to our resources section to see the other service providers for collaborations. University websites all have noticeboards or areas of their site that are dedicated to ‘collaborations or swaps’. If you are living in a town with a university that has an MA film course, keep checking to see if they are crewing up or needed any extra help. Many short films are shot over a weekend, so if you are working to pay the bills, you can still be adding experience on your CV.

Although we do recommend collaborations, do your research first to find out who is going to be working on the production. The university will back student films, so you know it has a budget and insurance for the production will be taken care of. If you're working on a short film with people you don’t know make sure the check out the producer's track record and back catalogue of work; you want to know they are following best industry practice and will be running the production properly. This means the production will be insured, catering (or at least some form of feeding the crew) has been devised, there is a schedule that is realistic and location, transport and travel plans are all considered. If it’s a friend you’re helping out then obviously you will be less rigorous in assessing these things, everyone likes helping out their friends if they can, even if it means long hours and a sandwich for supper.  

The likelihood is you'll be working for expenses, make sure that is the case as you should always talk money before you agree. So, be certain you come away from the production with what you need; which is an experience of working on a properly run shoot, experience of working with a professional team, making some contacts who are working in the industry and adding a credit to your CV. Although inadvisable to turn down an opportunity if your gut feeling is these criteria are unlikely, (you will know within the first five minutes) you could decide to say thanks but no thanks and look for the next opportunity. 

CV

When working on your CV check it through (or ask someone else to) to see it reads well and is correctly formatted. You can use the CV advice to help create a CV and covering letter. You can check your CV against our example CVs to see it includes all the relevant information. You're going to want to keep your CV short and to the point, many production coordinators or sound mixers will be ‘scanning’ rather than reading, cut out the chaff and try and keep it down to one page.

Finding work and applying for positions can be a full-time job in itself. Some people will get lucky, finding work almost instantaneously. Some may have put in the hours on short films while they are studying and made some contacts, some people might just be in the right place at the right time. In whatever situation you find yourself in, the resounding advice from professionals working in the film industry is to be persistent; persistent and relentless in the pursuit of your chosen career. Keep applying for positions and sending emails. You can study the British Film Council, Facebook’s UK Production News and The Knowledge noticeboards to see what's going into production; it doesn't hurt to send in a CV - just make sure you have enough experience on there for it to have a chance. 

Research

Knowing how sound is recorded is a must for anyone wanting to enter the department, and that’s not as simple as making sure the mic is facing the actor ... although that’s going to help. Knowing how sound travels, how it moves through the air, bends and bounces off objects is vital in understanding how to capture it and get better results. Also knowing how the equipment works will greatly aid your chances of impressing the sound mixer if you have questions ask them, or ask their opinion on one mic versus another. There are a host of blogs, books and internet resources available to gain further insight into the work of the Production Sound Department. Sound recordists love talking kit and war stories, take advantage of the forums on the following websites which offer a wealth of information. To start you off here is a selection:

• Producing Great Sound for Film and Video: Expert tips from Pre-production to Final Mix. Jay Rose

• Production Sound Mixing. John J Murphy

• Location Sound Bible: How to Record Professional Dialogue for Film and TV. Ric Viers

• JW Sound Group

• Film Sound

• Premium Beat

• Gearslutz

• Film TV Sound

• Indie Talk

• AMPS

• Institute of Professional Sound

Network

The network you build while working on shorts and other productions will enable you to branch out to look for jobs elsewhere in the industry. If you've worked with other assistants or trainees ask them to keep you in mind for when they are unavailable to work, referrals to sound mixers are great ways of getting your foot in the door. Remain in contact with everyone you meet, send the odd email, social media is a great way to stay in touch. Use your time to create opportunities, don’t wait for them to come to you.

Trainee Courses

With some experience on short films, student productions, micro-budget features or work from other areas of the industry, you can look for trainee positions run by Creative Skillset, who work to place trainees on good size, well-run productions. You can also look to AMPS and the IPS, who provide mentoring and training courses for members of the industry and those looking to forge a career in the Sound Department.

Personality and Attitude

Finding regular work and gaining experience in production is a hard road to travel. There are many people out there who want to do this job: you’re going to have to give yourself the best chance of succeeding by working incredibly hard and developing a thick skin for when people don’t get back to you. Financially the first few years are going to be tricky; paid work can be sporadic as you’re building up a reputation as someone who is professional, eager and very hard working. You may need a financial fallback plan; this can be working behind a bar, waiting tables, temping or pouring coffees, anything that will give you the flexibility to gain experience in your own time and be able to accept a few weeks work with a few weeks notice.

At times it's going to be frustrating when you’re not getting the roles you want, keep in mind the advice on being relentless and go back to your CV, think about what you can do to make it better, what experience could you gain in another capacity to start ticking boxes for potential employers. Reflect on the reasons your CV is not being chosen for roles; it could be a lack of experience, the way your CV is presented or if you’re sending in generic CVs and covering letters - you should yourself the best possible chance by tailoring each one to each job role or production. 

Although the industry is incredibly flexible when it comes to changing career if you’re applying for positions in another area of the industry you will need to be clear about why you want to make the change and give examples of what you have been doing to facilitate the move.

DO I NEED ANY QUALIFICATIONS?

You don’t need any academic qualifications to work as a sound trainee, but you do need to display common sense when it comes to health and safety procedures, running cable can be part of the job as can working long hours where mistakes are easily made. If you can use a soldering iron and understand basic electronics your skillset is already valuable. Being able to fix the kit (which can break as mics are very delicate) on-site can be exceptionally useful.  

Should you wish to gain a better understanding of the Sound Department and sound as a creative medium then you may wish to consider a short course such as:

• National Film and Television School

• The London Film School

• Association of Motion Picture Sound

Be aware that the Sound Department can be very physically demanding, especially when operating a boom.  If you stand for five minutes with your arms raised above your head with a broom in your hands you should get a clear indication of how your arms will feel when working as a future boom op, it’s best to start with some powerlifting now!

10 essentail tips every new entrant should know

Phrases every entrant to the sound department should know.

• Earwig. An in-ear receiver worn by actors for cueing and music playback

• Bag work. Location kit that can be worn over the shoulder.

• MOS. A scene recorded without audio. If you see the 2nd AC slating a shot with his hand through the sticks, stand down. Guide sound is more useful in post that no sound, so reasons for shooting MOS could be a camera set-up or location that makes it impractical.

• DFI. We have changed our mind.

• IEM or IFB. In-ear monitor and interruptible fold back. Names for wireless headphone sets given to the director, script supervisor, producer, ADs, friends of cast or producers.

• Wildtrack. Actors will repeat their lines - preferably with a bit of performance - but without whatever noise was necessary during the scene which could have been noisy props, wind or another sound getting in the way of recording clean dialogue. This will give post production an option while they are editing.

• Buzz track, atmos, room tone. The sound of the room or environment you are filming in. This helps when editing the scene together to cover any changes in background noise/ambience and when extraneous sounds have to be removed.

• Consumables/Expendables. Items considered to be consumables are batteries, camera and gaffa tape, windmic covers.

FAQ’S

Thank you's ...

My First Job in Film would like to thank Richard Miller for sharing his experience and giving up his time to offer advice for this career guide.