Action!

AT835b, FR-2, and sniper rifle. Thank the Supreme Court ruling.*




Three shoots in one week.

Landon and I reunited to boom for Shahin last weekend at the Four Aces Motel in Palmdale. 105 degrees, hot wind, and Waterbabies SPF 50. Gusty winds gave us lots of rumble across the microphones, despite our Rycote Windjammers. There must be a better way to cut the wind noise. I had a magical moment indoors, though, on Day 3. I moved in perfect synchrony with the actress, floating the 416 just eight inches from her mouth as she stepped forward and backward in an emotional tirade. My lips mouthed her lines, my eyes teared up with hers, and I became an extension of her. We performed together. This is the true art of the boom mike, my friends. Stay on mike and dance with the actor.

No time for sleep after wrap on Sunday, I had to be in Tarzana by morning. I was looking forward to this shoot. Nicolas Bordage referred me to the producer, Didier, who had a boom op cancel for family reasons. This is the first time I've met a production sound mixer, who has actually made a career out of it. I spotted him right away in the parking lot at Columbia College: van, cart, and long, white pony tail. I walked up to him and we just knew who each other was without an introduction. I said, "Love the hair," and he said, "Love the hair!" Then we hugged. That is quite funny actually, in retrospect. Dean is a super-nice guy, with a friendly face, and a great sense of humor...and also long hair. I'm not kidding, this could be who I am in twenty years. I was pleased to get to know his style of mixing, and especially his way on set. I get a little bothered when the A.D. says, "this next one is M.O.S." There's no reason not to roll sound. You might hear something awesome, and it absolutely does not save time to skip it. I usually have to do a little diplomatic battle by getting the director on my side, since it's the sound for his film I'm here to get. Dean was so smooth. He simply said in his kind voice, "Aaa, let's roll sound. I love sound," as if we all just playing around having fun. It was that easy. The A.D. smiled and said, "we're shooting with sound." Dean also is practical about his kit. "Hey, it works. Use it." This comment about some of his 'cheapo beepo' gear, like his little iPod sized wireless receivers for the director and the script supervisor, with earbuds. He doesn't think its necessary to subject expensive Comtek stuff to losses and damages. And you know what? No one knows that the Landmark Audio Technologies FM350 receivers are cheap except other mixers. He still uses a Comtek M72 transmitter on his cart. I enjoyed my time with Dean and his old school Robopole (now my new favorite over K-Tek, Gitzo, and PSC). We used a 416 with Senny blimp, and G2 wireless with ME 2 lavs. The lavs truly surprised me, because they are the same ones used in film school, and not Lectros that are so popular on features and television. He also introduced me to snot. Somehow in my two and half years of shooting student shorts, I had not come across snot tape. It is the best way to attach a lav that I've seen yet. No more folding triangular footballs out of gaff tape, or troublesome clips and attachments.

I cut my visit short one day, to sub for Landon on another USC short today. This is a real fun group. Silly script, a bit like Scrubs with the pace and the outrageous gags. S.W.A.T. team recovers a nuke mistakenly delivered to a young geek waiting for his new barbecue grill. Really goofy and actually funny stuff. I damn near burst out laughing in the first take of the day. The director, Robin, also had me suit up as the driver of the black Lincoln Navigator who is also the sniper. What a great time I had playing guns again. It felt a lot like my childhood.

*The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting.