In the world of television, film, and musical productions, high sound quality is needed. The sound mixer in each production plays a vital role in making the production interesting. Through the sound mixer, effective sound effects and recordings can be generated and contribute to a successful production. There is a lot of mixing, recording, and editing involved for the sound quality of each production to be refined and polished.
Collaboration with the technical production team, pre-production team, and postproduction team is important. Being a sound mixer requires the candidate to be adept with electronics and sound technology. Soundtracks of productions are made pleasant to the ears through the sound mixer’s efforts and creativity.
Qualifications
A university graduate for liberal arts, television, film or music can most likely enjoy this kind of work. The candidate who has formal training in sound and recording equipment is deemed more suitable for the position. It is a highly competitive position that every production company requires. Normally, a sound mixer serves as an apprentice voluntarily.
The sound mixer transfers to another production company for a broader exposure to the field. Veteran sound mixers mention that it is hard to break into this field. The candidate needs to prove how well the work can be done in a production. Since there is fierce competition among potential sound mixers, knowing the production people well and establishing good relations with them can be key to success.
Technical Appropriateness
The sound mixer for a production supervises the whole crew including the boom operators, recordist, cable personnel, and at times, the playback operator. During a production, the sound mixer has to focus on location whether it is in a studio or on the field. Pre-production sound rehearsals are important for a sound mixer to do. During a production, all sounds must be played well and recorded clearly. Technical errors are prohibited for the listeners to appreciate the whole production.
Analysis of Equipment
A show director accepts the sound mixer for pre-production. The sound mixer is given the script for the candidate to know all kinds of sound preparations and equipment to be used. During show rehearsals, the sound mixer makes sound changes as needed for the sound to be loud, clear, and smooth. The transition from one segment to another with overlapping sound quality must be smooth and relevant to the scene. It is important for the sound mixer to have back-up equipment in case sound errors occur for a live performance. It is better to be prepared in all aspects for a production than be embarrassed when sound errors occur.
Sound Mixing
In every production, the sound mixer takes advantage of the break time to record the actual room tone. This means that there is no background noise and voices heard in the room. This enables the sound mixer to know what kind of sound mixing can be done for the sound quality to be impressive for a production. There may be continuous experimentation during the performance rehearsals. The set-up of all the sound equipment is very important must be appropriate and correct. The sound mixer sees to it that all of these details are carried out well.
