Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1259912
and organizing large-scale reality shows, I think I'd see more similarities than differences in the two genres. To me, we're all one big audio family with the same objective—NO complaints from post about audio! There are so many people that have helped me along the way and some folks I've already mentioned. Special thanks goes to Daniel McCoy for his vote of confidence. I'd especially like to thank Stephen Tibbo CAS for his guidance and support with the CAS. I'm humbled and grateful to be in the company of so many accomplished colleagues. Unlike the old Groucho Marx quote, "I would never belong to a club that would have me as a member," this is a community I'm proud to be a part of. • We're all aware of the "usual" positions that build a location sound team: production sound mixer, boom operator, utility, and playback operator (when needed). Reality shows are a kind of hybrid between this and broadcast audio—with a couple extra duties. Here are some positions from the programs mentioned in the article. Project Runway: All-Stars and 24 Hours to Hell and Back Supervisor – Person at the large console mixing like a live show because there's an actual runway. Thirty mics. Sending mix to control room and video village. Mix is also being sent to cameras on sticks for reference (stage/ competition portion of show on Runway). Supervisor deals with budget, line producer, creatives, gear vendor, piecing together schedule, staffing, shifts, and RF coordination. A1 – Right-hand person to supervisor. If supervisor isn't available, they're in charge. Overlapping shifts if more than 12-hour shoot day: supervisor in the morning, supe and A1 overlap, then A1 finishes up the day. Oftentimes, A1 acts as tech and is up on all technology. Helps supervisor prep gear and is at install on locations. A2 – There isn't a "utility" position, but an A2 is like that. They'll mic talent. Keep tabs on expendables. Help distribute info to mixers. Assist the A1 and mixers. Mixers for shooting the "reality" portion. Five to nine mixers daily. Have their own mobile gear (rig) like an ENG shoot. They have eight receivers and their boom. May have nine mics hot at any one time staying with different "reality" groups. Typically, the BREAKDOWN OF REALITY SHOW AUDIO POSITIONS & DUTIES director makes the call on how they want zone coverage and assigns cameras to a zone (Camera A goes here, Camera B goes there, etc.). Supe assigns a mixer per camera and they remain together for the day or run of show. Based on dialogue, mixer will pod-up (everything is pre-fade as well). Requires a certain skillset relative to understanding story context and development. Supervisor mix goes to control room only during reality portion of show (no hardline camera reference mix—cams are all wireless at that point). PDF is generated end of day within each recorder and that is given to post, along with all audio files. Files are labeled relative to the camera. Every supervisor has their way of organizing, but this is my preference (see example below). In control room: Lead producers have pre-fade ISO's of whole Venue (30 virtual faders) on iPad. Extreme Makeover: Home Edition & Real Housewives Is totally ENG. Each mixer has eight-channel recorder and a boom. PDF is generated end of day within each recorder and is given to post, along with all audio files. Sidenote: Before I did Laguna Beach as a mixer, I briefly worked as a dialogue editor and learned very quickly that RF coordination is imperative as I would receive tracks with breakup—clearly RF issues and/or range issues as a result of ENG mixer's receiver being too far from talent. This made me extremely aware of RF coordination and usage. Sound Reports