Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475048
42 FA L L 2 0 2 2 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y Are they self-starters? A crew member that needs constant supervision and instruction is tiring and distracting. "I need the boom and utility to be acting as arms of the machine, yet independent in thought and ability. I need them to know what's coming next, and to have that situation already handled before it arrives. If I have to constantly be on them about 'run this cable here' or 'make sure you check your boom shadows' all day long, then I am NOT focusing on mixing the best tracks I can. I am babysitting. And at this pay scale, they better not need babysitting." Other mixers had thoughts on set etiquette and set politics. Primarily, the thoughts were that politics in general is taboo. Some of the more interesting comments are: "The closer one gets to the camera, the talent, and the creatives, the closer one is to potential disaster. Whether we think it fair or not, an errant phrase or comment can wipe out an entire Sound Department. Sound mixers have been fired after decade-plus careers because of an utterance over an open comm channel. Entire Sound Departments have been threatened (and replaced) by actions of a surly boom op. Mixers have been refused the chance to come back for additional seasons because of UST's with bad attitudes. It is hard enough to land good gigs. I'm not interested in having that reputation to make it harder." "A boom op that sits on set and stares at a phone is infuriating to me. I get it that they want to be current on social media, or maybe they need to be in touch with people at home, but find a place OFF set to do this AFTER you have sorted our rehearsals and lighting. It's maddening and in my opinion, disrespectful to the actors and the creatives. I won't stand for it. I won't tolerate it." "I don't have a particular look, costume, or dress code, but I do push appearance standards. It is difficult to do because we live in a highly permissive society where 'acceptable' is at the mercy of the wind. But to be clear, any crew member of mine that is a visual or physical distraction is a detriment to my department. I encourage members to wear collared shirts and nice shorts or pants. Avoid T-shirts with political or divisive commentary. Avoid shredded or torn pants or shorts. Avoid short-shorts, low cleavage, or extraordinarily tight clothing. In general, don't try to be the bright shiny object on set, and for sure, don't outshine the talent." "Be nice to everyone. Everyone. Even the idiot screaming in your face. No, you don't have to stand there and take it, but you do have to be nice. You CAN walk away from abusive people and I will absolutely have your back, as any department head should. If you are wrong, admit it, and we will work a solution together. If you don't know, say so, and we will learn together. I'd rather have an honest mistake to learn from than an outright lie. The only lesson learned from someone who lies to me is where the unemployment line is." When I asked how to identify the ones to bring on board, the answers, again, followed a similar pattern. Newer mixers generally asked on public forums, social media, and were very open about searching for help. They looked hard at résumés and technical skills, checked few references, and usually hired the first person to say yes to the offer. More established mixers, however, were much more guarded. Searching for crew was done on a low-key level, using a network of references, colleagues, personal recommenda- tions, and a thorough interview pro- cess. With the experienced mixer, the interview process—as a whole— seems to focus nearly nil on technical skills. To be sure, there are the com- mon questions about gear, brand names, workflow, and whatnot, but more experienced mixers seem to be fully concerned about the mental, social, and interpersonal structure of the team. That is, they are hiring based on the possibility of a working relationship and how that dynamic is going to play out after 15 hours on a rainy, Friday-night exterior in February. After all, nearly anyone can get along for a few hours on an air-conditioned stage. Where the team makes or breaks is in the trenches of on-location work where the world is seeming to conspire against all things film; with a partic- ular hatred for all things dialogue. To further expand on how these mixers cut through the field of choices for crew, I asked what markers were prevalent in their choices. Most had similar thoughts, but this rang out special.