Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1487666
70 W I N T E R 2 0 2 3 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y waterproof and could handle the constant assault of saltwater and air. The big innovation that made the whole enterprise viable was my investment in a full-blown Audio Ltd. 2020 UHF Diversity wireless system, as traditional cable-to- mic methods were untenable. Rather than the occasional wireless boom for the 360-degree shot rarely employed in those days, I was able to utilize the Audio Ltd. equipment as virtual cables every day for every shot. The assault by the environment and the geography of the shot design, together with the need to have no physical connection with the main workstation, was the catalyst for this leap into a heresy that is now the dominate way almost all production is conducted. Likewise, full wireless duplex with my boom ops and info feed of the prime walkie- talkie channels into our PL system was also essential. Further, there were no waterproof wireless transmitters at this time, so a continuous system of waterproofing the transmitters involved hand-sealing body packs with heat sealing bags and adapting Aquapac scuba comms gear and military waterproof connectors for body mics. This was a very cumbersome reality when you consider there were more than 90 speaking parts in the story and that all actors were required to be wired before coming to set, per the director. If I were to approach these parameters today, mostly the same concept would be in play, however, the tools are far more conducive to these demands, e.g., nonlinear file- based multitrack recorders, waterproof transmitters, multichannel transmission technologies, etc. What was the best moment for you and why? What was it like working with James Cameron and the talented cast? GR: Tom Bellfort worked more directly with DiCaprio and Winslet is the supervisor of the ADR. There were a number of best days for me, equal to the number of reels of the picture. I can't remember the number but it was A LOT. The moment we knew we were done with a reel was when Jim loudly declared it "perfect." We were never so happy as when we heard Jim utter, "It's perfect." I had worked with Cameron before, so I knew it would be an intense but rewarding experience. Starting on T2, I learned a lot from Cameron about how to use and focus sound in a movie. TB: The best moment was when, early on, we flew down to Malibu to play back the sequence when the Titanic hit the iceberg from engine at full speed to reverse as it attempts to evade the iceberg. Chris and Gary did an amazing mix. I remember Jim saying it was "awesome." MU: My first day on set stands out in my memory. It happened to be the below decks steerage class party with live Irish musicians playing for real and to music playback intermittently. 360 Steadicam shots of Leo and Kate dancing and speaking in a crowd of hundreds in closed quarters. Also, no one had put me together with Jim Cameron to discuss anything. It turned out that no one had told him that his previous sound crew had quit! I had known Jim very peripherally from our mutual days working for Roger Corman in Venice, California, when Jim was in the art department, but that was years and years ago. A music playback operator unknown to me had been hired for this scene. He was a nervous sort and was missing cues to duck the music for dialogue in our first setup for the day. I was at his shoulder talking him through the corrections when I felt a presence at my shoulder. I turned to see Jim with a sh*t-eating grin on his face as he had come down from video village to ream the playback operator for his miscues, but he was delighted that I was already there working it out with him. I said, "Good morning, Jim—I'm your new mixer." Mark Ulano CAS Tom Bellfort CAS