Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1500728
36 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Summer 2023 brilliantly talented Director of Photography, and myself, as to where and when we can bring in the baffles onto set, so as not to affect the lighting or performances. "Get them in front of the actors and as close as you can," said Shawn, she was not wrong. A lot of carpet was utilized, and we also ensured that set builds incorporated sound-dampening materials which would make sure this was a much less reverberant experience. Soft prep meant getting together a crew that were keen and capable, and the size of this project meant we had to have a 4-person crew, sometimes expanding should the occasion call for it. Firstly, and with every project I have been on in the last ten years, it was a call to 1st Assistant Sound, Best Boy Sound, Boom Operator, 2nd Unit Mixer, and problem solver Ben Greaves. Ben has been my partner in all things film sound for the majority of my time here in the US. He is solid on every level. I can make the equipment talk and sing, but Ben can turn a film crew into a collaborative family all intent on helping the Sound Department out, and vice versa. He is the greatest at that. Next was our Utility Sound Technician, coming with us from Avatar: The Way of Water was Yohannes Skoda. He was to join us as Utility and all-around super sweeper, as a personality he fits right in, I know of no harder worker and closer friend. This would be then supplemented with a sound trainee. The decision to use the Local 695's Y16a training program was a simple one to make and an even easier decision for production to give the green light to. The trainees would alleviate the workload and keep us all in check and our feet on the ground. From the jump-off with such a long period of work, we decided that we could have two trainees join us for two halves of the show. Yisel Pupo Calles and Chris Burr would fill these shoes admirably. Yisel joined for the first half, Chris would finish the show off. They started with basic tasks that expanded as they became more experienced and able. They were responsible for cable runs, a huge amount of carpet and baffle wrangling and looking after two VOG systems that leap-frogged across the stages we were filming on, amongst a large list of other responsibilities. It is Yohannes Skoda and Ben Greaves