Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538091
C I N E M A A U D I O S O C I E T Y. O R G 41 with you.' I went out to Atlanta and did a show with him. Once you're doing it, that was when it all clicked for me." Erin has excelled in her position as a result of building an extensive s y s t e m a r o u n d planning: "I've worked off-and- on the same show for 16 years, but I still have to find out how many cast members there will be, how many camera teams, how many producers, etc. I start from a gear standpoint to figure out the needs of the show. When I arrive in the morning, I make sure I have a certain number of batteries, Topstick, and moleskin—those types of things. I have lots of checklists. That's one way I stay organized. "Every day and location are different. We don't really have setup time or prep days. It's very much documentary style and there's a lot of thinking on your feet. Much of my job is adapting to the ever-changing schedule. I'll be filming a scene with two or three people and, suddenly, three more people show up. It's always fun when that happens. "For the most part, my equipment's built-out for the same show, so I've memorized all the cast frequencies. I've been on it so long that I've been at all their different houses and have found a frequency coordination that works at each one. So, I'm not having to come in and scan or worry about intermodulation—it's pretty dialed in. "We do big birthday parties and stuff like that. I always ask for one or two hours extra at the location so I can do that kind of prep work and do a scan and find a coordination that works well." Since documentary-style television is unpredictable in nature, Erin's system is focused on fast, informed decision- making, built on experience and preparedness. She builds redundancy into her rig and has a modular organization that allows her and her A2 to shift setups with minimal friction. While Erin's job is very technical, her system of managing moving parts and thinking on her feet allows her to focus on the less technical aspects of her job like building rapport with the cast and crew. Erin adds, "I think just having intuition about when to step in or when to say something— or when to just be quiet—is really important. Sometimes it's about showing empathy. Just nodding and smiling or not smiling, but making sure you're acknowledging their feelings, while still remaining quiet to let the content of the show be the focus." David Tichauer CAS: Anticipating the Mix David Tichauer, an FX mixer whose recent credits include Government Cheese and Surface, relies on preparation to set the tone for a smooth mix. Before starting a new show, if possible, he watches the episode in advance and often reviews the client's previous work to better understand their sensibilities. He also connects with sound supervisors and others involved to learn specific client preferences, such as attitudes toward backgrounds, Foley, or footsteps. "I had a show last year where they really wanted to put an emphasis on the feet, but didn't care for sound design," David shares. "That's good to know going in, because it saves a lot of guesswork. After mixing the sound design and footsteps at the normal level I prefer, we'd play it back and they'd say, 'That's way too loud—we want to take all that down.' That was something we had to learn. So now, if we come back for another season, I'll go in with that already in mind." David Tichauer CAS Courtesy of @KimKardashian (Instagram)