Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/856624
C A S Q U A R T E R L Y S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 35 yell at me and everyone said it was fine.'" On an internet discussion group, a "newbie" may get the answer of "It Depends," but with a mentor, you get a much needed and deserved dissertation that will contribute to the transformation of this protege into having a deep, vast ocean of knowledge that manifests into effortless understanding. FORUMS LEAD TO MENTORS My cherished mentor is L.A.-based sound mixer David Barr Yaffe. Dave Yaffe founded R.A.M.P.S. I didn't know this at the time but, nonetheless, when I was 18 years old, I started religiously reading R.A.M.P.S. postings on a daily basis. I would look at Location Sound's website, Coffey Sound's website, and then click on links to websites of various sound mixers across the country. One summer, a few years into my obsession with production sound, I was working on an HBO film in Colorado (and Wyoming) with sound mixer Bob Abbott. Every night after wrap, I would come home and read as many topics on R.A.M.P.S. as I could before falling asleep in front of the Packard Bell desktop PC. One night, I came across a topic that stated: "I'm changing up my lineup next season and am looking for a new utility." The posting was by Dave Yaffe. I knew who he was even though we had never met in person. I knew because he had a website that was linked-up from probably both Location Sound and Coffey Sound. I jumped in my chair and immediately replied that I was interested. Our exchanges to follow were both encouraging and not encouraging. He was interested, but the roadblocks were: this position required I be a member of the IATSE, which I was not yet. This HBO movie I was on, the tail end of had flipped union. I told him, as far as I knew, I was eligible to join the IATSE (Local 695 specifically). He suggested I call the union to iron this all out. After leaving a dozen voice messages with no reply, I reported back to Dave on a Friday evening and it had seemed that this roadblock was the end of this journey. He said he would call the union on Monday. Not thinking anything would come of this, I miraculously received a call from one of the union's officers mentioning they spoke with Dave and understand I had days earned from a flipped-to-union movie and asked if I was interested in joining and if I could meet with them in the office this week. (!!!) I booked a flight for the next day at the cost of $750. This trip was also to meet with Dave Yaffe and Kevin Hyde to see if we got along and if they wanted to hire me. With no guarantee of a job, this trip was risky and exhilarating. I later learned that this expensive airline ticket was what landed me the job. This is what they wanted—someone with this excited attitude and a youthful, moldable disposition. I got the job and started on this journey of learning from some of the best sound professionals in the business. I can certainly attest to the fact that it changed my life. As a treasured mentor, he is one of the reasons why I've never needed to ask this: "What shotgun mic should I buy?" question. So here is a story of how you can go from the internet discussion group path of receiving production sound education, to a real-life mentorship. INTERNOT: EVEN MORE QUESTIONS Why do people ask the question: "What shotgun mic should I buy?" Why do they ask any of the following questions I've recently come across such as: "Where should I set my Lectro's gain at?" It is an infuriating question—given that fundamental audio knowledge should include an understanding of proper gain staging. Or, how about these: "What blocks are good in NYC?" or "My Sound Devices 633 froze and taking out the battery didn't turn it off! Help!" or "I'm in the Culver City area and I need a timecode cable! 5-pin Lemo to RED Epic TC In! Help!" This question is for the "just beyond" "newbie." You've done some jobs and you're a working sound professional, but you are clearly unprepared for the rigors of high-end production sound that include being the Eagle Scout who is prepared for everything. When I read the subject line of an internet posting like this, I read it as: "I'm waaaay in over my head and completely unprepared for this job and I didn't realize you had to properly prepare a workflow and have backups for everything in this line of work and that's why I'm supposed to charge a premium amount for equipment rental that reflects this preparation and investment … as opposed to undercutting my competition in order to get this job! Help!" Sorry to be Schoeps CMIT