26
Oct
Regional Sound Mixer Profiles: Volume One!
by Jane Baxter
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Based primarily in Florida, Peter Devlin has been a sound mixer for seventeen years. He and his boomman, Kevin Cerchiai, work primarily on the many feature films and TV movies being made in that area.
Peter says modestly he just likes "working with people who appreciate sound." He lists his all-time favorite project as "The Holyman" with Eddie Murphy. Most recently he had the interesting opportunity to work with Anthony Hopkins on the movie "Instinct".
The StellaDAT is Peter’s recorder of choice, and he uses his Fostex PD-4 as a backup — all run through a Cooper six channel mixer. Peter says he favors using Sennheiser and AKG microphones.
On his wish list, Peter names only the princely Nagra D, as he feels digital recorders will continue to drive the changes in our industry.
Mike Puckett works as a sound mixer both on location and in the studio. Based in Virginia, Mike works the Mid-Atlantic region of the country. He has been recording sound for 25 years. He says he loves the "creative environment" and the all the people he gets to meet as a mixer.
Mike also appreciates good music. Several years ago, he produced and mixed a video project on Gospel Quartets from the 50s, 60s & 70s for which the "music was great."
Mike’s recorder of choice is the HHB PortaDat. For ENG work he favors the PSCM4A+ Mixer, and when in the studio he loves working on the SSL 4000 G Series. His favorite shotgun mics are a Schoeps with MK41 Capsule and the Sennheiser Mkh60. Mike says he would like to add a Cooper 106 Mixer to his location package next.
After seven months of production mixing for the national TV series "Ghost Stories", now in syndication, Mike has started in "post" as sound editor/designer/mixer on two new series for the same producer.
As he continues to work in "post", where hard disks are a way of life, Mike also thinks hard disk recorders will be making their way into production mixing.
From his home base in Cleveland, Jonathan Andrews stays busy in the North Ohio region. He has had 20 years experience as a location sound mixer, doing features, commercials, music videos, sports, industrials, ENG, as well as music recording. He says he likes it that "people pay me to do my hobby."
Jonathan’s formidable kit includes his main recorder, the Fostex PD-2, as well as a Nagra IV. Although he uses the Cooper 106+1 as his primary mixer, he also owns PSC and Shure ENG mixers. For wireless, the Lectrosonics 195D does the job. Depending on the environment Jonathan will use either a Schoeps MK41 or a Sennheiser MKH60 microphone on the front end. Experience has taught him the importance of backup equipment, something he still wishes he had more of.
Recently, Jonathan assisted Keith Wester on the Ohio unit of the hit movie "Air Force One." His work can also be heard in the PBS "Scientific Frontiers" series starring Alan Alda — a project Jonathan says remains his favorite.
Looking ahead, Jonathan sees "digital recording to hard drives and the faster speed of computers" as influencing this interesting business.
When Gail Carroll-Coe wants something, she goes after it — just like she did recently when she drove to Trew Audio from her home in Michigan after getting the urge to test drive a Cooper mixer.
Gail’s been a sound mixer and boom operator for fifteen years. Prior to that she had four years recording studio experience. She says she likes "the challenges" of her work and "trying to get the best sound possible." Gail has worked on features, commercials, music videos, industrials, as well as ENG.
Aside from recent projects such as "Out of Sight" and "In Dreams", Gail says her favorite assignment was on the Tom Cruise feature "Far & Away". She "did a little of everything: second unit mixing, booming, sound effects, which included riding horses, riding in wagons, doing challenging things."
Gail uses a Nagra IV-STC with a DAT backup, run through a Mackie 1402VLZ. Her wireless are Lectrosonics & Vega units, and she uses both TRAM and Countryman lavalier mics. "I would like to try the B&K," she adds. For shotguns she is fond of both her Sennheiser and AKG460.
Thomas Morrison is based in Nashville where he has worked on a great variety of projects over the past fifteen years — everything from features and television to ENG and music videos. He has also been involved in Nashville’s vibrant music recording industry.
Thomas uses a Nagra IV-STC recorder along with Neumann and Sennheiser microphones. He is a fan of Mackie mixers.
One interesting recent assignment was ESPN’s Sports Century Shows. Thomas diplomatically defers from naming a favorite project, saying only "They are all my little favorites!"
Spoken like a true journeyman soundman, what Thomas says he likes most about his work is "that it keeps coming year after year."
As far as the future’s concerned, Thomas is keeping a watchful eye on all those corporate mergers and the Internet for big things that will influence the direction of our industry.
Jennifer Murphy gets around. Though now based in North Carolina she worked for a long time in Texas. Jennifer recently did a "documentary in Utah about people who blast houses out of rock." Not surprisingly, she says what she likes most about her work is "change."
Jennifer has twenty years experience as a sound mixer. She’s been as far afield as Africa, where she worked on a project for "C.A.R.E."
Her equipment lineup features an SQN Mixer, Lectrosonics wireless, Sennheiser MKH50 & MKH60 mics, a Nagra X4S, and an Ambient boompole. She hopes to acquire a "big ol’ Cooper board" one of these days.
In a statement sure to provoke controversy she says the next big thing that will influence our business is — "invisible boom operators."
In a less controversial mode, Jennifer says what she likes best about Trew Audio is — the "personal service!"
Mack Melson is a movie man. Although he’s worked on commercials and music videos he maintains that it’s movies that keep him going and keep him interested. It’s what he likes most about his job.
Mack is a fifteen year veteran of our industry, and he works primarily in the Texas cities of Austin and San Antonio.
Mack’s mixer of choice for movie work is the Cooper 106+1. He records to both a Nagra IV-STC and an HHB PortaDat, normally using a variety of Schoeps microphones.
An extremely pragmatic fellow, Mack’s prediction of what might be the next big thing for our industry is — his "next movie."
Seemingly with a kind word for everyone, Mack says of our president, Glen Trew, "What a great guy!"
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