Behind the Sound Cart: A Veteran’s Guide to Sound on the Set

Behind the Sound Cart, by Patrushkha Mierzwa, is a book that explains how the whole sound team works on today’s movie and television sets.

It also shows how that work fits into the wider life of a production. The book follows the Utility Sound Technician’s job from the first work call to the final wrap. It sets out the order of the work and the details that help a newcomer avoid the mistakes that can end a career before it has started.

Its focus is the Utility Sound Technician, a role that is almost invisible on set. Much of what it covers goes beyond sound itself and is not taught in film school: how to act on set, how to relate to the crew, and how to solve problems.

Features

• How the sound team works on movie and television sets
• The order of the work, from the first work call to the final wrap
• Tricks for microphone placement
• How the Utility Sound Technician works with the director, actors, and producers
• Why knowing a lot about film does not by itself sustain a career
• Pointers for managing life in a freelance world