Stuart Wilson is a sound mixer that uploaded his success story to skillset depicting his journey into his current career. In summary:
Stuart is a Sound Mixer, who has recently worked
on Code 46, 24 Hour Party People and In This World directed by Michael Winterbottam
and lastly The Dreamers directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.
He is a sound mixer that records sound for film and tv. He says for him it took for main steps to get into his industry.
1. Volunteering to do short films for free or a small amount of money.
2. By getting into a Scottish film training academy, which is a one
year course with a week long studio placement.
3. Year’s worth of assisting being a runner, booming, recording and
lighting.
4. Successfully did sound at
national film school, which he thinks is the best decision he’s made so far.
1. Volunteering to do short films for free or a small amount of money.
Notes
Applying to film schools may be a good thing to do after I graduate I may be able to do
these partime whilst working as a runner.
Volunteering
is something I’ve always know about and will do this as much as I have before I
can comfortably say I don’t need to anymore.
He feels as though he did everything he could to get where he is and wouldn’t do anything differently. Apparently he gained most experience from assisting people around production sets, and shadowing them whist they work.
He feels as though he did everything he could to get where he is and wouldn’t do anything differently. Apparently he gained most experience from assisting people around production sets, and shadowing them whist they work.
Notes
I will
make sure I do not take this for granted and I will try and soak in as much
information as a possible.
He feels his biggest and luckiest break was working on a film in Paris directed by Bernardo Bertolucci called 'The Dreamers'
He kept up with developments in his field by becoming a member of the Institute Of Broadcast Sound and the Association of Motion Picture Sound, they both hold meetings people can talk about advances in technology and tricks of the trade.
He feels his biggest and luckiest break was working on a film in Paris directed by Bernardo Bertolucci called 'The Dreamers'
He kept up with developments in his field by becoming a member of the Institute Of Broadcast Sound and the Association of Motion Picture Sound, they both hold meetings people can talk about advances in technology and tricks of the trade.
Notes
This is a valuable thing to be a part of that can set me apart from the rest and always keep me on top of my game helping me progress faster than others.
When asked how the industry has changed since he has entered it he talks about the fact that there are more people working at the bottom of the industry ladder to a lower standard mostly because of the influx of short low budget films being made these days and also because people seem to be reluctant to hire let’s say a Foley artist because they feel they can save money and do it themselves.
And lastly he says the most important words he can give people to live by are “punctuality. To constantly strive to improve your standards. Determination.”
This is a valuable thing to be a part of that can set me apart from the rest and always keep me on top of my game helping me progress faster than others.
When asked how the industry has changed since he has entered it he talks about the fact that there are more people working at the bottom of the industry ladder to a lower standard mostly because of the influx of short low budget films being made these days and also because people seem to be reluctant to hire let’s say a Foley artist because they feel they can save money and do it themselves.
And lastly he says the most important words he can give people to live by are “punctuality. To constantly strive to improve your standards. Determination.”
(http://www.creativeskillset.org/film/stories/production/article_3439_1.asp)
NotesThis sound great, the fact that these days people are willing to hire people with less experience because they feel the job doesn’t hold that much worth and importance means that there’s a great chance of me breaking into the industry and getting experience.
NotesThis sound great, the fact that these days people are willing to hire people with less experience because they feel the job doesn’t hold that much worth and importance means that there’s a great chance of me breaking into the industry and getting experience.
Borneo Brown
Sound Operations Manager
Borneo Brown is Sound
Operations Manager for the National Theatre. He spoke to Creative Choices about
his own career, here is a summary.
As sound operations
manager he is in charge of three other managers that each operate their own
theatre and scheduling. Though away from the auditoriums, corporate events,
press and marketing, They may also look after audio description and captioning,
so the job can be quite varied and there always something going on.
"At the National Theatre, you start
working on a production quite early on. As soon as you hear about it, you'll
want to know who the sound designer is and what their requirements are likely
to be.
The job can be quite varied as when a show
comes along an rehearsals start we may do anything from operating to simply
adding some sound effects here and there. Though leading up to the press night is
where the pressure comes on because everything has to be meticulously plotted
and planned. So when need be the show can be picked up moved re-created and
them moved back again with maximum ease.
It is more common for people to do course
before entering this industry which is good because it lets you get a taste and
see if it for you.
Notes
Good to know I’m not wasting my time with a master’s degree.
Good to know I’m not wasting my time with a master’s degree.
You can learn the majority of what is needed
on the job though there are extra things that are important and very helpful
such as how sound works on a scientific level, and how the ear and sound
perceive sound.
Notes
These things usually aren’t taught on the job or on course but taking the time to learn these things myself with self directed study means that I will be set apart from the rest of my colleagues and perform better helping me climb the ladder. And knowing these things before hand can make all the difference when in an interview.
These things usually aren’t taught on the job or on course but taking the time to learn these things myself with self directed study means that I will be set apart from the rest of my colleagues and perform better helping me climb the ladder. And knowing these things before hand can make all the difference when in an interview.
"I think if you wanted to get into it,
the main things you need are enthusiasm, motivation and a real desire to do
it."
"Audiences
should see sound as something that’s just part of the production. And they
should only ever really notice it when it goes wrong."
Steve Mayo sound designer
Steve
Mayo is a sound designer and he took the time to speak to creative choices and
talk about his career
Steve
got into sound when he left school, and left for London after studying as a sound
technician at Manchester. One of his first jobs was a Dracula production he
filled in for a sound designer that couldn't make a rehearsal. The
director changed the entire show meaning he had to stay up late re-doing all
the sounds. It’s at the moment he had his hand in melons trying to re-create
the sound of a vampire being staked that her thought “I love this job”.
Notes
Being truthful with myself I do know that this is not all my job will entail, though the fact that I will be able to be playful with my job is very appealing. No matter how much I grow the childish part of me always remains.
Being truthful with myself I do know that this is not all my job will entail, though the fact that I will be able to be playful with my job is very appealing. No matter how much I grow the childish part of me always remains.
Although
there is a lot of rehearsal involved the fact that one day you may be doing a
rock show and then an intimate stage performance the next keeps it nicely
varied and challenging. With different kinds of shows he always finds himself
trying to do and experiment with different things.
Notes
This is fundamentally important for me, no matter how hard I try to stick at something I just simply can’t if it's the same routine work for years on end. If I am going to choose a career and become successful in it, but I must choose a career that regularly offers different challenges to keep my enthusiasm and passion fresh.
This is fundamentally important for me, no matter how hard I try to stick at something I just simply can’t if it's the same routine work for years on end. If I am going to choose a career and become successful in it, but I must choose a career that regularly offers different challenges to keep my enthusiasm and passion fresh.
One
of the tricks he has picked up to make the whole audience feel as though there amerced
in the experience is to “make sure you’ve got enough speakers around the
auditorium so that you can bring waves crashing out from stage through the
auditorium”
Notes
I will keep this in mind, this is one of the reasons I love sound. I has a great power and can completely saturate people with different feelings and emotions I love this power. And any tricks of the trade to make this power stronger are welcomed.
I will keep this in mind, this is one of the reasons I love sound. I has a great power and can completely saturate people with different feelings and emotions I love this power. And any tricks of the trade to make this power stronger are welcomed.
Hey
says that sometimes it’s easy for your passion to get lost in the heavy load
that the job comes with, and the long hours and sometimes antisocial lifestyle
can keep you down and lower your moral. Though seeing the joy in the audiences from
your own production, and standing ovations that last well over 20 minutes makes
it all worth it and brings the passion rushing back.
Notes
This would suit me well the long hours and mass amounts of pressure would be very daunting and exhausting though as long as the goal and outcome is worth it then I am happy to put the effort in.
This would suit me well the long hours and mass amounts of pressure would be very daunting and exhausting though as long as the goal and outcome is worth it then I am happy to put the effort in.
