SOUND RECORDIST
The Sound Recordist commonly referred to as Soundman or
Sound Person, is just as important in the low budget productions as the
cinematographer. Many people in the profession forget that. The reason
is that: sound recording is traditionally not considered as exciting a
profession as cinematography.
Movies are perceived as motion pictures and as such are supposed to be
a visual art. However, that's a throwback to the silent pictures era
and I'm afraid it's something pretty well ingrained in the audience's
mind.
Usually beginning film makers don't pay special attention to
hiring a good Sound Person. But the art of the sound person is just as
complex as the art of cinematography. Every shot has to be recorded in
a special way, consistent with the cinematography! A close-up should
sound like a close up, a medium shot as a medium shot and a wide shot
as a wide shot. Even establishing shots have to have proper atmosphere
and "inserts" (special close-ups, usually, that draw the audience's
attention to an important detail) have to be considered by a
conscientious Sound Person.
When I direct, I always ask the Sound Person to call "Quiet
on the set!" and record sound during the photography of inserts! I've
saved a lot of time and money in editing by using that very sound that
was recorded.
Otherwise, I would've had to go out and rent sound equipment and hire a
Sound Person to record proper sound that matches the original sound
later, after principal photography has been completed weeks or months
later, at costs of hundreds or thousands of dollars! If you don't
believe me you'll "get yours" one day and then you'll be sorry. I know
you're saying, "Just use a piece of atmosphere sound from another take
or re-record a piece of the same take" but suppose you can't!
And then, as for example, when you chop a piece of sound
from in-between an actor's words (so you can use it for re-recording or
synthesizer sampling) and end up messing up the line! Ouch! You cut the
piece back in and get a "drop-out" (from oil on the hands, erasing a
split second) or a glitch! You request the sound take re-recorded, but
it comes back different -- it doesn't match! The level is wrong. The
"equalization" is different. Now what do you do, hot shot?
The Sound Person delivers to the Production Manager and the Sound Lab
meticulous records of each take recorded. The sound records and the
camera records have to match perfectly, otherwise all hell breaks loose
if the editor can't sync (synchronize) the sound! The sound is later
transferred and given to the editor.