Oh man... today was a lot more of that "I really shouldn't be laughing but yet I am" stuff. These 3 characters (the "Mystery Team") are just absolute idiots and completely clueless, so it makes for some very... interesting situations, to say the least. But today reminded me of how much I love booming, and why I love doing sound. For me, the more challenging, the better. If I have to stand there and figure out where I'm going to even be able to boom, that is far more exciting than just getting up and going. Today I had to stand on an apple box, hide behind a door, stand on a bed, be 10 steps above the actors reaching over to where they were, etc. Oh, I also acquired a new 'puppy dog' today. For explanation of that term, refer to my "Can I Get Your Number" post. I was surprised at this one too, because he knew I was THREE years older than him, and... he was about four inches shorter than I am. Yet that didn't seem to matter to him. He was a super nice kid, but too young, too short, smokes, and isn't LDS. I managed to escape set without him getting my number. My mom's text to me about it made my day: "Just pet him on the head and tell him to play dead." I don't know why I got such a kick out of it, but it cracked me up.
Also, I have decided that sound is the absolute best gig in film aside from the actors (let's be honest... for some reason, actors are treated like modern-day replacements of old-fashioned royalty... it's ridiculous). But doing sound rocks. First off, I found out recently that it's one of the better paying positions on a set. Bonus #1. Second, you pretty much only work when the actors do. Meaning, while grip and electric are spending 45 minutes setting up the next shot, sound is doing whatever the heck they want. Yes, granted there are a few things we have to make sure we know: (1) what the next shot is, (2) wide or tight, (3) will we need to mic the actors?, (4) where the lights and c-stands will be so I know where I can boom this from. However, other than that... it's a cinch! I forgot until halfway through the first day that I have movies on my newly acquired ipod. (yes, I finally got one!) So in the last two days, I managed to watch 1 1/2 movies -- and get paid for it! I watched all of Evan Almighty, and half of Beauty and the Beast. It was great. The sound mixer actually thought that that was a brilliant idea. He came back today with a few things downloaded to his iphone to keep him entertained while we waited in between shots. The other reason why sound is best is because you get to know and interact with more people on crew (and cast) than anyone else. Hair & Make-up, wardrobe, the director and DP interact with the actors. The DP will interact with grip and electric to discuss the set up of the next shot, props will interact with the DP, director, and actors depending on what sort of prop it is... anyway, you get the idea. Each department only interacts with certain departments. Sound, however, seems to interact with the most (aside from maybe the DP). We have to talk with the DP to figure out what the next shot is, the 1st AC to figure out where he'll need to be to pull focus so boom knows where not to go, 2nd AC (usually in charge of slate) and/or script supervisor so sound knows what the next scene is, grip and electric so we know where the lights and flags will be, hair make-up and wardrobe for when we have to mic the actors, the director and other certain crew members to give them their Comteks at the beginning of each day, etc. If you have a dolly grip, you're going to have to talk with him as well, because the dolly will obviously be moving and you need to know where he'll be, how fast he'll be pulling, etc. Basically, by the end of a production, nearly everyone knows who sound is - even if you don't know who they are.
Plus, boom is the only person other than the DP, 1st AC, and actors when filming in a very enclosed space. I have stood on apple boxes in the corner of a bathroom right next to the DP and 1st AC with the actors opposite us. I have scrunched into a ball on the passenger's side floor of a minivan in order to get the dialogue from the two actors in the middle seats. You get the idea. Oh, and we're the last to get there and first to leave. We have the least amount of equipment to worry about and thus it takes us less time to set up and strike than anyone else! My recommendation to you: do sound!!
Oh! And my business cards came last night, so I actually had them today to hand out to people! I have 250 (now 248) cards left... give me a year and I'll have 'em all gone. :D
Post title: lyrics from "Hello World" by Belle Perez
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