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Studio Production Unit: Live Show Day

If the sound on a live production is not perfect, then people will pick up on it. My mentor, Paul Brice, who has been a sound assistant for years on Sky Sports, drummed this kind of information into me. Paul made it clear to me how important timing and levels are to producing perfect sound. Paul had set up all the studio mics prior to the show, however it was my job on the day to set up the clip mics with the presenter and panelists. I did my research beforehand so I knew exactly where to place the mics to get the best quality sound possible.

 Unfortunately one of the panelists had a dress on, so I struggled to find a place to clip the mic on without it being too far away from her mouth. With the help of Paul, we managed to compromise and all the checks came in loud and clear.

 I only had two days in the sound gallery to learn all the details I needed as well as practicing the transitions between VT’s and the studio. The main aspect I learnt from Paul was the use of levels and how they affect the quality of the sound when being transmitted. I learnt that turning down the people who weren’t talking, gave the person who was talking a much cleaner output that meant the voices were a lot clearer. This meant having a great deal of concentration as the panelists, as well as the presenter, would talk at any point meaning I had to change the levels quickly in a controlled manner. I felt quite confident prior to the live show as I managed to perfect the transitions in the rehearsals beforehand; however as soon as the show started, the nerves and adrenaline kicked in, as I knew that it only took one small mistake on my part that could affect the whole show.

During the show, the nerves settled as I was performing like I was in the rehearsals, with all the levels being spot on, and the transitions working great. I ended up finishing the show with no mistakes, and Paul was very complimentary about my performance afterwards. I learnt a lot about sound after this production, mainly appreciating how difficult it is, and how vital it is to a successful show. When I work on projects in the future, I will make sure I carry out multiple checks to see if the levels are right, and whether the microphones are placed in the best position.


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