In The Real World

Ok, I graduated all ready...and what's been going on in my life?? I'm still a freelance audio tech and I've been in training to be the relief A-1 for the show Absinthe at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The system isn't that complicated, but learning all the cue's is a whole different story. I've worked on an independent film titled "The Red Herring" that was shot here in Vegas. ADR sync and some sound design. I'm also in the process of producing 3 different albums...working with DJ Stab "Dawn of the DJ", Greg Goodman and my project La Vida Sol. In order to beef up my resume and be taken seriously, I'm attending the next Pro Tools Operators course here in Las Vegas this Oct 13. The date is ironic...isn't it! I'll be posting as much as I can, sharing my experiences in this industry. I hope to have much of the music that I write and produce out there in the world to be heard soon!!

EOC WK 9: Executive Decisions

This image depicts me in a studio situation mixing on a SSL console in Studio A. The band was a local Hip Hop act that performed with an actual 5-piece band. After the sound check was successful, we went ahead and recorded a rough cut of a track that was later to be mixed. The recording went well, so I made sure that each track had the sufficient levels for the mixing process. I properly set all the microphones phases in the correct order so that each track had the potential to be heard with the utmost quality. The vocalist needed to hear what was recorded during the playback process; this was the last process in the recording procedure. So a basic mix was prepared for the vocalist, this is to insure that the vocalist can hear the notes and sing in key. I believe that the proper steps were in made for this session, the vocalist performed beautifully, which is a confidence builder when working in a professional studio environment.

EOC WK 8: The Producers Most Important Role

The producer has many tasks when it comes to completing a project, but what does a producer actually do to get anything done? Well that depends on what role he / she actually plays in the production. There are mainly four roles or titles that producers play, and depending on the title they have specific duties. The executive producer is the big dog on top of the hill. This person finds the financial backing needed to make the production. The executive producer also makes the big decisions, like which actors are going to play the part or what production team to hire for the film. This person also ends up with a position of ownership in the film. The producer is more like a task manager, supervising and controlling the film project. From the beginning of the film until the film is wrapped, hiring the cast and crew to overseeing all the logistics in making the film. A line producer is the day-to-day manager of the film production. This person will hire the crew, and do all the organizing and coordination between the production office and the set. A line producer will also manage the money and the costs during production. This position normally doesn’t offer a position of ownership, so they usually drum up a crew services agreement for a method of payment. An associate producer is a title that is made up in a way, often called a “give away title”. This is usually used to persuade financiers and named actors to sweeten up a deal. No ownership of any part of the film is offered in this deal, so an associate producer will usually be under a crew services agreement for a method of payment. If this doesn’t help the filmmaker make his / her film, they have an option to partner up with an outside production company to get it done.

EOC WK 7: Keeping it Real

I like that an office space has an open entryway, it gives my clients a feeling that they can relax a bit before an important meeting. That’s why I chose this location just off of E Sahara ave. I never thought of leasing an office space just for meetings before, but I can get used to the fact that it’s all part of being professional. This space costs only $200.00 a day. For that money, I get a professional phone line with an answering service, and a secretary for the 24-hour day. Free domestic long distance with a VIOP telephone set. Voicemail box with a remote access. The furniture in the office space looks very professional. The client’s looks like that they can have a productive meeting and be comfortable at the same time. There is a free concierge service; this is beneficial for the clients who don’t know the area. Free Wi-Fi Internet access. This office space also comes with a kitchen, with complimentary coffee and water service. Leasing this office also comes with shipping and handling services, along with a copy and fax machine. I also like the fact that there is a free on site notary service, just in case if there are any contracts signed they can be completely legal at the end of the meeting. If I can impress a client that has the money for a project, and that client is going to fund it completely I would like it if the client had a feeling of reassurance for giving me the opportunity. This office space offers a lot of impressive amenities that can woo any clientele, giving the impression that I at least have it together on my end to handle any production with a considerable budget. This is a good strategy that will be considered if the opportunity presents itself in the near future.

EOC WK 6: How Do I See My Role Starting In The Industry?

My role in the industry as of now, I’m an audio technician for the Local I.A.T.S.E here in Las Vegas, but I don’t see myself working in the Union for the rest of my career. After receiving my degree, I definitely will research my options so that I will have control of what I can do for the audio industry. I see myself in two primary positions in the industry; I would love to be a recording engineer for several purposes. Primarily working with musicians, producers and A&R reps recording music for mainstream distribution. Recording a music compilation can be an incredible experience. I can visualize my self in this position, because as a musician I worked on albums and it was enjoyable. I couldn’t be happier making music in a studio. The process can be gruesome, but it is all about the end result. Music is an extension of emotion, and when you listen to the end result, it is an experience that one realizes that my performance is recorded and anyone can listen to this for ages to come. I also would like to work on music scoring and sound design for major motion pictures. I like the fact that in certain situations in a movie scene the music enhances the action in the movie. When I was a kid, seeing Star Wars for the first time took me to a different planet. I never seen a light saber before, but the sound of the light saber made it realistic. Ben Burtt became a figure of admiration, somewhat of a hero in my mind. He was more like a magician, creating sounds that were out of this world. I would love to become that magician, change the way people hear things that are happening around them.

Weekly Photo Challenge

This week’s photo challenge was to take a separate photo and place it so that it looks like we are sitting in a director’s chair using Photoshop. After taking the photo of me sitting down in my friend’s chair, I opened up a new Photoshop file, and then imported my photo onto a new layer. Then I found stock footage of a director’s chair that I liked, and then I imported that photo onto a separate layer. By using the lasso tool in Photoshop I began taking out what I didn’t need in my first photo, basically I separated what was surrounding my physical body. After that mission was accomplished, I just placed that image on the same layer as the director’s chair. Mad the proper adjustments and that mission was accomplished. I added the safari background to state a simple fact, that the creative environment is a hostile one, especially sitting in the director’s chair. Some people may have a horrific experience sitting in that seat, but I like to think that no matter what situation that I’m in I attempt to see the positive side of things. Optimism is a powerful word and it can change one’s perspective. Even if there are lions in your midst, try and stay calm and collective until the craziness passes.

EOC WK 5:

I recently had a PA production job working with Nike on a photo shoot for their men’s apparel line of clothing. During a break, one of the models mentioned that he attended UCLA and had a degree in finance. The economic turmoil became part of the discussion as well, but he mentioned that he is a consultant for Wells Fargo, and that how I got his business card. My fiancé works for a real estate firm, and we attended a little get together at one of her friend’s house. Real estate agents work with lawyers all the time, especially when it comes to foreclosures. She introduced me to one of the lawyers she works with, and I mentioned I’m not in the foreclosure business but I’m in the entertainment industry and was curious if he could recommend an entertainment lawyer. He handed me his business card, I said, “Thank you, you don’t know how much this will help me.” The other business cards that I need are from people I already know, but more time is needed for me to market myself effectively. I’m looking forward for the Audioversity Expo at the Hilton coming up at the end of this month. Yamaha is showcasing their new products, various control surfaces and software that are going to be released this year. They will also have workshops that will have demonstrations on how each product will work, and this will give me a better understanding how each product operates. This will be a good place to market my abilities to other audio related companies that will be attending this event. These events are great when it comes to expanding your network because people will remember the face behind the name rather than an email.