So you know that person quietly standing in the corner with their headphones on? That’s me: I’m a location sound mixer!

What the heck am I doing? Well I’m listening… always listening. My job is to hear everything on set. But while everyone else hears things directly around them, my ears are on the end of my boompole or even across the room where someone is wearing a lav mic. If a sound mixer ever says “what?” don’t assume it’s because they can’t hear you. Know that it’s because their attention is probably across the room from you.

Ok so I listen, but there’s more to it than that. I’m also in charge of syncing sound to picture. This means that I provide both a slate to the camera department as well as any extra gadgets like timecode so that all the audio and video files have the same numbers.

I also am in charge of placing microphones on all actors or talent on set. This routine is one of the most important skills of a sound mixer. Keeping a respectful tone and touch in this stage is paramount. Everyone who ever wears a microphone should feel that their privacy is protected and that they are in good hands. Their privacy and comfortability is my responsibility during this time.

Now who gets to listen? Well provided that it has been requested, I am also in charge of wirelessly transmitting audio to the ears that need to hear. The director, client, script supervisor, etc will need headphones and a wireless receiver to hear what I’m recording. I provide this equipment as well so they can hear the actors and action even when it is far away.

Next comes the fun part. When everything is set and the actors/talent are in place the bulk of my job begins.
“Roll camera”
“Camera rolling”
“Roll sound”
“Sound speeds”
“Action”
When action begins, I follow the actor(s) with a boom pole and mic their lines just above their heads out of the camera’s view. Any adjustments for volume between the mics that they’re wearing and the boom will be made in my audio bag. This is why my title is “location sound mixer”. My job is to mix the audio together as it happens on location.