Sound for Video Session — Patrushkha Mierzwa boom op & sound utility
In this episode, we have a conversation with Patrushkha Mierzwa, one of the first women boom operators in Hollywood, and utility sound technician (UST) in the motion picture world. Patrushkha's career has spanned 40 years and includes work on familiar films including Killers of the Flower Moon, Ad Astra, Once Upon a Time...In Hollywood, From Dusk Till Dawn, and Spy Kids. She also authored two books on production sound for film: Behind the Sound Cart and Beneath the Boom Pole.
Buy Patrushkha's books:
If you’d like to learn how to make great dialogue audio for your film and video projects, please have a look at my courses including processing dialogue audio in Adobe Audition and DaVinci Resolve/Fairlight, recording sound, how to use the Zoom F4, F6, F8, and F8n, and how to get the most from the Sound Devices MixPre series of recorders. We have a course on sound for live-streaming with the ATEM Mini, Introduction to Izotope RX for Dialogue Audio, and Mixing fundamentals in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight.
Gear I often use or that we mentioned in this episode. The links are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, Sweetwater, or other affiliate links. As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases:
- ZOOM F3 audio recorder — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon
- Mackie DLZ Creator XS adaptive audio mixer — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon
- Mackie DLZ Creator adaptive audio mixer (the original, bigger one) — B&H, Amazon
- Earthworks ETHOS microphone — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon
- Allen & Heath SQ5 digital mixing board — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon
- Sound Devices 888 field recorder/mixer with Dante — B&H, Sweetwater
- Sound Devices MixPre II Series Recorders - B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon
- Panasonic GH5 camera - B&H, Amazon
- Teleprompter Ikan 17" high bright — B&H
- Canon C200 Camera - B&H
- Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 lens — B&H, Amazon
- ATEM Mini Extreme & Extreme ISO - B&H, DVE Store, Amazon
- Rupert Neve Designs Shelford Channel, pre-amp, EQ, compressor - Sweetwater, B&H
- Universal Audio 6176 channel strip pre-amp, EQ, compressor — B&H, Sweetwater, Amazon
The intro and outro music for this episode is from Musicbed. Take your films to the next level with music from Musicbed. Sign up for a free account to listen for yourself.
Copyright 2024, Curtis Judd
Packing for a Location Sound Job
We run through my sound kit for a reality TV shoot I have coming tomorrow, talk about whether you need to have a Sound Devices recorder to get jobs, and relying only on gear you know well for paid jobs. Also, an explanation on my current perspective on cameras.
Gear outlined in this video:
Sound Devices MixPre-10T B&H This is what I ended up using as my main recorder for the job
Sound Devices 633 B&H Backup recorder for the day
Audio Ltd A10 Wireless B&H The main wireless system for the job
Remote Audio Battery Distribution System B&H
Orca Sound Bags (OR-30 and OR-34) B&H
DPA 4017b Shotgun Microphone B&H
Rycote Cyclone wind cover B&H
Comtek Wireless Transmitter/Receiver system for other crew B&H
Sennheiser MKH 8050 Indoor Boom Microphone B&H
DPA 4160 Lavalier Microphone B&H
Countryman B6 Lavalier Microphone B&H
Sanken COS-11D Lavalier Microphone B&H
Tentacle Sync E Timecode Generators B&H
Sony MDR-7506 Headphones B&H
Voice Technologies VT500 Lavalier Microphone B&H
Rycote Stickies for hiding lavalier microphones B&H
Moleskin - for hiding lavalier microphones Amazon
Joe's Sticky Stuff Amazon
Ursa Straps for hiding lavaliers and bodypack transmitters B&H
Basic Slate/Clapperrboard Amazon
Leatherman Tool Amazon
Boom Pole Holder B&H
C-stands B&H
Producer’s Choice Sound Blankets Vocal Booth To Go
Copyright 2019 by Curtis Judd
Ethics statement: Some of the links above are Amazon.com, B&H Photo, or other affiliate links.
Sound for Video Session: Short Film Sound 18 July 2016
What is the difference between documentary and narrative films in terms of production sound approach? Great question from Kevin Snyman.
I also talked about my experience as the sound mixer and boom operator for a short documentary film I shot with my friend Levi from Uphill Cinema over the weekend.
