For my end of allocation evaluation, I will be discussing sections of my allocation of where I have exceled in my skill set, things I need to improve upon and what I aim to learn more about for future sound roles. I will be elaborating on my role as a sound mixer, and what was expected of me in this allocation, and then what was achieve-able by working from home. From my understanding of the role- I concluded what tasks I expected of me in my AAP such as: to become more confident in Protools or Logic, expanding my knowledge on mic fittings, radio mixing as well as mixing the show.

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The skills I have learnt specifically as a Sound Mixer was increasing my skills on Protools. Such as learning how to pan sounds left to right or right to left as the mix is playing. Other simple things of knowing how to add in a master fader, grouping sounds together and understanding the 7-band EQ chart as well as d-verb. We did have an hour lesson in Q-Lab about the finer details of the software, such as the general settings, audio outputs, volume limits that can affect fades, the target button to change audio files but not the editing, auto continue, auto following, audio levels, trims and effects. As well as Hotkey triggers, timing, loops and fades. However, I still don’t really know the basics of it yet as I haven’t had an opportunity to use it, furthermore, we didn’t need to use it for this project, so I still have a lot to learn.

 

As a Sound Mixer there is of course so much to learn still. Naturally, working on an actual production in the Studio Theatre would have been ideal. I would have understood the how a PA is set up, how to cable everything and link it all together and get the desk talking. I would have had to be fully focusing on mixing something live for an audience or broadcast. So, there are plenty of obvious skills I have missed out on learning in this role. If there wasn’t a pandemic at all, I would have learnt how to possibly mic the actors (dependant on the director) of which would have be a very valuable learning experience. There is always room for improvement for my Protools skills too, my biggest struggle was EQ-ing the voices and trying to understand what some sounds are meant to sound like in a recording. It’s an insight into an area I never have to think about if I was just the listener.

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Reflecting on working with India as the Sound Designer has been a positive experience. I think we gel really well and see eye-to-eye on a lot of things. She has been working at a similar pace to me which is great too. I do feel I have stepped on her toes somewhat purely due to the fact that I have the overall mix and have to make decisions in the process of mixing. Such as placing the sound effects when and where, adding in Stormzy at the end and just being more creative with the decisions I was making rather than technical. Sending the Protools sessions as well as all the audio files to then be re-linked every time is not productive, so I can’t help but feel that the more creative decisions had to be more mine in a way as I am working from home. I do feel bad about it, but I am unsure how else we were meant to collaborate in this situation. I firmly believe that if we were in a theatre space as intended the roles between me and India wouldn’t have been blurred at all.

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In conclusion, looking back at this allocation, it has definitely been unique. I am grateful for the online sessions we had with Andy Taylor, I feel like just observing has taught me a lot. I do enjoy protools as a software, I understand it rather well and feel confident in putting something together quickly. It can get quite tough to be on it though when editing for a prolonged amount of time, not just for looking at a screen but having the same sounds repeated and listening intensely for so long. I do feel this allocation would have been more successful for the mixers of the group to just focus mixing a 12 plus track with an orchestra that already exists. As mentioned before- I feel my role was blending into designer sometimes and I don’t know whether it would have been better for me to have had an independent task rather collaboration. I was also nervous about voice acting for the ‘Gone Too Far’ script because of the content and the characters backgrounds. I am so happy that we got third year actors to send in their recordings, because it makes it sound so much better, and I would have not been comfortable saying the dialogue whatsoever- especially after to listening to it. It’s a shame we didn’t have any lessons more about setting up a PA and the more physical side of being in a sound team, but at the same time, I feel like I would have learnt that better in person. Overall, I did enjoy this project and I am really pleased with the outcome, and I am sure I will come to understand more when I mix this show for real in the summer.

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