My name is Ben Greaves. I have been working in the sound business for the past
17 years, since I was 19. My father is an accomplished musician and I spent a
lot of my childhood in recording studios and at live music venues. I have a
deep appreciation for the creative side of these endeavors but my attention was
always drawn to the flashing lights on mixing consoles, the miles of sticky
black cable and shiny microphones on sticks! In 1994, I began my career at the
Townhouse Studios in London as a 'tea boy' in the recording studios. They had
just taken delivery of one of the first fully automated 96-track SSL mixing
consoles. It was an exciting time as the industry was quickly going digital.
Early hard disc editing machines were becoming standard, Sonic Solutions &
Sadie being the mainstay. It meant I was was lucky enough to be able to work on
analog tape formats (2",1/2" & 1/4") and get my head around the mechanics
of what digital machines were beginning to replicate. I eventually moved into
Post Production and began editing, mastering and eventually fulfilling a dream
of mine to become a vinyl mastering engineer at Alchemy Studios in London. In
2001, I began to get cabin fever, and after a year traveling the globe, I
enrolled at the National Film & Television School (NFTS) under the guidance
of Head of Sound, Andrew Boulton (AMPS). I was the first student enrolled in
the inaugural Sound Recording for Film & Television Diploma Course. The
reputed NFTS had consistently produced exceptional graduates and an
accomplished body of work, but Andrew felt the missing piece was a dedicated
sound department. Until then, location sound was done by post-production sound
students who fancied a day out of the edit suite or by whichever
friend-of-a-friend someone could find. Location sound was never given the time
and attention it deserved. The brand-new course of study taught me the basics
of my new industry: equipment, location recording techniques, boom operating
(fisher & pole), mic placement, etc. The school is set up in such a way
that we worked very closely with other departments in pre production and
maintained constant communication during the post production process with the
Sound Designers and Dialogue Editors. The idea was to simulate life in the real
world as much as possible and raise the profile of location sound with the
other departments and within the school in general. I was very happy in my new
environment and have maintained relationships with my fellow graduates to this
day. The course is now in its 9th year, is being constantly expanded and
continues to produce young, highly competent sound crew that go on to work
throughout the UK film and television industry and I am very proud of my
involvement at its infancy. During this time I was fortunate enough to begin
working in my spare time for Simon Hayes who at the time was an up-and-coming
UK mixer. I graduated NFTS in 2003 and went to work for Simon as Sound
Utility/3rd Man. My first full feature was Shaun of The Dead. I was in charge
of setting up the trolley for the day, charging block batteries, starting the
paperwork, loading media (DAT & 2 NAGRA V DRIVES), delivering rushes as
well as driving the equipment and Boom Op to work! It was a baptism of fire. We
went on to shot another six films back to back, often with no prep time in
between. If we did have anytime off we would shoot a commercial or a short
film. Arthur Fenn, (Simon's primary Boom Op) began teaching me the 'dark art'
of boom operating. Simon liked to have as many booms out as possible and I got
a lot of time 'on the pole' very quickly. As well as mic placement and boom
operating techniques, Arthur taught me lens sizes, the basics of lighting and
and some might say most importantly, on-set politics. He knew that the best was
to get a mic near the edge of frame and keep it there was with the DOP's and
Gaffers help. Simon recently won the Conch Award for Sound Mixer of the Year
(UK) in 2009. He is one of the busiest Mixers in the UK and active member of
the Association of Motion Picture Sound. He is one of the most professional and
dedicated Production Sound Mixers I have ever worked for. I remain very
grateful for the time I spent with Simon & Arthur. My predecessor with 'the
boys' was Jamie Gambell (a JW Sound member and fellow émigré to LA) . We had
become close friends during my time with Simon and after a brief spell as Sound
Utilty for Petur Hliddal on the European shoot for Syriana (good times!). Jamie
and I began working together on low budget UK features, he as a Mixer and
myself as a Boom Op. We bought a couple of Audio Limited RMS 2020 radio mics,
an MKH 60, Sound Devices 744t and 442, which were perfect for what we were
involved in. We developed a good understanding of the industry and of each
other. Unfortunately, the low budget film industry being what it is in the UK
we struggled to pay the bills. I took work in between jobs as a PSC mixer
shooting virals, promos and documentaries. During this time, I learned some
valuable lessons...mainly that there is more than one way to skin a cat! I
began to build up my own kit and contacts in the industry. Jamie and I
continued to work together until he left for LA in September 2008. In May 2008
I proposed to my American girlfriend - whom I met in London, where she had been
living for several years - and we embarked on the lengthy and convoluted
process of applying for US immigration. I began mixing more commercials and
very unexpectedly, was asked to shoot two feature films back to back as
Production Sound Mixer. I had a great time and was lucky enough to be employed
by very 'sound friendly' producers; I got all the equipment I needed and a
great crew. They were both challenging shoots: the first, Huge, was very fast,
up to three or four location moves a day, lots of noisy locations, etc. The
second, Cherry Tree Lane, was all in one location but very tough subject
matter. As challenging as these shoots were, emotionally, politically, and
technically, I am pleased to report that both films needed very little ADR, the
directors and producers are very happy and are both due for release in the UK
in 2010. On August 7th 2009, Annie and I boarded a plane and arrived in LA. We
married a week later at San Francisco City Hall and began the application for
my Green Card. We had a beautiful larger wedding in October in Tomales Bay for
friends and family, including many out-of-town guests, which kept us busy for
most of the autumn! I also applied for my interim work permit and I am very
please to announce that - after 5 months - it has just arrived! I have spent my
'down time' making contact with some industry people, visiting various sets
(Jamie on CSI mainly, and other friends on Flash Forward, Heros and The
Mentalist) and getting my head around the traffic! Everyone I have spoken to
has been really supportive and I have high hopes for the next chapter of my
working life. To summarize my professional outlook and goals: I am passionate
about film, dedicated to producing quality location sound, and love working
with people. I am just as happy mixing as I am changing batteries or planting
microphones. I feel at home on a film set. I work hard, fast and without fuss.
I know how film production works and the myriad of personalities (and egos!)
involved. I was taught to work discreetly and efficiently and be a positive
force within a film crew as a whole. I have been in this business for a while
but I am continuing to learn, and I would be keen to shadow any crew working in
Film or TV drama. I am mainly looking for work as Sound Utility or Boom Op. I
am non union at the moment but my primary goal this year is to accrue enough
working days to qualify for membership to the Local 695. I have been in touch
with Scott Bernard several times since my arrival and he has been very
supportive. I look forward to being a 'union man' sooner rather than later! I
am also applying for membership to CAS and BAFTA. I feel incredibly lucky to
have been able to move to LA and embark on this adventure, and I look forward
to meeting/working/talking with many of you over the coming weeks, months and
years. Happy 2010 to you all. May you all stay busy, happy, safe....and dry!
Ben Greaves 510 735 6345 ben.greaves@me.com http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1396481/
I've been on the Internet and come across some soundie related T-shirts
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/stroke_my_softie_tshirt-235173003404925744
http://www.zazzle.co.uk/filmmakergear/audio+engineer+gifts
I'm know working as boom op on a TV series named Pigalle for Canal+. It's a 102
day shooting ( 8 episode). A lot of live scene shot in the middle of Paris jam,
2 Arri Lite cam in 2 perf ( so loud...), working with a Cantar and a Sonosax R4
for wild sound. Photo will arrive soon !
In this tough economy and the way our business is, I have had to supplement my
income. I am now a representative for a company called ACN, which is a
telecommunications company (backed 100% by Donald Trump). If you want to save
money on your cell phones, TV, home security or would like to purchase a
digital video phone, please give me a call at 805/466-1408 (home) or
805/712-3107 (cell). If you want to take a look at the website, go to
ACNINC.COM or my website Birchfiel.acnrep.com If you wish to order my ID # is
01909665 Thank you, Keith Birchfiel
... feel free to hop on yer scooter and join me. I'll be at Manzanita
campground in Chilao beginning either Friday evening (May 7th) or early
Saturday morn. Look for the blue Harley Davidson Sportster in the parking space
and the rainbow hammock hangin' in the trees. Can't carry much on a motorbike
but I will have plenty of coffee. Go Dodgers!
SEDITION! Great word! Uprising and inciting and speaking out against what you
feel to be unjust and appalling! Our , so called, Government is a Ship of Fools
who are bobbing around like so many yellow toy ducks in a sea full of lobbyist
dollars. There is so much corruption and injustice to what has happened over
the last century or so the whole world is now in a state of panic! There has
been so much made of greed and avarice all the while, WE the PEOPLE, whom our
elected officials seem to want the best for, have been forsaken so long ago,
all we can be now is manipulated like cattle and with the electronic age
allowing for trend tracking, my friends we are being so analyzed and
scrutinized as to HOW to keep us in debt, in crisis, non-salient, and in the
dark, it should be a punishable crime to even say you are a representative of
THE PEOPLE because we have been bled dry of our voices and choices. So, I say
to you all, be disruptive and speak out at gatherings about it all! What are we
up to in Afghanistan AGAIN? 9/11? Don't believe that for a second. Giving them
Democracy? Why would they be interested in some experimental system which is
failing The United States so horribly? No, there's something very sinister
afoot and if we continue to allow it, then, it's our own fault. I recommend
learning who your representatives are and full on threaten them with rebellion
if this manner of Government continues and remind them to read the Constitution
and The Bill of Rights and quite fooling around the edges of our laws to find
the soft spots to exploit! Where have our rights gone? This isn't a country
built on entitlements even though I feel we have a responsibility to help those
who truly need and want and deserve it! This, coming from a guy who found every
"soft spot" I could and exploited them myself as an individual as an act of
rebellion many years ago. I profess this same action now! Help yourselves and
let's help each other. There has been a matrix of "systems" built out there in
the ether which has us all hornswoggled! We've been bushwhacked, but slowly to
where Congress can pass Bills worth almost a TRILLION dollars and not have even
read it? Unconscionable and I, for one, have had it. I no more feel my rights
are being represented than if I were a sheep on a Ranch Station in The Outback!
At least they sheer the sheep and feed them well. So many of us are on hard
times, we'd be culled out ( as we may be in the process of right now) and
selectively slaughtered. I'm for , In The Streets! SEDITION! Soon, I will be
making up signs to hold on week-ends for best exposure at the corner of
Thousand Oaks Blvd. and Westlake Village asking; "Where's MY BailOut? Where's
my Representation? for as long as I can, and I'm a stubborn man. I encourage
you all to do the same and start getting letters off to those who may face us
at reelection time. I will be using signage as it seems to be the most
democratic form of expression and ask folks to "HONK" if they agree! I'll let
you all know how it goes and what response I get. Where is this generation's
Teddy Roosevelt, Ezra Pound, H.L. Menkin,Woodrow Wilson, Rabbi Steven Wise and
William Jennings Bryant? Where are our voices? TV talking head, pundits? I
don't think so! Talk Radio hosts? Not likely since NONE of these types have had
an iota of full effect. Perhaps we are all too overloaded and watered-down for
clarity to shine through. I don't know myself but to ask you all to question
this unbelievable authority which has been given away and ask; "Who is
representing YOU?" God Speed this once Mighty Country past this hollow feeling
of frustrating fatigue, as if we have run our course and those who could, have
sucked our marrow from our now brittle bones! Rejoice in the fact we can come
together like this. Express your thoughts back please and really let loose! It
is a way we can share and overcome our powerlessness! Gary Brother in Arms!
You can visit this page and listen every lavalier an d compare them....
http://www.kenstone.net/fcp_homepage/lavs_brockett.html
I don't know about the rest of you but I am finding this to be the worst
economic environment in my lifetime. I say that because it seems to be all
encompassing. No segment of society or the world seems to be spared. As a
result there seems to be an overriding feeling that "doing things as we have
always done them" is over. Look around you and see how true that is. From
banking, investing, autos, energy, advertising and entertainment, major
industries as well as multi-national corporation are looking at changing how
they do business. They are having to change their way of thinking if they are
to survive. On a smaller scale but just as importantly the same changes are
going on the the Entertainment industry. This is exacerbated by the fact that
in our recent past large corporations have taken over the industry and fallen
prey to the very mistakes that have gotten the rest of the world into trouble.
It's a problem that will not be solved easily or quickly. So how do we as film
technicians survive and thrive again in this environment? An environment where
management is looking to cut cost across the board starting with labor. An
environment where the labor movement or Unions are all but extinct. We change
the way we think and we find a way to create another stream of income. This is
difficult for most of us who have been in this industry for some time. We are
too used to waiting for a call time and being told where to show up. That works
when the jobs are plentiful enough and the pay scale is adequate. However, both
are no longer true if we just admit to the realities of this business. And the
writing is on the wall. Things will only get worse. There is now an over
abundance of technicians available to management and with the "New Media"
contract, management will be able to pit these technicians against each other
more then ever before. This will result in even lower wages and lessor working
conditions then now exist. In the past I would have suggested that it is time
to stand up as a 'Union" and fight back against these injustices, but that time
is long past. We have allowed the framework to be put in place to destroy the
"Union" as we know it and there are not enough individuals out there who will
use civil disobedience to change it. So what can we do? Like I said before, "we
have to change the way we think". We are still a group of people with a common
interest and common goals. We now have to find a way to use this strength of
numbers to better our lives in some way. We need to find and understand other
ways of creating income. Most of you may be saying "this is all I know how to
do" but that is not necessarily true. There are a lot of "non traditional" ways
to create income that do not entail sending out resumes or knocking on doors
for another job. We need to discover these and work together as a "network"
member rather then a "union" member. With todays technology we are connected
like never before. Learn how to use this connectivity to your advantage. This
site is just one example of the power of connectivity or networking. There are
so many more out there with Facebook being the 'Mother of them all". All you
really need is an "idea", "product" or "service" and a structure in which to
operate and you can create a business that will give you that additional income
stream. It will allow you to remain a productive member of the industry and not
a victim of it. You will be able to choose the projects you do again and not
become a "day laborer" working for peanuts with no benefits. I hope this will
inspire responses from all of you and cause you to look at your own lives and
access your own potential in this industry as we know it. If you have created
additional income streams please share it with others who may want to join you
or learn from you. If you are looking to create other income streams join in
the discussion and find strength in numbers. If you think this business is the
only way you will continue to create income let us know how you think that will
turn out and what your suggestions might be to improve it.
Riding safely for over 300,000 miles isn’t a matter of luck it’s a matter of
developing the skills and experience necessary to do so by listening and
learning from those with more miles in the saddle, building upon that
knowledge, saddling up, and hitting the road. Be aware and stay vigilant –
never let one’s focus wander. If a particular route looks dangerous allow extra
time and use it to modify the travel plan – always think ahead. Maximize the
potential of whatever motorbikes are available and keep an open mind about
their capabilities – a small bike can be just as capable as a big bike in the
right hands Take care of a motorbike and it will take care of you for a long
time. It shouldn’t take a lot of effort; don’t thrash it, change the oil, tune
it up, check the tires regularly, and always be mindful that a little wear and
tear is normal and no reason to trade in a solid, reliable, motorcycle. If it
sustains damage and needs a few repairs to make it safe then take the time and
make the effort to fix it and make it safe. If the damage is purely cosmetic, a
few scratches and a couple of cracks in the plastic, then live with it and
continue to enjoy the same ride enjoyed over the years because at the end of
the day it’s all about a good ride. Also, remember that a good ride means
keeping a toolkit onboard equipped with the right tools for the road to keep
oneself moving ahead. Over many miles of real world riding a motorbike and its
rider develop a character and appearance that is visible to any one paying
attention and should be a point of pride. When setting out for the initial
purchase of a motorbike take advantage of every test ride offer available. If
one wants to ride many miles and many years then a motorbike should be
practical. For riding off-road get a bike that can get to the dirt without
trailering, for riding cross-country on asphalt get a street bike that will
handle a few miles when the pavement ends. In the best of all worlds a couple
of bikes allow choosing the right motorbike for the ride and although it means
a bit more maintenance, if taken care of, after many miles of smooth riding and
negotiating the bumps in the road they will becomes greater than the sum of
their parts and riding will become an integral part of your life. Remember,
too, that there are more riders in California than anywhere else in the country
so this is a great place to get exposed to and learn from experienced riders.
Being a “lone wolf” may look cool in the movies but in real life it means
missed opportunities for comradeship and sharing knowledge. Ride long enough
and a falling down will be inevitable. Get back up, get back in the saddle as
gracefully as possible, as soon as possible, take the time to figure out why
the fall occurred and how to avoid falling down again under similar
circumstances. Don’t let it happen again. Take responsibility for your own
safety. Your life depends on it. Along those lines, don't forget to use turn
signals habitually. If no one knows which direction you’re headed then you’re
headed for disaster.
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