The Invisible Art of a Utility Sound Technician

If there’s any “glory” to be had in the sound department, it probably would go to the location sound mixer- calling the scene name and take for every shot, bringing up the faders from behind the shining mixer board. Or perhaps, the boom operator - the person there at the moment of capture - carefully lifting the emotional words coming from an actor's mouth and preserving them for all to hear. But many don’t know or realize that on a traditional movie set there is another job in the department! A utility sound technician is probably not the first member of the sound department you think of, but a great utility sound’s contributions will make any sound department run smoother, simpler, and make everyone’s job a bit easier.

In the olden days of recording sound for film, before the development and reliance on wireless technology, boom operators would be tethered to the sound mixer’s cart by perhaps hundreds of feet of cable. Naturally, in order to maintain a safe working environment for everyone, and keep the cable safely connected, the utility sound technician’s main responsibility would be to wrangle the long runs of XLR cable and ensure that the cables remained in good condition. While many sound mixer’s of today opt to use a wireless transmitter for the boom operator’s shotgun mic, certain conditions, such as crowded spectrum space or simple reliability, might motivate the sound mixer to use a long cable run. If this is the case, then it is an unspoken understanding that the utility sound will be assisting the boom operator in securing the cable run, and making sure the cables are neat, clean, and keeping the boom operator and other crew members safe from tripping.

Another pivotal role of the utility sound tech (and basically everyone on a film set) is to help move equipment from one spot to another. The utility sound technician will begin the day by helping to unload the sound cart, follow cart, and other necessary equipment from the parking area to set, and help the sound mixer find a good place to set up with close proximity to video village, a direct line of sight to set, and enough space to stay out of the way. (Pro tip: show up early and scout a spot to impress your sound mixer). Once you have unloaded the equipment and set up the follow cart, it is time to source power for the sound mixer’s cart. This will likely mean you will need to talk to your friends in the electric department to ensure that you won’t be adding unnecessary stress to a heavily used circuit. Or, if you are in a location without any outlets or house power, you will have to rely on batteries. In that case, it is still a good idea to speak with the electric department to see where an available generator would be to charge any extra batteries that may be needed.

Once the power situation has been sorted, the next step will be to assist the sound mixer in setting up a video feed so they can deliver an attentive, beautiful mix for the director, producers, and script supervisor. Again, in today’s world this comes down to personal preference for the sound mixer: many will opt for a long SDI cable run or two from video village, or some might prefer a wireless video transmitter to remove the need for a cable run. In either case, the utility sound technician will need to communicate with either the VTR department or the camera department (or both) to find an available video output, which will likely come from video village. As is becoming apparent, a vital aspect of the job of the utility sound technician is to communicate with other departments to make sure the needs of the sound mixer and boom operator are filled.

Another step in getting the day started is to collect a jammed lockit box and smart slate from the sound mixer and deliver them to the camera department to keep the camera in sync for our friends in post production. This also might include ensuring the camera jams properly and navigating any camera settings or menus with the 2nd AC as necessary. The utility sound technician will also distribute IFBs or comteks to those who will need to monitor the scenes from video village. If any piece of equipment needs to be in a certain place, it usually falls to the utility sound tech to get it there in a timely manner. Even more so, it’s hugely helpful to anticipate this and make sure whatever you are delivering is fully charged and fully operational.

Once everything is where it needs to be, it is a good idea to check in with the sound mixer to determine if there are any unnecessary noises that need to be contained. It might be a noisy industrial fridge, or crew member stomping around in boots. This is also a time to establish a relationship with the PA’s on set so you can team up and work together to keep the set as a good environment to record audio. PA’s are great at keeping the crew silent and work hard to do so, so always be sure to demonstrate your appreciation when possible.

At this point, when the lighting is set and camera moves are established, the actors will come to set for rehearsal. Before they step in front of a camera, they will need to have a wireless microphone hidden on them. This is one of the most important aspects of a utility sound’s job. Hiding mics is certainly an art, and takes time to master. Being proficient, friendly, and professional with the actors will come with time but will impress the sound mixer and be a huge relief to know that there is a good sounding lav to capture any improvisation or unexpected moments that can make a scene magical.

At this point, the scene will begin to be recorded. The boom operator will be busy making moves and cues based on the blocking, and the mixer will be riding the faders to keep the mix as clean as possible. All you can do as a sound utility is to stay in tune with other members of your department, and anticipate their needs. If it is a scene with a large number of cast members, you might have to jump in as a 2nd boom operator to help cover the scene, or you might have to track down a troublesome noise that didn’t make itself apparent until the scene had begun. No scene will be the same, so staying attentive and present is all you can do to help your department succeed.

Once things are going strong, the utility sound technician will continue to do what has been discussed, likely helping to move the cart again for a new scene or location, sourcing power and re-establishing the video feed. At the end of the day, obviously things need to be packed up and loaded back to the parking area. There is no perfect formula for what needs to be done, but a good utility sound technician is at the heart of everything that makes the sound department function, and their contribution is vital to helping a day run smoothly.