I know what you're thinking but to answer your question, no. I wasn't at the beginnings of an
outrageously fun party. I was on an independent film set, otherwise known as the hells kitchen of the creative endeavors.

Normally I would avoid places like these with a zealot passion usually only found in biblical scripture. Unfortunately for me I opened my mouth a week earlier and found myself regretting it the moment I walk through the door.

Earlier in the week while finishing dialog clean up on a film, I commented that it would have saved the producer a lot of time and money if he just recorded the audio correctly to begin with.

“Great”, he said, “Can you show up next week for another film I’m shooting?”

I’ve recently discovered that part of being a good producer is realizing that there is no harm in asking for things. The worst they can say is no, and if you’re a really good producer, no is just an opening for further negotiations for a more favorable result.

Needless to say, he was a very, very good producer and I found myself committed to doing location audio for his next project.

Walking through the door I immediately remembered why I fell out of love with location work. Try to imagine the most chaotic, disorganized situation you've ever been in and then throw logic and reason out the window.

Maybe I’m painting too gloomy of a picture because you have to admire the pure enthusiasm and energy that you’ll find on a set like this. People manage to get other people to show up for no or little money and produce a product through almost shear determination.

Although some times the desire and passion is overshadowed by disorganization, panic and neurosis that would make Woody Allen look well adjusted and boring.

I realize budgets being what they are on independent films; common sense usually loses out to panic highs and making command decisions in the heat of the moment.

But still I was brought on to do a job so I felt it was my duty to point out problems with the sound being recorded.

Like imparting the wisdom that sound travels.

Take for instance; sound will travel into your microphone that you're recording with. So it would be best if you don't have a noisy Honda generator right next to the guy holding the microphone.

It would also be safe to say when the director yells action you wouldn't want extras talking next to the sound guy holding the microphone. Despite how interesting it is to find out that Jenny left Mark for Janet.

And one would assume that tapping a drum solo on the boom pole holding the microphone would be completely out of the question.

Of course assumptions are dangerous and over rated since despite my best efforts the audio I was recording started to resemble more of a Phillip Glass conceptual piece than location audio.

At the end of each take I would point out all the problems with the sound. Which I usually received a prompt response of, “we’ll fix it in post”.

Now, words on their own have power. Putting words together to form sentences gives meaning to that power, and we all know power can be used for good or evil. Let me give you some examples such as, "I love you", good. "I've got a great idea", could be good. "Wouldn't it be great if...", sort of dancing on the edge there. "We'll fix it in post", there has never been a more dangerous group of words put together to form a sentence in the history of the human species.

Pointing this out usually is met with several reactions, but most of this time I got the, "why are taking up time with the little stuff".

So I did the best job I could with the tools I had on hand, which was met with much gratitude and appreciation.

As the producer came to me as we finished filming. He stated, “So I was looking at your notes you gave the script supervisor, and it looks like we had some trouble with a lot of the sound recorded.”

“Yes, you did”, I replied.

"So, what can you do for me?" The producer casually asked.

"Pray for you", I replied back to him.

"No seriously, what can you do for me?" He asked again, this time a little more annoyed.

I proceeded to explain to him from A to Z everything that was wrong with the sound.

He blankly stared at me for a couple of moments and asked, “So, we’ll just fix it in post right?”

“Sure, why not”, I replied back.

Sometime it’s import to just know when to declare victory and leave the field of battle with your sanity intact.