tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22014490664878250352018-04-08T15:35:36.128+01:00Blog for Mary Milton, Sound Recordist - BristolMarynoreply@blogger.comBlogger125125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-74661605502280186482013-05-01T20:08:00.001+01:002013-05-05T21:37:32.113+01:00

Couldn't boom because of shadows, couldn't use a personal mic on our presenter (Chris Packham) because he was lying down. Can you see where it is? Hopefully the viewers won't!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-59717151147018783742013-04-30T23:15:00.001+01:002013-04-30T23:16:13.723+01:00

Today's sound invention is - cue drum roll - a record deck silencer! Ok, so it's a bit of transparent wig tape holding the needle off the LP but it took us a while to figure out. We needed a way to keep the turntable moving but not hear anything from the needle. It also needed the needle to look like it was on the record for the shot to work. Gaffer tape kept stretching and landing the needle on

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-53489033501842351852013-03-08T16:03:00.001+00:002013-03-08T16:03:33.744+00:00

A good brushing and the old Rycote windjammer looks like new!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-57395260537046513572012-12-27T00:05:00.001+00:002012-12-27T00:22:15.170+00:00

Coming up on the 30th December on the BBC,  a programme I worked on a month or so back -  "Wild Weather in 2012" features Ian Fergusson as he looks back at the weather in our region over the past year. Made by Quintessence Films. This is the the programme where we used my "Patent Flag Pole Silencer" for the sequence at Cirencester Cricket Club Broadcasts Sunday 30th December BBC1 5.30pm 

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-27443794785028280872012-12-12T11:04:00.003+00:002012-12-27T00:28:27.388+00:00

With credit to John Wilson of Wizard House  - Today is Microphone Testing Day (I've also had my eyes tested for good measure) but make sure you don't miss out. 12.12.12 (don't say three or you may be expected to lift something)  More details in this audio

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-67528260582391546622012-11-30T19:12:00.001+00:002012-11-30T19:15:15.897+00:00

Skype for Interviews from dkaye I found this brilliant tutorial recently on getting the best sound recording quality from Skype. It's a little out of date now but the principles ring true and I have not found anything more comprehensive out there. For example the codec that they mention has now been superseded - so don't expect to see that in your status window. I'd still highly recommend

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-57982183453167929982012-11-17T23:40:00.002+00:002013-04-30T23:16:46.689+01:00

FOR SALE Sound Devices 442 mixer. Excellent condition, just some scraped paint on the underside due to me stupidly putting a clipboard next to it in my mixer bag. £1000 + VAT (20%) inc free shipping within mainland UK. You can also collect from Bristol. Instruction manual included. This is a fantastic mixer with a really good selection of inputs and outputs which makes it very flexible for

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-3637401335746973192012-11-15T17:15:00.000+00:002012-11-15T17:15:02.653+00:00

BECTU is inviting current and past workers in broadcasting – both union members and not – to take part in a survey into respect and dignity at work. The survey, prompted by the Savile Scandal, offers an opportunity to staff and freelances working in all areas of broadcasting to give their views on employers’ attitudes to bullying, sexual harassment and discrimination. The union will be

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-10545756481696954992012-11-07T19:12:00.001+00:002012-11-07T19:12:35.025+00:00

My "patent" flagpole silencer, with thanks to Robin Toyne for inspiration and Mat Lingard for gaffer tape (and Phil at Cirencester Cricket club for the tea towel)!

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-50714645335021255682012-11-02T18:28:00.004+00:002012-11-02T18:29:51.964+00:00

New small cameras seem to turn up all the time nowadays. Fortunately the latest ones, well the ones used for broadcast anyway seem to be provided with pretty standard XLR inputs and a useful array of manual controls on the outside of the camera - rather than buried in the menus.   The Canon XF105 illustrated here is a good example. XLRs on the side are easily switched between mic /

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-4257623614535420222012-10-25T17:14:00.001+01:002012-10-25T17:14:44.374+01:00

 CBeebies show Andy's Wild Adventures has been nominated for a Childrens TV BAFTA in the pre-school live action category. The ceremony will be on Sunday 25th November at the London Hilton on Park Lane. see the other nominees

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-43910175882031902612012-08-17T10:03:00.000+01:002012-08-17T10:04:00.287+01:00

I recorded some of the additional sound for this animation by Shaun Clark with sound design by Alison Bown. It's doing really at film festivals and you can find more information here. It will also be shown as part of the Encounters Film Festival in Bristol this year 18-23rd September

Maryhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08493770300229233745noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-50417682426043796152012-04-02T19:56:00.000+01:002012-04-02T19:56:21.057+01:00

Have you come across Rogue Amoeba software? Well, if you haven't there might be few bits that you find very useful. All very reasonably priced and certainly all the software I've tried has a free trial version so you can check it out first. They include; Audio Hijack a great little bit of software that allows the capture of any audio playing on your computer and converting it to a sound file.

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-17025430313876934042012-01-24T11:19:00.000+00:002012-01-24T11:19:18.182+00:00

Recently worked on this taster video about this amazing renovation of a listed building near Bristol.

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-16616170402914987822011-11-24T09:15:00.001+00:002011-11-24T09:15:00.079+00:00

This one has been driving me mad! I run bootcamp on an aging but faithful MacBook - only really because Zara radio requires windows and won't otherwise run on an apple mac. The question came up - how do you "right click" on a laptop with a track pad and only one mouse button? Well you can add an external mouse, and there is some software around that will make ctl+click work BUT the simple

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-90214290484568596772011-11-23T09:44:00.001+00:002011-11-23T09:44:00.312+00:00

Look at all those pretty lights! The timecode input on the 552 sound mixer really is a fantastic addition to a location mixer. Set it up in the menu and the solid blue light lets you know that timecode is being received, the light flashes if timecode is not present. The built in recorder can be set to turn when running timecode is detected and stamps the start of the file with the appropriate

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-45631200304691504172011-11-22T18:06:00.000+00:002011-11-22T18:06:46.667+00:00

Recent Sound Recording work - Check out Country Tracks - broadcast last Sunday, available on iplayer http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017lv04/Country_Tracks_Bristol_Channel/

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-58193945063739549582011-11-22T10:43:00.000+00:002011-11-22T10:43:33.251+00:00

I'm guessing that by now most sound recordists will be using rechargeable batteries in their radio mics. If you use your mics regularly using rechargeables really cuts down on the cost and waste of standard batteries - gone are the days of buying 50 at a time for a job. I always hated the amount that I was putting into the recycling every month too. So how many hours use do you get out of your

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-24403933561294735502011-11-21T16:42:00.002+00:002011-11-22T10:43:59.880+00:00

This is my latest "essential" bit of sound recording kit. The Sound Devices 552 is the "mixer with a record button" I've been wanting for a long time. No bigger than a standard location mixer it adds a recorder which records stereo files to an SD card. Files can also be timecode stamped and the recorder can be set to run automatically on seeing turning code. In addition to this there are 5

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-7916221173321938802011-09-19T22:29:00.001+01:002011-09-19T22:30:28.984+01:00

Company appointed by Ofcom to make way for new 4G services in the 800MHz band are selling equipment into the spectrum which taxpayers paid them to clear.In 2009 Ofcom announced that wireless microphone users would be evicted from the 800MHz band to make way for new mobile broadband services.  Following an industry campaign, Save Our Sound UK, which pointed out the damage being done to the

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-42327442078215342692011-08-24T20:10:00.000+01:002011-08-24T20:10:33.007+01:00

Channel 4 - Friday 26th August 2011 - 7.35pm Many people think ferrets are smelly, vicious animals, but best friends Maria, Kelly and David love them and have dedicated their lives to rescuing and rehabilitating Britain's most mistreated ferrets. Ferrets mean more to Kelly than just pets; they are her best friends, therapy and a lifeline. They have been there for Kelly during the emotional

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-26733192866054405382011-08-22T17:41:00.003+01:002011-08-22T17:43:21.966+01:00

MICROLIGHTS - FINAL CALL FOR FILM TRAINEES! The final round of applications for MicroLights is now open. MicroLights is a fantastic scheme for future film talent from across South West England to get hands-on experience with microbudget feature films. We’re now looking for the scheme’s last two committed newcomers to work and learn alongside an iFeatures film crew in Bristol. Trainees will

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-84652756086283977782011-06-22T23:12:00.001+01:002011-06-22T23:13:03.941+01:00

An intimate account of the relationship between young composer and pianist Kit Armstrong and the world renowned Alfred Brendel, SET THE PIANO STOOL ON FIRE captures both the creative process and champions the value of teaching and collaboration. Featuring the only filmed footage of Brendel during his farewell tour, this is highly revealing and essential viewing for anyone interested in

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-30716448719292937062011-02-23T00:38:00.001+00:002011-04-10T20:36:54.521+01:00

 Recent work: The Truth about Hospital Food (49 mins) 8pm Monday 21 Feb 2011 Channel 4 With NHS figures showing that more people than ever before are leaving hospital malnourished, Dispatches reveals the shocking truth about catering in the NHS. Not only is much of the

Marynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2201449066487825035.post-42501311796819478262011-02-22T00:42:00.002+00:002011-04-13T18:38:58.510+01:00

...and I don't think this was even all of us! For each valuation day there are five camera's and three sound recordists, one sound recordist for each of the two valuation tables, feeding sound to two cameras and then another roving camera and recordist to follow Paul doing pieces to camera.

Marynoreply@blogger.com0