clicktrack
February 6th, 2007, 09:35 PM
I was reading some of the superbowl reactions on another forum and it killed me that the backseaters were VEHEMENTLY critiquing the production.
I like to let people have their say, and I'm glad that some of the comments in this current post aren't as...umm...slutty as over there, but I figured this bears repeating.
An editorial of sorts...
Ok...
I may catch a bit of flack for this, but I'm a calls-em-as-I-sees-em kinda guy.
Ladies and Gent backseat A1's, can you all calm down about the superbowl audio?
Here are a few of the comments we've seen in the past few days since the superbowl:
CBS - fire the mixer for that atrocity.
Seemed like it was good- but damn the mix I got on Sky Sports (UK) was like someone had a console on demo mode! Things in and out all over the shop.
The sync has been out a few times I noticed earlier too.
Originally Posted by EngineEars View Post
Yeah terrible mix!!! Anyone have any idea what kind of amp Prince plays? Guitar was way too loud, but at least it sounded phat.
This is only a small sampling of the comments for example, and I don't mean to single out any one poster in particular as there are MORE THAN A FEW of this style of comment.
From hereon out, I'll refer to commenters of this style as "backseat A-1's".
Have any of the backseat A-1's worked a show..any show...that's going to live broadcast?
Have you had to partake in the interface to a stage, other video trucks, uplink, etc?
And when fit-hits-the-shan, have you had to make a command decision to sacrifice one thing for the sake of another? For example, keeping the vox up front and sacrificing the drums out of the mix..for whatever reason?
I wasn't there at the game attending to the mix.
I don't know who was.
One thing that crossed my mind was this: What if the guy doing the mix hangs out here? What would he/she say to all the dissenters?
DO YOU THINK THAT IT ISN'T OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY THAT THEY HANG OUT HERE?
Until you've sat in that chair and do the best you absolutely can with very little to work with in terms of "ideal" conditions, I suggest some of the backseaters curtail their criticisms.
Its easy to sit back in your comfy armchair while stuffing your face with chilli and nachos and comment to your friends on what the dude wearing the red shirt should and should not have done. Until you DO wear the red shirt, and until you DO have a PSM yelling in com about time, and until you DO have something go not-quite right in the feed...in the rain...until you DO have to worry about what the others are doing to your audio downstream in the station...and until you DO have to work a gig like this where the A1 was probably in teh middle of a 20 hour production day...until you have done all of this...
I suggest you let the guys off the hook.
If they are pros, (and they *probably* are if they even GOT that gig) then they know what they did properly and what was left to chance. Nothing that any of you backseat A-1's say will really influence anything.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not the be-all-to-end-all in this type of situation. But I have had large-scale productions under my belt. I have had things go bad and still produce a mix out of it. I have had times when I've been tired from a long string of production days and, in retrospect, wish I did other things in the final mix.
Being an owner, I have also had gigs where I've the pucker factor kick in knowing that I'm being judged on the final product, and my next job may or may not come as a result of the work I do today.
Criticism is part of the gig. Its natural for people to have an opinion. But some of the comments posted, IMHO, go a bit beyond. When I have one of those bad days the only criticism that makes a difference to me is that from the few who have been there. Even though I take all criticisms as diplomatically as the situation entails, everything else is chaff.
Now on the other hand,
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjornson View Post
Quit smokin crack n get a grip. Top notch playing and production. I've been A1-A2 on a couple of NFL halftime shows and it ain't pretty. And in the rain??? Kudos all the way around.
Tough, tough venue. Quick/mobile setup--outdoor stadium--rain (not to mention several million people watching you in real time).
Now THESE guys know what they are talking about. To get anything done in conditions like that is pretty phenominal. Kudos to you guys for recognizing and giving cred where its due. I offer you a cyber handshake for those comments.
Thanks for the rant time...and now back to your banter...
Yes, there were problems with the national anthem and the Prince half-time mix.
But the guys behind the scenes making it happen have a no-win gig. If it sounded awesome there'd be someone else saying that the guitar sounded too sharp.
Many people, well respected AE's at that, HAVE NO CLUE what it is like to run a live gig from a mobile thats going straight to broadcast. You think you know what's going on, and then Murphy will pull a fast one on ya and challenge EVERYTHING you know.
I've been intending to write more about what its like to run a show from a mobile perspective...this, I guess, probably serves as good impetuous to get off my butt and finish my writings to allow people to see what goes on. Its definitely a different realm of being, and I'd love for more people to know what its like.
Cheers
Click.
I like to let people have their say, and I'm glad that some of the comments in this current post aren't as...umm...slutty as over there, but I figured this bears repeating.
An editorial of sorts...
Ok...
I may catch a bit of flack for this, but I'm a calls-em-as-I-sees-em kinda guy.
Ladies and Gent backseat A1's, can you all calm down about the superbowl audio?
Here are a few of the comments we've seen in the past few days since the superbowl:
CBS - fire the mixer for that atrocity.
Seemed like it was good- but damn the mix I got on Sky Sports (UK) was like someone had a console on demo mode! Things in and out all over the shop.
The sync has been out a few times I noticed earlier too.
Originally Posted by EngineEars View Post
Yeah terrible mix!!! Anyone have any idea what kind of amp Prince plays? Guitar was way too loud, but at least it sounded phat.
This is only a small sampling of the comments for example, and I don't mean to single out any one poster in particular as there are MORE THAN A FEW of this style of comment.
From hereon out, I'll refer to commenters of this style as "backseat A-1's".
Have any of the backseat A-1's worked a show..any show...that's going to live broadcast?
Have you had to partake in the interface to a stage, other video trucks, uplink, etc?
And when fit-hits-the-shan, have you had to make a command decision to sacrifice one thing for the sake of another? For example, keeping the vox up front and sacrificing the drums out of the mix..for whatever reason?
I wasn't there at the game attending to the mix.
I don't know who was.
One thing that crossed my mind was this: What if the guy doing the mix hangs out here? What would he/she say to all the dissenters?
DO YOU THINK THAT IT ISN'T OUTSIDE OF THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY THAT THEY HANG OUT HERE?
Until you've sat in that chair and do the best you absolutely can with very little to work with in terms of "ideal" conditions, I suggest some of the backseaters curtail their criticisms.
Its easy to sit back in your comfy armchair while stuffing your face with chilli and nachos and comment to your friends on what the dude wearing the red shirt should and should not have done. Until you DO wear the red shirt, and until you DO have a PSM yelling in com about time, and until you DO have something go not-quite right in the feed...in the rain...until you DO have to worry about what the others are doing to your audio downstream in the station...and until you DO have to work a gig like this where the A1 was probably in teh middle of a 20 hour production day...until you have done all of this...
I suggest you let the guys off the hook.
If they are pros, (and they *probably* are if they even GOT that gig) then they know what they did properly and what was left to chance. Nothing that any of you backseat A-1's say will really influence anything.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not the be-all-to-end-all in this type of situation. But I have had large-scale productions under my belt. I have had things go bad and still produce a mix out of it. I have had times when I've been tired from a long string of production days and, in retrospect, wish I did other things in the final mix.
Being an owner, I have also had gigs where I've the pucker factor kick in knowing that I'm being judged on the final product, and my next job may or may not come as a result of the work I do today.
Criticism is part of the gig. Its natural for people to have an opinion. But some of the comments posted, IMHO, go a bit beyond. When I have one of those bad days the only criticism that makes a difference to me is that from the few who have been there. Even though I take all criticisms as diplomatically as the situation entails, everything else is chaff.
Now on the other hand,
Quote:
Originally Posted by bjornson View Post
Quit smokin crack n get a grip. Top notch playing and production. I've been A1-A2 on a couple of NFL halftime shows and it ain't pretty. And in the rain??? Kudos all the way around.
Tough, tough venue. Quick/mobile setup--outdoor stadium--rain (not to mention several million people watching you in real time).
Now THESE guys know what they are talking about. To get anything done in conditions like that is pretty phenominal. Kudos to you guys for recognizing and giving cred where its due. I offer you a cyber handshake for those comments.
Thanks for the rant time...and now back to your banter...
Yes, there were problems with the national anthem and the Prince half-time mix.
But the guys behind the scenes making it happen have a no-win gig. If it sounded awesome there'd be someone else saying that the guitar sounded too sharp.
Many people, well respected AE's at that, HAVE NO CLUE what it is like to run a live gig from a mobile thats going straight to broadcast. You think you know what's going on, and then Murphy will pull a fast one on ya and challenge EVERYTHING you know.
I've been intending to write more about what its like to run a show from a mobile perspective...this, I guess, probably serves as good impetuous to get off my butt and finish my writings to allow people to see what goes on. Its definitely a different realm of being, and I'd love for more people to know what its like.
Cheers
Click.