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Sound Technician

Sound technicians assemble, operate and maintain technical equipment to amplify, enhance, record, mix or reproduce sound for:

films;
television programmes;
live performances.

They interpret production requirements and work with a range of equipment used for entertainment, commercial and industrial purposes.

Based within a studio or on location, they interpret the director's wishes to help achieve the desired end result. Tasks include: setting up, testing and operating equipment in accordance with the acoustics of the area; selecting, placing and adjusting microphones; monitoring audio signals to detect quality deviations or malfunctions; servicing, maintaining and repairing sound equipment; and introducing pre-recorded special effects.

Typical work activities

There are a range of related roles in sound production. These include sound designer, production sound mixer, sound supervisor, boom operator, sound assistant, sound editor, dialogue editor, foley editor and foley artist (sound effects).

Typical work activities tend to include:

assessing the acoustics of an area and setting up equipment in accordance with this assessment;
working closely with the sound team, including the sound designer and supervisor;
applying technical knowledge of sound recording equipment in a number of different environments;
ensuring health and safety standards for the recording environment are met;
maintaining computer literacy to utilise new and developing technology;
designing sound equipment (in some roles);
assembling, rigging and operating technical equipment for amplification, recording and mixing sound, eg cables and microphones;
adding sound effects;
recording sound - this may be in a studio or on location, working to a script or unscripted;
anticipating and reacting to various problems as they occur;
maintaining an understanding of, and empathy with, creativity in the appropriate environment, eg music studio, film or TV location, radio studio;
if self-employed or freelance, applying business skills and financial management to manage own business.

Typical starting salary: £16,000 in television and radio, or £20 to £25 per hour for freelancers (salary data collected Aug 05).

Typical salary with experience, eg after 10-15 years in the role: £30,000 to £35,000 (including a 20% unpredictability allowance for short notice changes to working hours in some roles) or £25 - £35 per hour freelance. Individual negotiation above these rates of up to over £1,000 a day may be possible for some sound technicians with very established reputations (salary data collected Aug 05).

Pay rates and conditions of employment vary. The Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematographic and Theatre Union (BECTU) has consulted its members on pay rates and conditions of employment. See the BECTU website for further details.
Working hours typically include regular unsocial hours. There is no regular work pattern and working hours are long, including evenings, night shoots and weekends. Sound technicians may be required to record a television or radio interview for a breaking story, travel to and from an out-of-studio location, or, in a recording studio, work with an artist through the night to ensure 'creative flow' is not interrupted.
The work involves being on your feet most of the time, working as part of a team alongside artists, production staff and the public.
Self-employment/freelance work is common. Work is increasingly on fixed-term contracts. Employers, such as the BBC, take on many freelancers to cover peaks of work.
Jobs are in restricted locations with a concentration in London, which currently houses 85% of the UK's production base, or major studios in Glasgow, Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham, or on location worldwide.
Currently, 9% of those working in sound are female but this is set to increase. Of the total workforce, 4.7% are from ethnic minorities, an increase on previous years, and 1% has a disability (source: Skillset (Sector Skills Council for the Audio Visual Industries) employment census, 2004.)
A normal social life can be difficult as a result of the irregular hours and required absence from home. Dedication and stamina are needed. Working to tight production deadlines can be stressful.
Travel within a working day and absence from home at night are frequent. Overseas work or travel are occasional.

Information taken from Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk for more information

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