Reddit reviews Sound for Film and Television

As someone who has been in the industry for almost 20 years, has run music recording studios, worked out in LA, who now works in post production and as an on set production recordist, and who currently runs live sound at more than a few venues in my town, I cannot stress this enough.

Do not waste your time, energy and effort going to college if you want to be an audio engineer.

Now, I didn't say don't go to college...but if you do go, go there for a career that actually requires a degree. Don't put yourself in debt to get a degree in a field that nobody requires you to have. I did not go to school, and I've never not gotten a gig because of it.

If you want to be an audio engineer, then start by actually doing the thing you want to do. If you want to work in a recording studio, then start applying for internships. I know of no studios that won't accept an intern who didn't go to college. Oh, buy a cheap 4-track and a SM57 and get to work. I'm sure you've got friends who are in bands, offer to record them.

If you want to work in post production, get an internship at a post house.

If you want to be an on set audio recordist, contact a local production company and ask if they have any contacts to any local sound mixers. Call them, and ask to be a sound utility. The last guy I hired I met this way. Maybe ask if there are any low budget productions that you could be a boom op on.

If you want to work in live sound, start by going to bars/clubs/casinos, where ever there are live sound guys, and ask if you can intern / wrap cables / get coffee / whatever else. Or, call a local sound rental house. We have 2 major ones in even my small town of Baton Rouge, La.

If you go to church, then ask to learn from whoever runs that sound system.

The possibilities are endless. The point is, with the current state of both the career field of audio engineering, not only is it a real struggle to make a living, being in debt makes it that much worse. To put it to you this way, I'm 32 years old, and last year I bought a house. If I had gone to Full Sail, you can bet I wouldn't be buying that house until at least 40.

Lastly, read. There are tons of great books available that will not only help you narrow what you'd like to do in the field of audio engineering, but that will teach you exactly what you need to be doing.

Now, my usual book list.

The Daily Adventures of mixer man - Mixerman

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Adventures-Mixerman-ebook/dp/B00BFUNZ9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408230831&sr=8-1&keywords=Mixerman

Zen and the art of mixing - Mixerman

http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Mixing-REV-2-ebook/dp/B00JZNNC8K/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408230831&sr=8-2&keywords=Mixerman

Zen and the art of Producing - Mixerman

http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Adventures-Mixerman-ebook/dp/B00BFUNZ9C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408230831&sr=8-1&keywords=Mixerman

Behind the Glass vol. 1 and 2 - Howard Massy

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Behind%20the%20glass

Recording Engineer's Handbook - Bobby Owninski

http://www.amazon.com/Recording-Engineers-Handbook-Third-ebook/dp/B00FN57064/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=undefined&sr=8-1&keywords=Recording+Engineer%27s+handbook

The Sound Reinforcement Handbook - Gary Davis

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Reinforcement-Handbook-Gary-Davis/dp/0881889008/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231033&sr=8-1&keywords=yamaha+sound+reinforcement+handbook

Guide to Sound Systems for Worship - Jon F. Eiche

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Sound-Systems-Worship-Eiche/dp/079350029X/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231033&sr=8-2&keywords=yamaha+sound+reinforcement+handbook

The Practical art of Motion Picture Sound - Daniel Lewis Yewdall

http://www.amazon.com/Practical-Art-Motion-Picture-Sound/dp/0240812409/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361733899&sr=1-1&keywords=practical+art+of+motion+picture+sound

Sound for Film and Televison - Tomlinson Holman

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Film-Television-Tomlinson-Holman/dp/0240813308/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231326&sr=8-4&keywords=Production+sound+book

The Location Sound Bible - Ric Viers

http://www.amazon.com/Location-Sound-Bible-Record-Professional-ebook/dp/B00ATOUXBI/ref=sr_1_30?ie=UTF8&qid=1408231585&sr=8-30&keywords=Production+sound+book

That should be enough to get you going. Remember, I didn't say not to go to college, just not for this. And Remember, whatever you do, don't go to fullsail.

http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Film-Television-Tomlinson-Holman/dp/0240813308

Is actually an awesome book on Sound, location and post. It starts with a basic explanation of sound propagation and frequency range, but then moves into booming techniques and other sorts. Highly recommended.

These are the two I recommend:


Sound for Film and Television
This one is heavy on the technical side. (Probably the one you want based on your request)

[Producing Great Sound for Film and Video: Expert Tips from Preproduction to Final Mix] (http://www.amazon.com/Producing-Great-Sound-Film-Video/dp/0415722071/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1452707884&sr=8-4&keywords=sound+for+film)
This one has a higher focus on practical advice.

Those two should cover almost everything. There's also The Sound Effects Bible that is a real crash-course over the same information. In my opinion though it's way too sparse to be of actual use outside of someone wanting to just know the basic terminology and workflow. Maybe that's all you actually want though.