The other day a friend of mine asked me for a favor.  It went something like this:

Friend: Dom I can’t get a real sound guy for my shoot next week, can you do it?

Me:  I haven’t run sound in a while, I’m kinda rusty…

Friend: I’m desperate Dom, it will be no stress, really simple.   I promise.

I reluctantly agreed.    The film project was one of those classic low-budget, “shot in a basement” affairs.    On the morning of the shoot, my friend (the director) pulled up fifteen minutes late.  There was a load of lights hanging out the back of his beat-up hatchback.    He walked in the front door holding a c-stand in one hand and  a bag of squished bagels in the other. I eyed the bagels and hoped they weren’t our lunch.

“Ok lets make some movies!”  my friend announced smiling ear to ear.

I wondered how a director could be so relaxed.  Low budget or no budget I for one was super stressed about my role as sound girl.  I didn’t want to let the director down and I hate fucking up.  To make matters worse I wasn’t even using my own gear.   While the actors hid in a bedroom and rehearsed their lines and the director and camera guy talked shots, I desperately tried to speed read the 200 page sound manual.  Soon everyone was ready to go and I still couldn’t even get a decent sound level.

The whole group was now standing around watching me fumble.  My palms sweat and my heart raced.  My inner monologue went something like this:

“Why did I agreed to do this stinking gig? This sound gear sucks. I suck. I hate film-making.  Maybe I should just pack up and move.  Thailand was so much less stress.   I should be doing Yoga instead…Why can’t I get a fucking sound level!”

Ten torturous minutes later I was up and running.  My sound was good.   My friend directed up a storm and the actors rocked.  Suddenly I noticed something.  Through it all my friend, the director, (the one who had the most on the line) had a great time.  And because he was having fun the rest of us did too.

I think my friend is onto something.  He hasn’t forgotten how to play and I admire his free spirit.

On my next film, my number one goal is to play too.