"If you're on location in the Philippines and the machine doesn't work,
what are you going to do? I've spent time fixing equipment in the hotel
so that I could have it ready for the next day. You've got to have those
skills. You have to have a certain amount of people skills and salesman-
ship--any kind of salesmanship helps, because the hardest part of the job
is getting it. The second hardest part is keeping it.
Advice for Someone Seeking This Job
Before embarking on a career in film production, Cooney advises
having a year's worth of savings to live on. "Whatever you're doing to
pay your bills, save every bloody nickel. You need to have a year's worth
of money in the bank all the time, because if you're stressed out about
money, you're not going to be focused on what you need to do."
He further advises that anyone desiring to be a production sound
mixer should start out working for free. Read the trades to discover what
films are in production. Contact the production office and ask if a sound
mixer has been hired and who they are. Then contact the union to obtain
the person's telephone number and call them to ask if you could work as
their PA for free. "In my case, I've had a couple of people say, `I'm trying
to get into sound. I went to college and need some experience.' Or, `I've
always been interested in sound, I don't have the money to go to college,
but I want to learn. Can I come and work for free?' I always say, `Yes,
absolutely, come on down.' If somebody is willing to work for free, I'm
willing to give them a chance."
Once you've worked a couple of weeks for free for one sound mixer,
Cooney advises repeating the process of working free for another sound
mixer one or two more times. Go back to the trades and look for
nonunion pictures and contact the sound mixer and offer to serve as an
assistant to build up some credits. "That's how you get your first paying
job. You have to do a few nonpaying jobs first in order to get some kind
of credit, some validity. Eventually somebody is going to give you a
break. Once you get enough hours, you can join the union."
Professional Profile: Tim Cooney, CAS, Production Sound Mixer
A former rock musician, clown, and elephant trainer, Tim Cooney's
journey into the film business is strange and almost unbelievable. From a
young age he loved going to the movies. "If I had a spare dime I would put
it together with some more dimes until I had enough to go to the movies.
When I was a kid, back in the '60s, it cost 50 cents to go to a movie."
An emancipated minor at the age of 15, Cooney soon left home to
pursue a career as a musician. He lived with various musicians while
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