Sound Mixers or Rerecording Mixers

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 What They Do

Sound mixers or rerecording mixers produce the soundtrack of a movie or television program. After filming or recording is complete, they may use a process called “dubbing” to insert sounds. Their work must be exact because the audience will immediately pick up a flaw.

The transition to digital recording, editing, and broadcasting has greatly changed the work of sound mixers. Software on desktop computers has replaced specialized electronic equipment in many recording and editing functions.

Job Outlook

Lots of people get excited about the possibility of working in television or the film industry. People seeking entry-level jobs as sound mixers in broadcasting are expected to face strong competition in major metropolitan areas, where pay generally is higher and the number of qualified jobseekers is typically greater than the number of openings. It is probably easier to find entry-level positions in small cities and towns.

Overall employment of sound mixers is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through the year 2016. Job prospects are expected to remain competitive because of the large number of people who are attracted by the glamour of working in motion pictures.

Education and Earnings

The best way to prepare for a sound mixer job is to obtain technical school, community college, or college training in electronics, computer networking, or broadcast technology. Sound mixers need the electronics training necessary to operate technical equipment, and they generally complete specialized postsecondary programs. Be prepared to do some hard work and put in some very long hours, but this can provide a big pay-off with the important networking that is necessary to break into this industry.

In the motion picture industry, people are hired as apprentice editorial assistants and work their way up to more skilled jobs. Employers in the motion picture industry usually hire experienced freelance technicians on a picture-by-picture basis.

If you are interested in this occupation or are wondering about related occupations, use the links below to continue your exploration. Always remember, the more effort you put into exploring possible careers, the easier it will be for you to discover the best career choices for you!

Sources of Additional Information

For career information and links to employment resources contact:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/

Occupational Information Network, O*NET Online: http://online.onetcenter.org/

National Association of Broadcasters: http://www.nab.org

Society of Broadcast Engineers: http://www.sbe.org

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