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Microphone

Sound Technician

Creating the sounds, effects and acoustics that give films and TV shows the right atmosphere for each story

How this role makes a difference

If you listen to a film or tv programme instead of watching it, you’ll notice how sounds communicate important elements of the story. Film and programme makers design these sounds to produce the right atmosphere, just like sets are designed to create the right environments.

A sound technician is involved in capturing this atmosphere. They work in a studio or on location. Before filming starts, they help to produce the right acoustics, based on the sound designer’s instructions, and during filming they need to capture actors’ voices clearly. You could be the technician who helps to capture beautiful atmospheres on films and tv programmes that increase people’s enjoyment of what they’re watching.

The kind of work you’ll do

  • Setting up equipment to suit the acoustics and the sound designer’s instructions
  • Selecting and placing microphones
  • Operating the boom (microphone on a pole)
  • Checking sound quality
  • Recording sound onto digital devices
  • Servicing and repairing equipment
  • Playing music or sound effects into a live programme
  • Carrying out post production tasks, including mixing and balancing speech, effects and background music
  • Creating extra sound effects and adding them to the soundtrack
Useful skills
Attention to detail
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Instructing others
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Technologically minded
Skills & attributes
Useful skills
Precise
Skills & attributes

What you can bring to the role

An enjoyment of films and their sound elements.

Some knowledge of how films or videos are made and how sound is captured.

A knack for using new technology and creating things on computers.

The ability to use the main software packages competently.

A thorough approach to your work and completing tasks accurately.

The ability to work well with others and provide clear instructions.

The confidence and resilience to respond to change.

This role could also be right for you if you have any of the following interests:

- art, film, fashion and design

- gaming and technology

£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per year *
£ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 , 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Average salary per month *

Data powered by LMI for all
*according to ONS

Future career opportunities

You could decide to work in a small TV studio and work up to a national one. Or you could specialise in one area of sound and use that skill to work as a freelancer, getting contracts on films and programmes made all over the world.

There is also a career path you can follow from trainee level to assistant sound, to first assistant sound, and then sound mixer. Another option is broadening out from sound and moving into studio management.

How to get into this role

There’s no perfect career path or ideal way into your dream job.

But if you’re interested in education and training options that could be relevant to this role, you might want to consider:  

Schools and colleges each have their own career guidance plan and can provide detailed information, advice, and guidance on options and next steps.

A little more about the role

Exciting features...

In this role you use lots of technical equipment to capture sounds clearly, including a boom (a microphone on a pole that can get close to the sound source) and microphone transmitters. Very large rigs of kit can be used to ensure the acoustics and sounds are just right, and to enable directors and sound teams to hear what actors are saying as films and programmes are being made.

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technicians who
do this role

Jordan Feemster

Sound Technician

Jordan Feemster
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