Also called: Sound Mixer, Location Sound Recordist
Records the actors' dialogue and sound on set, aiming for perfectly clean audio.
A sound mixer sits at a cart with headphones on, balancing wireless mics hidden in actors' costumes and a boom mic overhead. They'll ask for 'one more for sound' if a plane flew over.
Approximate. BLS sound engineering technicians median ~$60k; union film mixers earn more.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Certificate, about 2 years after high school. Audio training or degree plus years as a boom operator; IATSE Local 695.
Ways in: 2-year college, 4-year college, On-the-job training. Training cost: Under $15k.
Majors to look at: Audio Engineering, Recording Arts, Film Production.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). BLS projects about average growth for sound engineering technicians.
Low risk in 5 years, medium in 10. AI dialogue cleanup fixes more bad audio in post, lowering stakes; capturing clean sound on chaotic sets still needs a skilled mixer.
Classes: Audio or music technology, Physics (sound), Film/video production CTE, Electronics.
Official data: O*NET occupation 27-4014.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.