Mixing Up a Storm
Marc Chesterman is a New Zealand composer and sound engineer. Image supplied.
Sound engineer, composer and musician Marc Chesterman balances his work in podcasts, radio, television and film and has been in broadcast media since 2004. Prior, he worked as an AV technician in theatre.
We find out what makes him tick and the next creative project he’s cooking up in the studio.
What podcasts have you been working on?
In the last two or three years, I’ve worked on the first two seasons of He Kākano Ahau, Voice of the Iceberg, The Lake, and Tell me about It. Last year, was busy podcast-wise, having just finished Crescendo and Across the Board.
The main differences between projects, is that I'm either creating an edit from the raw audio and a paper edit with time codes and then mixing it, or being delivered a reasonably complete edit that needs mixing. Both involve fine editing of dialogue, getting all the music and sound effects to sit right, including to appropriate loudness levels. There are also differences in software, which is another thing on the more technical side. Often we need to convert an edit from one software to another.
Once that’s all done, a couple of teaspoons of ear candy, sprinkle the magic dust, and hey, presto!! Your mix is now signed off.
You’ve had an extensive career - what has been your favourite project to work on of all time?
That is a tough question because each project takes on its own life and you ride the various waves of activity and intensity. I love all my babies! The film Woodenhead (2003) will always be special for the time and heart that went into it. The Lake was special, too, and composer Ben Lemi had done really nice music for the project.
It's quite rare for New Zealand podcasts to have a composer attached. We added small amounts of sfx to deepen the story telling, just once or twice per episode. It was a big mix, but The Lake has gone on to collect a number of awards, and the story of Lake Alice Hospital is still in the news today.
Also, Crescendo was really fun to mix as there is lots of music in a condensed format of around 12-minutes.
How do you find time to freelance and work on podcasts, film and TV?
Mainly by planning, being organised and working hard. Podcast projects tend to take a number of months to complete, especially once they start proper. Before that there might be some preparatory work going on - collecting sfx, sorting music, checking that sessions are going to transfer from client to me without a hitch.
With all this in place you can 100 percent get into the edit and mix when it arrives.
Also, working from a home studio means I get to 'chip away at things'. My TV work has always been related to outside broadcasts for sports, and these are always booked well in advance. These are one or two day jobs, so I can plan around it.
My radio work at RNZ is my 'day job' where I'm doing a combination of live studio work and production work, including making programs for broadcast or podcast, outside broadcasts, and routing audio around the motu from the ‘Master Control’ suite.
Creating music is the thing that tends to get pushed to the back of the queue, due to a lack of time. It’s frustrating, but means that when I come back to it, I’m very focused. Then there's family life in the mix too!
Marc is a multi-tasking audio engineer who works on podcasts, TV and film. Image: Dmitry Demidov
How does your film work differ from podcasts?
My film work has mainly been Indie projects. In my experience, films can take a lot longer to finish than podcasts and the complexity is greater given the interplay of vision and sound. Vision will dominate the edit, and sound will follow as change occurs. Back and forth it goes as the film is edited. Not saying that podcast edits aren’t complex, but not being beholden to visuals removes a massive layer.
Podcast teams I've worked with tend to be much smaller than film teams, and that's great when a question needs answering, and it is much less hierarchical. It's a bit more like a theatre project, except there's a budget.
Sound engineers in the broadcast world have a unique relationship with presenters and producers, which I’d liken it to going to the hairdressers and having an opportunity to spill the beans. How would you describe it?
Soundies are awesome right!? We get to swoop in at the end of a long haul for podcast producers, and do the fun bit of making everything sound fantastic. So there's typically that final burst of good energy where we can see the finish line, and get to fall in love with the project one final time before the public gets to do the same. It may also be a bit like going to the doctor, we get you sorted - and may not see you again for a while.
What’s your favourite part of working on podcasts?
Creating a beautiful mix and adding sonic flourishes that give a listener energy to keep on listening and being enveloped in the world of the podcast. I’ve worked on a lot of audio dramas and radio plays, so I like to draw on this experience, when appropriate!
Are you a stickler for perfect audio production when it comes to the podcasts you listen to?
I think we're all used to hearing different qualities of audio these days, with interviews often taking place on a range of different devices and systems. For that reason, no, I'm not a stickler for 'perfect'. In saying that when it comes to projects I’ve been working on, I have had to reject audio that I simply cannot save because it sounds so terrible. I try where I can to coach or influence podcast producers toward good recording techniques.
What podcast(s) are you listening to currently?
Recently I've enjoyed Did Titanic Sink? - good laughs and I’d never heard that particular theory before, We Are 3, which is heartbreaking and so beautifully made, The Commune, (holy heck New Zealand), True Justice - it’s hard to believe what some people are forced to go through in the name of ‘justice’. Various others like Kitchen Sisters presents, Let’s be TRANSparent, The Magpie House, Elephant in the Bedroom, audio geekery like The Mastering Show, SOS Electronic Music, Project Studio Tea Break … there’s so many!
Throughout your career, you’ve won a lot of awards for your work across podcast, radio and film. What do awards mean to you?
Not a lot to be honest. I've never felt any great surge of work following an award, but it's cool, and it does give you confidence to keep on.
What advice would you give to sound engineers wanting a career in broadcast radio or podcasting?
It's no glamour industry, but everyone is passionate and happy to share their skills, so there is a good level of job satisfaction. Plus, you're always learning, either new tech for creating, mixing or recording. Or learning about the subject matter of the podcast you're working on.
Find out more about Marc Chesterman’s work.
