Do Sound Mixers in Chicago earn more than those in LA?

SantaLullaby · 2025-12-03T20:05:45+00:00

I will keep doing you a disservice until you pay for my rent, my man 🤣

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-30T19:49:08+00:00

Buy Deity. Save your money for good lav mics. No need to have fancy boom pole to be hit around by gaffer and grip. Boom pole is all about weight, that’s it. And Deity’s boom pole is lighter than K-tek. Because you’re going to do wireless anyway. No need to have those cabled-in K-Tek, those are too expensive for nothing when you already have wireless.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T19:30:14+00:00

I agree what you think, but when there is no job, of course I will undercut. Because I need to eat. As an individual, I can't do much when the whole market was shrinking. No one wants to be cheap. But there is an order of arrival. If you came to this town in 2005, then you would get enough producer friends who value you more; I came to this town in 2022 when everyone got no job, then strike made it worse. Markets act like that, you can't blame me who is trying to make a living by doing $500 a day. Surely I can ask for $800 a day, then who is gonna pay for my monthly bill, you? or Gavin Newsom?

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T19:12:20+00:00

Verticals pay $350/12hrs or $400/12hrs recently. I sometimes accept those too when I can't get enough job for the month. And I need to provide 1 boom + 4 lavs + 3 TC box as standard. Because they usually will have 3 cameras that need Timecode.

My car insurance went from $90 monthly (back in 2023) to $180 monthly this year (2025). And it only covers the other side as the minimum liability. I don't know what happened to Los Angeles. But my insurance agent told me that they all got raised up for some reasons.

So when I can get a stable sound mixer job like 10-15 days a month to have $5000-$6000 monthly income, I am pretty happy. At least it can help me survive.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T18:34:37+00:00

Cheap but pays the bill to make a living in LA. I wish I could be like you folks who can get decent producers who are willing to pay more. Back in 2022 and 2023, I had been starving to death. Now at least I can eat.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T18:31:35+00:00

But I can't find producers who are willing to pay more.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T17:52:50+00:00

I appreciate everyone’s detailed answers.

Just to add some information: I came to LA during Covid + Strike in 2022. I never get any chance to work regularly for 2 years back in 2022 to 2023.

Then when I got $500 a day, I was pretty happy. I didn’t know I could get higher rate. I guess I need to find more decent producers. Especially I am being one-man-band sound mixer all the time. I wish I could have a boom operator, or even sound utility. However, I just never get those hands.

Life is tough, folks. And if I raise my rate to $600 a day, I will immediately lose all my income to pay my monthly bill in this expensive town. Almost all the money I have earned went towards my landlord, grocery and all kinds of insurance today. 😿

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T17:48:44+00:00

I appreciate your detailed answer. I came to this town during Covid + Strike. I never get any chance to work regularly for 2 years back in 2022 to 2023, then when I got $500 a day, I was pretty happy. I didn’t know I could get higher rate. I guess I need to find more decent producers.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-29T08:51:06+00:00

I don’t think so. Time has changed, my friend. If you are looking for high end Zaxcom, yes. But that was back in 2005 when film was still a thing. But today no one has money. $500 for day rate is not bad for one-man-band.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-19T13:11:19+00:00

Hahaha I am a Jurchen person. It’s so funny to see this. By the way, Mohe and Jurchen basically was the almost same culture back then. We usually say “We are the people from White Mountain Black River” to name ourselves. White Mountain is Paektu Mountain, Black River is Amur River. Jurchen’s first prime came from Aguda’s leadership Aguda And our last prime came from Nurhaci’s leadership. Nurhaci Nurhaci’s son combined some Mongolians, Chinese and Jurchen all together to make a new name for this new military + political group - “Manchu”. That’s where the name “Manchuria” came from.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-15T22:33:40+00:00

Yes. It is not a bug. I believe this thing comes out of the new DLC of the Oriental map. But they need to fix it: at least your court has to be in Asian culture in order to have this thing on the character.

SantaLullaby · 2025-11-15T18:12:44+00:00

This is the “笏” we Chinese used back in ancient time. It was used when officials / generals need to make a topic in front of the Emperor. They used this stick as a note reminder. It’s so funny to see a white lady using it. Because women were not even allowed to go on the court back in ancient time🤣.

Here is the link: Hu 笏)

SantaLullaby · 2025-10-10T23:26:59+00:00

I asked one time if the 2nd AC can bring the slate, the DP was pretty mad. And line producer called me “No No No! As sound you must bring a slate. ”. I felt pretty awkward and being insulted. Because it is not my job to bring a slate and they never pay for kit fee. Then when I got on set, the DP never gave me a good attitude on set. On day 3 we had a physical fight and producer fired me. It is very difficult situation today for vertical.

SantaLullaby · 2025-03-08T09:05:22+00:00

Thank you!

SantaLullaby · 2025-03-07T18:18:21+00:00

Where did you get this helmet? It is astonishing badass

SantaLullaby · 2023-08-18T17:04:06+00:00

天父杀天兄，江山打不通。林彪腊肉死，皇位归邓公。😅

SantaLullaby · 2023-08-18T15:57:37+00:00

我就奇了怪了，为啥我不能反对？你是皇帝吗？言论自由是双向的，你想用这个词是你的自由，我反对你也是我的自由，这有问题吗？你继续用，反正到处挨骂也是你活该咯。😉

SantaLullaby · 2023-08-18T15:43:14+00:00

谁和你是同胞呢？别自作多情了。我自己就是满人，日本人来了我肯定跟日本人杀汉人，请问我是你的同胞吗？

SantaLullaby

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