If you’re producing a shoot in Florida and you’ve got cameras and a director lined up but no one on sound yet — this is for you. A few things worth knowing before you book.
When you actually need a dedicated sound person
Any time dialogue matters. Interviews, documentaries, commercials, branded content, ENG and broadcast, anything where what people say is the point. If audio is an afterthought, it shows — and unlike a shaky shot, bad audio usually can’t be saved in post.
What “local” gets you
I’m based in Tampa and local to the Tampa Bay area — roughly a 50-mile radius, with no travel charge. But I’m also the go-to sound mixer for a lot of Florida productions, and I travel throughout the state regularly. For shoots beyond my local radius, travel past 50 miles is simply billed at the standard mileage rate — and even with that, it’s still a fraction of the cost of flying a mixer in from out of state. Either way you get someone who already knows Florida locations, light, and weather, plus a crew network I can tap if your shoot grows.
What I’ll need from you to quote it
The fastest quote comes from a few details: your shoot date(s), the location, the type of production (documentary, ENG, commercial), and how many people need to be miked. Rates depend on the length of the shoot, the crew size, and what gear the job calls for. Send me those and I’ll get you a number the same day.
What I bring
A complete, professional sound package — mixer/recorder, wireless lavs, boom mics, jam-synced timecode, and redundant recording on every job. IFB and other extras are on my rate card and added when a shoot needs them; I always have them on hand. You don’t rent anything or fill any gaps. (There’s a full rundown on the package on its own page.)
Why the experience matters
I’ve recorded thousands of broadcast television productions for networks including ESPN, ABC, HBO, TNT, BBC, Discovery, NatGeo, NFL Network, MLB Network, and HGTV. That’s not a highlight reel — it’s reps. It means I’ve already solved the problem your location is about to throw at us, probably more than once.
How to book
Texting is by far the fastest way to reach me: 813-716-8826. You can also call that number or email Joe@floridasoundman.com. Tell me the date and the basics and we’ll go from there.
