Nick Treacy
How long have you been in screen production and how did you get started?
I have been involved in sound for about 19 years now. Whilst chasing the dream of a career in music I got a job as a roadie. I helped out in every department and worked my way to side of stage monitor engineer and then front of house engineer in everything from small pubs to stadiums. An opportunity led to a move indoors as studio recording engineer covering off 1993 to 2000, which then led me back outdoors again doing field recordings of traditional Polynesian music. At that time I met a documentary filmmaker who lured me over to TV and documentary work, and I have been doing that ever since.
What genre(s) does your work tend to come from?
I tend to stay within the broadcast TV and documentary side of things. Smaller budget commercials and a bit of non-broadcast corporate work will come my way from time to time. Small, agile, flexible crew situations are where I fit best.
How easy is it to make a living in this industry/how often do you work outside the screen production industry?
Making a living in this industry is not as easy as it could be due to external influences on whether you have work one day to the next, but you can make a living and have heaps of unique experiences along the way.
How does your department work as part of the ‘whole’ that other crew probably don’t realise?
It’s been said that “no one notices good sound, but they notice bad sound”. I believe bad sound lets the entire project down. So if a soundie asks for help dealing with noise, it’s because they are trying to make your work look good and not because they are trying to be a pain in the butt, even though it can seem like it at the time.
How have your rates changed/improved over the years?
I have always tried to run my financial affairs in a business manor, but this industry really makes it hard sometimes. Whilst I have managed to make a living I would still say anecdotally that rates have not risen much at all over the last 10 years and in some areas they have gone backwards.
What sort of changes have you noticed? Have you noticed any trends?
New technology seems to arrive almost weekly and the reducing price point at which that technology can be sourced makes it a more accessible industry. Younger crew are being given a chance to pitch themselves alongside the more established operators but this has created a trend in some quarters to value a project based on the price of the equipment being used over the skill of the person operating it. I would like to see more mentoring occur, as this is a very collaborative industry so the sharing of knowledge can only lead to better outcomes.
What strengths do you think the New Zealand industry has /what could contribute to a more sustainable industry?
Our biggest strength is adaptability. Our people always seem to be able to step up and deliver what that job requires, from the production staff right through to the crew on set we find ways to get the job done. More long-term investment into the industry to keep a consistent level of production ticking along would be a positive move. We have the skills so all we need is the investment. Productions have to be made somewhere by someone so what better place than here in New Zealand.
