Centred on Carrie Wells, a female police detective with an unusually detailed memory, CBS’ hit TV show Unforgettable has begun its third season. Along with partner Lieutenant Al Burns, Wells’ escapades involve an innovative approach to sound recording – which is in the hands of Production Sound Mixer Larry Hoff and his arsenal of wireless microphone equipment.
The bulk of Hoff’s work takes place in the greater New York City area, though he has also recorded sound for a variety of TV and film projects in Canada, India, England, and Italy. ‘I’ve been using Lectrosonics equipment for more than 15 years,’ he reports. ‘I have a Lectrosonics Venue receiver system that is fully outfitted with six VRT receiver modules, four UCR411a receivers, as well as four of the older UCR211 receivers. I use several of the company’s transmitters, including HM plug-on units, SMQV and SMa Super Miniature transmitters, and UM400a beltpack systems. For IFB, I use the Lectrosonics T4 transmitter and the R1a receiver and I also use the company’s ALP series shark fins and SNA dipole antennas among my various accessories.’
The crowded New York metropolitan area’s radio spectrum makes RF agility an extremely important consideration for Hoff: ‘I carry transmitters in both Block 21 and 26 because New York has one of the highest rates of RF traffic in the world,’ he explains. ‘With the Lectrosonics scanning system, I know very quickly what I’m up against in any given area and I can tell which block to use.
‘Like most production sound mixers my age, I started out by hard wiring the boom mics and using wireless mics sparingly – that is, until the advent of the Lectrosonics 400 series transmitters and receivers. This equipment revolutionised the way I work, making things faster and more flexible without sacrificing sound quality. These days, my boom operators listen on Lectrosonics IFB receivers and transmit their mics to me.
‘I know that I can always contact the company and reach a support technician who understands what I’m trying to accomplish,’ he adds. ‘I’ve been particularly impressed with the quality of service provided by Queens-based Jaycee Communications, which is operated by Jerry Cudmore. Jerry’s knowledge of the equipment, his suggestions, and fast turnaround for repair has been great.’
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