practice makes perfect

What do I mean by Practice Makes Perfect?

Well it pretty much means what it says. LinkedIn is a great place to market & promote yourself and connect with people that can help and advise you on career progression but... they can only take you so far... If you can't do what you say you can and your new connection tells others you CAN do, then you need Practice, so eventually you will become Perfect at your skills but are we all Really Perfect at our jobs or Just Skilled through Repetition?

I was working outside Sound waiting for a Sound job to come up. I got a call from an amazing guy who I didn't know, but I got told someone else who incidentally I also didn't know recommended me. This was during Lockdown over Covid19. I said Yes I'd love to be employed... Obviously. Do a reality show, learn new skills and hopefully show 5 sound professionals I work my arse off. Yes Please. I had no idea what I was doing when I started. I knew how to Radio mic to a point and new I had the work ethic above anyone else as I feel I still do. I'll outwork anyone given the chance. I didn't know how to use the radio packs when given the job. 5 weeks in a covid bubble in Devon not seeing friends or family... sign me up. We had 1 week of practice away from the Reality Stars so I got to learn the gear prociently.

I was told I was running around after 4 sound recordist giving them new batteries, putting there old ones on charge, going around all the sets to monitor the cast... 24 of them in total, to check there batteries and adjust there radios if altered and costume changes. I was working 6 of 7 days per week for 5 weeks and I loved it. I even started buying my own gear from that finished job... I haven't done a reality shows since but I'd love to do it as a recordist or assistant again.

But the basis is... everyone starts from the beginning and just needs a helping hand and a lot of practice and someone or people to help or mentor them, in the job they desire. I started with no idea how to use A10 radios packs and by the end of it all i was the fastest prepper. I had to timecode 24 radio packs, put new micro SD cards in each and format them. new batteries, prepare the lavaliers also for each cast member depending what they were wearing depends the colour of the cable and the mount i used for the person in question.