From following shamans in Peru to filming flats in the concrete jungle of Edinburgh, Spaniard Javi Lopez has worked as a sound recordist all over the world on a variety of projects… now with the added bonus of using his own state-of-the art equipment thanks to ScreenSkills.
It was actually while working as a sound recordist on a documentary in Cuba a couple of years ago, showing what life was like for people there, that Javi got to hear about ScreenSkills’ bursary scheme through a producer friend. “I knew about them already because of the great schemes and courses they offer, but when she mentioned about the bursary I thought it would be ideal to get my own equipment.”
So, once he returned to Edinburgh where he’s been based for the past 11 years, Javi decided to apply and was successful. “It was a really straightforward process and getting the money meant I could afford to buy the Sound Devices 833 mixer/recorder, which is an up-to-date version of the recorder I’d been renting until then,” Javi says.
With the new equipment in place since November, Javi’s been able to say yes to a number of last-minute jobs that previously he would have had to turn down. “Before I’d have to travel to Glasgow or Manchester to rent the equipment, because there aren’t that many rental houses in Edinburgh, but not any more,” he adds.
Having the right kit is vital for Javi whose job it is to record all the sound and dialogue for the story the director wants to tell. This can vary greatly depending on the type of project and filmmaker’s vision.
“I have followed factual TV presenters around Edinburgh while they were showing monuments, streets and flats, followed a family of shamans around Peru, and done a documentary in Nigeria around a gas company and its daily operations. All different types of sights and sounds,” Javi says.
His list of credits is extensive. On the factual and documentary side, there’s BBC Scotland’s Only an Excuse, STV’s Pride of Scotland, Netflix’s Connected: Surveillance, Sky Sports’ Soccer AM, ITV’s Good Morning Britain and the History Channel’s Nostradamus: 21st Century. In drama, where he works both as a sound recordist and boom operator, he’s done shows such as Amazon’s Tin Star, HBO’s Succession, Starz’ Outlander and Sky’s Temple.
“Factual such as Soccer AM, is a completely different ball game (pardon the pun) as it's all about reacting to the unforeseen, such as which player might be available for only a few minutes in a new location within an uncontrolled environment while for Outlander and other scripted drama it is all about preparation and being more technical in the sense of having a plan and routine.”
This planning and preparation has unsurprisingly been affected by Covid in recent times, including on Javi’s current project, Alibi’s police drama series Annika, filming in Glasgow and the west coast of Scotland.
“Everything has changed. We have to implement strict protocols and filming in small places is particularly hard. Plus, mic-ing the actors is a lot more difficult because we have to be careful about contact and are constantly disinfecting the equipment,” Javi says.
He undertook ScreenSkills’ Coronavirus basic awareness on production training, which he says has helped massively in how he undertakes his work, although, implementing all the changes does mean more time and effort, “often working 12-hour days, five or six days a week on set”.
But when he has a little bit of time off in the coming months, he is determined to do more of the ScreenSkills online courses on offer to further advance his understanding of aspects of the industry and his career prospects, especially as “production is expected to heat up again from May”.
ScreenSkills bursaries are supported by BFI-awarded National Lottery funds, by industry contributions to the Film, High-end TV, Children’s TV and Animation Skills Funds and through money from the Television Skills Fund targeted at improving diversity and inclusivity. If you enjoyed reading about Javi's experience, why not share your story with us and showcase your skills and experience.