Sound Technician
Useful Links
Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematograph and Theatre Union (BECTU)
Institute of Sound, Communications and Visual Engineers (ISCVE)
https://getintotheatre.org/blog/what-does-a-sound-technician-do-in-theatre/
Job Profiles
https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/sound-technician-broadcasting-film-video
https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/job-profiles/tv-or-film-sound-technician
What is a sound technician?
Anyone looking for a career in backstage and technical theatre should first consider what area most interests them. Sound Technicians - often referred to as Sound Engineers - produce, amplify, mix, record, sync and reproduce sound, effects and music for theatre rehearsals, theatre productions and special events. They’re also responsible for looking over the equipment, checking connections, maintaining sound quality and coordinating staff.
Sound technicians are employed in many industries including broadcasting (radio or television), live performance (theatre, music and dance), advertising, music production and film.
You're most likely to start off as a trainee, sound assistant, runner or administrator, and progress to more specialist or senior positions. You can expect to spend two years in a trainee/assistant role, developing your specialist knowledge and technical skills, before you progress.
There are many roles within both production and post-production, including:
production - sound assistant, sound technician, sound recordist, boom operator, supervisor and sound mixer
post-production - sound editor, dialogue editor, music editor, re-recording mixer/dubbing mixer, Foley artist (sound effects) and Foley editor (post-synchronised sound effects).
Qualifications
While you don't need a degree to become a sound technician, it's important to show a good understanding of the physics of sound, technical aptitude (including an awareness of current sound technology and equipment), good aural skills, excellent communication skills and attention to detail.
You can get into this job through:
a university course
a college course
an apprenticeship
working towards this role
volunteering
applying directly
specialist training courses
*Accessed from prospects / NCS 2024*
Apprenticeship
You could get into this job through an advanced apprenticeship that covers sound engineering skills. Apprenticeships include:
creative venue technician
broadcast and media systems technical operator
A good general education is useful. GCSEs or A-levels in maths and physics, and qualifications in electronics are particularly beneficial.
Having a degree or HND in one of the following subjects may increase your chances of success:
acoustics and music
audio engineering or production
media production/technology
music and sound production/music production
music/audio technology
sound/music engineering
technical theatre.
employers
The range of potential employers is huge and includes:
public service broadcasters - BBC, ITV, Channel 4, STV, S4C and Channel 5
streaming services that produce their own content, such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney+
media and entertainment companies such as Sky
major film studios such as The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment
commercial and corporate film and TV production companies
specialist programme makers
music industry producers and studios
facilities houses - businesses that offer the broadcasting and entertainment industries facilities such as post-production services and audio correction
independent radio.
Click the button above for ideas of employers in these sectors ^.
Look for job vacancies at:
Many sound technicians are freelancers, working across different sectors of the sound industry. To be successful, you'll need to build a professional reputation and make your own contacts through networking and speculative applications.
You can also use specialist directories that provide useful contacts for making speculative applications for freelance work. They include: