Bennett, Alan Resume

Location Sound Recordist

CAPABILITY STATEMENT

Versatile member of a national television broadcasting organisation, with over 15 years studio and location program making credits. Proven valuable team member within the operational areas of studio camera, floor managing and significant experience in location sound recording and camera assisting. Recently freelancing for the Australian and American ABC networks.

FREELANCE FLOOR MANAGER – MAINSAIL MEDIA

May 2008- “Famous for 15 Minutes” –A pilot for a new chat show-recorded in the EPIC studio centre in Norwich before a full studio audience

FREELANCE LOCATION SOUND RECORDIST – ABC TV (AUSTRALIA & USA)

January 2007 – June 2007

Responsibilities:

•    Location sound recording for news and documentaries.

Key Achievements:

•    Working on notable and newsworthy stories, including the first ever live cross from a submerged reporter scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef to a studio in New York for International Earth Day 2007, and a story about The Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin’s wife Terri and daughter Bindi.

SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE:   LOCATION SOUND RECORDING

March 1999 – August 2006   (1991 – 1999 duties were studio camera and floor managing.)

The Special Broadcasting Service is a national, public broadcaster with a special mandate to reflect the multicultural nature of Australian society. SBS employs about 900 people.

Responsibilities:

•    Operating location sound recording equipment to an ongoing high professional standard, ensuring that operational procedures are consistently applied.

•    Assuming full creative and technical responsibility for location sound recording on all programs.

•    Contributing to high quality television programming by providing News & Current Affairs and SBS TV clients with an efficient and professional service and working constructively, responsibly, professionally and harmoniously with reporters, producers and other clients.

•    Working rostered shifts and being punctual, reliable and honest at all times and regularly take on additional shifts, overtime and responsibilities to assist the department, other departments, organisation, colleagues, and clients.

•    Applying sound written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including liaising, negotiating and working cooperatively/collaboratively with other areas of SBS, external organisations and the public.

•    Demonstrating effective organisation skills, self motivation, working well under pressure, including assuming responsibility, and working efficiently as a member of a small team.

•    Contributing to the documentation and improvement of daily standards, operational procedures and sharing knowledge with others through formal and informal training and suggesting and testing new operational procedures to continue to improve service to SBS productions.

•    Assisting the Operations Supervisor in supporting the efficient running of facilities, sharing responsibility for cleaning and basic maintenance of office and TV equipment, cleaning and refueling and restocking cars.

•    Liaising with supervisors to solve equipment maintenance problems and to improve working practices and providing feedback and reports.

Key Achievements:

•    Maintaining a high level of professionalism on SBS programming, including working on major local productions such as The Food Lovers Guide to Australia, Everyone Loves a Wedding, Fashionista, The Movie Show and Indigenous Current Affairs Program, with excellent feedback from Program Producers and Chiefs’ of Staff.

•    Providing SBS Television with flexibility and understanding within operational requirements, allowing for the smooth running of operations during unsociable hours, periods spent away on interstate trips and challenging situations.

QUALIFICATIONS / COURSES

•    Higher National Diploma in Design (Communications), UK 1987

•    TV Director, Camera & Floor Manager Craft Training and Production Course, 1992 AFTRS

•    Diploma of Freelance Photography, Australian College of Journalism, 1994

•    Australian Photography/Nikon Certificate Course, 1996

•    Recording Hi-End Sound for Digital Camera, 1999 AFTRS

•    Program Development and Pitching, 2002 AFTRS

•    TV News and Conflict Course, 2005

For further enquiries about Alan and his work please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it