Production Sound Mixer

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All filmmakers should know the importance of sound. Not only does it add to the production value of a film, but also adds a creative dimension. Rolling Sound, which is a sound company owned and run by Rhomeez Petersen, specialises in sound engineering and sound design. Petersen has been credited on films like Catch a Fire, Bunny Chow,Crypted,Lullaby and recently Blitz Patrollie,SAF3 2013 SE1 EP1 t0 12. He has worked with Oprah Winfrey over a three year period on her Leadership Academydocumentary. Petersen explains that he started out in Cape Town as a freelance sound recordist, “at the bottom as a boom swinger and worked my way up to a sound reordist and then finally into film as a production sound mixer.I then decided to move to Johannesburg and form my own rental company with my own sound equipment. To date I have had over 15 years experience and will also be opening up a final mix studio in Cape Town. The studio will be equipped with 8.1 surround sound stage and Foley room for sound design. Petersen adds that his motivation to build the the sound stage “is the fact that the sound editor plays such a crucial role in the make or break of a movie. For me as the sound recordist it felt difficult to hand over a project that I had worked so long and hard on, to some stranger who often has no affinity for the project.”Petersen explains that the crucial element with sound is the way it is recorded on set. “It is the way dialogue is captured in terms ofthe positioning of the microphones where a lot of secrets to good sound lay. I love working on location because recording sound is on set is far more challenging than in the studio. You have to be aware of everything around you. Natural sounds are also always unpredictable so you have to be on your toes. A studio is a far more sterile and controlled environment, less challenging.”Petersen explains that good sound is crucial, “not only for dialogue but actually every sound heard during filming on location motivates a single aspect in relation to the scene and that the score helps with what the film wants to portray. "One of the biggest milestones in my proffession was definately meeting and working with the Iconic Nelson Mandella". MTV hired Rhomeez to work with Will Smith and Madiba in his capacity as location sound recordist during 4664 concert. Petersen worked with Phillip Noyce on Catch a Fire, Darrel James Roodt on Crypted & Lullaby, and with Oprah on the Leadership Academy for girls documentary with D.P Nick Read.