Catgut Sound Owner and Production Sound Mixer Chris Welcker, CAS, has built a career at the intersection of music and film. A former musician and composer, Welcker worked his way up from utility sound technician to boom operator and ultimately department head. Known for projects that demand both cinematic storytelling and authentic musical performances, Welcker was brought onto the IMAX film “Sinners” as Production Sound Mixer, for which he relied on a comprehensive DPA Microphones’ package to meet the sonic demands of a 1930s-set horror drama steeped in live blues performances.
With much of the story unfolding around unamplified, live blues performances inside and outside a rural juke joint, Welcker says: “The theme itself is kind of hard to explain. It’s a multi-genre horror film and period drama that’s very heavy on the music. Because of the period nature of it, everything is unamplified: acoustic guitars with resonators, harmonicas and live vocals.”
Capturing those performances authentically, and often with wide lenses that limited mic placement, required a flexible, consistent microphone ecosystem. Welcker utilized an extensive DPA package, including 4018 Supercardioidand 4017 Shotgun capsules with a rotation of A, B and C preamp bodies; 4097 Micro Shotguns for plant-miking; 4099 Instrument Mics; a 5100 Surround Microphone; and a full complement of lavaliers, including 4060, 4061, 6060 and 6061 Omnidirectional models. His boom operator, Ryan Farris, also brought additional DPA options from his music studio.
(Photo: Production Sound Mixer Chris Welcker relied on a comprehensive DPA Microphones package to meet the sonic demands of “Sinners.” )
