Film crew hire/Brighton/Sound recordist
Hire a sound recordist in Brighton. A sound recordist mics up the people speaking and records clean sound on your shoot.
People book a sound recordist in Brighton for offices at New England House, conferences at the Brighton Centre and shoots on the seafront. They mic everyone who speaks, hold the boom, deal with the wind on the seafront, and hand over sound the edit doesn’t have to rescue. Our sound recordist day rate is £550, and the recordist gets all of it.
- 54 five-star Google reviews
- 2 hrs for our team to read your brief, in working hours
- £10m employers’ liability on every crew member we book
- 2,800+ freelance crew on our books, across the UK
Photos: Here Now Films, Keagan Henman, Hassan OUAJBIR and Ekkanat Sartsoongnern
The role
What a sound recordist does on your shoot
A sound recordist, or sound mixer, records everything you hear in the film, including the interviews, the dialogue and the sound of the room. They place radio mics on the people speaking, boom from above, mix and record it all, and listen to every take in headphones. That way a rustle or a passing train gets caught on the day, while there’s still time to go again.
Picture problems can often be fixed in the grade. Bad sound usually means doing it again, or living with it, so a recordist is the first person we add to a camera operator. We book a sound recordist who lives in Brighton or Hove first. If nobody local is free, or the shoot needs more people, we bring crew down from London. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. The seafront is windy, so the recordist brings a blimp and a windshield as standard.
- Every voice is clean. Radio mics are hidden on clothes, and a boom picks up the natural sound of the room.
- The recordist deals with noise. They get the air conditioning switched off, fridges unplugged and doors closed, and they hold takes for trains and sirens.
- The sound is backed up twice. It’s recorded on two cards, with timecode matched to the cameras.
- Mics are fitted with care. The recordist explains each mic to the contributor first, and the person fitting it is someone they’re comfortable with.
What’s included
What the day rate covers
In the day rate
- An 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch
- Radio mics on everyone speaking
- Boom for the room and for movement
- Mixing, recording and monitoring every take
- Timecode synced to the cameras
- Sound files and the sound report at wrap
On top, each on its own line
- Our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, on the whole quote
- Their sound kit, at a day rate on its own line
- A boom operator, for drama or a big cast
- An extra room or unit to keep things quiet, if the building needs it
- Travel from London or outside Brighton, and mileage and parking where the day needs them, at cost
Read how our rates work and the two ways to book in crew rates in Brighton.
Two ways to book
Crew hire or full production
The price depends on who is the producer of record. That’s the company responsible for the shoot. You can book a recordist for your own shoot, or ask us to run the whole production.
Crew hire
You run the shoot.
10% + 2% booking fee and insurance on everything we book for you, including crew, kit and travel.
We do
- Find, book and brief the crew, and pay them
- Book kit, travel and hotels too, if you want them
- Send the full price before anything is booked
- One person to call all day
- Employers’ liability for the crew we book, and insurance on kit we hire in
You do
- Run the shoot, or your producer does
- The plan, the schedule and the call sheet
- The location, its permission and its public liability
- You’re the producer of record, so the production is your responsibility
The 2% covers employers’ liability for every crew member we book and the kit we hire in for you. It doesn’t cover anything else on the shoot. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line.
Full production
We’re the producer of record.
15% + 5% production fee, plus insurance and contingency, on the whole production budget. We quote it as a production.
We do
- Our producer plans it with you and runs the day
- Locations, permits, kit, studio, travel and hotels, booked and paid in our name
- Insurance for the whole shoot, public liability included, plus the risk assessment and the call sheet
- One contract and one invoice, so overseas teams need no UK company
You do
- The creative calls
- Signing off the plan and the budget
The 5% pays for our production insurance across the whole shoot, including £10m public liability, and the contingency.
If your own producer or director will run the day, book crew hire. If you want us to run the production, ask for a full production quote.
On the day
An example day with a sound recordist
Interviews with three people in an office in central Brighton, then B-roll and atmos on the seafront. The times are an example. The call sheet sets the real ones.
- 08:00 Listen to the room The recordist listens to the street below, the heating, the lift and the office next door. They work out what can be switched off, booked out or waited for, and what can’t.
- 08:30 Set up The recorder and receivers go on the cart, and the timecode is jammed to both cameras.
- 09:30 First contributor The recordist fits a radio mic under a collar and holds a boom just out of shot, with a sound check while the producer chats.
- 10:15 A hold A siren goes past outside, so two answers are asked again.
- 13:00 Lunch Lunch is an hour. The recordist changes the batteries and backs up the files.
- 14:00 Room tone and atmos The recordist records a minute of the room for the edit. Then the crew go down to the seafront for B-roll, which needs permission from the Sussex Film Office. The wind there is strong, so the boom goes in a blimp with a windshield.
- 18:00 Wrap The recordist collects the mics and hands over the files and the sound report.
We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office and Brighton and Hove City Council.
Types
Types of sound set-up we book
The kit and the crew change with the number of voices, how much they move, and what the place sounds like.
Interview kit Two radio mics and a boom £550 a day + kit
The kit is a recorder, two or three radio mics, a boom and headphones. That’s enough for most interviews and corporate films.
Good for interviews, testimonials and anyone talking to camera.
Multi-voice and conferences Four to eight radio mics £550 a day + kit
This set-up has more channels and more radio mics, and often takes a feed from the venue’s desk. At the Brighton Centre or a hotel conference room, we agree the desk feed with the event team before the day.
Good for panels, podcasts and conferences with several speakers.
Documentary and run-and-gun Light, mobile, on the move £550 a day + kit
The recordist carries a bag rig with radio mics and a boom, and follows the action and the conversation.
Good for branded documentaries and filming people as they work.
Sound mixer and boom operator Drama and adverts Quoted on the brief
A mixer works at the cart and a boom operator on the floor, for dialogue scenes with movement.
Good for drama, adverts and anything with a script.
Sound to camera No recordist Not recommended
The mics plug straight into the camera, and nobody listens to the sound as it records. Problems often go unnoticed until the edit.
Good for a quick vox pop. It’s risky for anything you can’t do again.
What it’s for
What people book a sound recordist for in Brighton
Founder and customer films
Many of the city’s tech and games companies work at New England House and round the station. The recordist checks each office for echo and air conditioning before the interviews start.
Conferences at the Brighton Centre
Crews film the keynotes and record interviews between the sessions. The recordist runs several mics, takes a feed from the venue’s desk and keeps a backup of both.
University and research films
Researchers and students are interviewed at the University of Sussex at Falmer and the University of Brighton, often between lectures.
Adverts and fashion on the seafront
Brands shoot on the beach, Hove Lawns and the piers. The recordist plans for the wind on the seafront and the noise of the pier arcades. The Sussex Film Office handles the beach, and the pier’s owner handles the pier.
The Downs and the coast
Crews film at Devil’s Dyke, Ditchling Beacon and Seven Sisters. It’s often windy on the Downs, so the recordist brings the same wind protection as on the seafront and records the atmos for the edit.
Recent work
Sound on our jobs, and how we crew Brighton
Full production · Hackney Road, London · November 2024
Two floors booked for one quiet room
For AlTi Tiedemann Global we interviewed three senior staff in HIDE, the top-floor studio at JJ Studios (now JJ Spaces) on Hackney Road. After the recce we booked LOFT, the floor below, as well, so nothing underneath would reach the mics. A location sound recordist recorded the day. We booked sound for AlTi again at Many Rooms in Battersea in March 2026, with the kit on its own line.
How we crew it · Brighton
Recordists, the wind and the pier arcades
We start with recordists who live in Brighton or Hove. When the brief or the date needs someone else, we book a recordist from London, with their own kit and the travel on the quote before anything is booked. Whoever comes, the recce is for sound as well as light, at the hour you’ll shoot. The seafront is windy, so the recordist brings a blimp and a windshield as standard. The pier arcades are loud, so we plan interviews away from them and use the pier for B-roll and atmos. Where the room next door is busy, we book it as a buffer, as we did with LOFT below HIDE.
Before you book
Things to know
The day
- The day is 11 hours, including an hour for lunch.
- Overtime is paid at card rates, and we agree it with you before it happens.
The location
- Tell us what’s nearby, such as the railway, a main road, building work or the unit next door.
- We’ll ask the location to switch off what can be switched off before the day. At a venue like the Brighton Centre, we agree the room, the power and any desk feed with the event team in advance.
- Filming on council land in Brighton and Hove, including streets, the beach and parks, goes through the Sussex Film Office. Brighton Palace Pier is private, so its owner gives permission there. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with the Sussex Film Office, Brighton and Hove City Council and Brighton Palace Pier.
Paying and changes
- You pay nothing until you confirm the recordist.
- We take 50% by card when you book and 50% when you receive the final rushes.
- The quote shows every line, including the day rate, booking fee, kit and travel.
- Cancellation terms are on every quote.
What our insurance covers
- Our insurance covers employers’ liability for the recordist we book, up to £10m.
- Kit we hire in for you is insured. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, as its own line on the quote.
- On a crew hire, it doesn’t cover anything else. Public liability, the location and your own kit stay with you, and your venue will want to see your certificate. When we’re the producer of record, our policy covers the shoot.
- Private venues usually ask to see it. The Royal Pavilion, for example, asks for at least £10m public liability. We checked this in November 2026. Fees and rules change, and this page isn’t the official source. For the latest, check with Brighton and Hove Museums.
£550 a day
APA/Bectu card benchmark (sound mixer): £541–668 a day.
| Day rate, 11 hours | £550 |
| Booking fee, 10% | £55 |
| Insurance, 2% | £11 |
| One day, before kit and travel | £616 + VAT |
The 2% covers employers’ liability for the recordist we book and the kit we hire in. What it covers
You won’t pay anything until you confirm the recordist.
- 50% by card at booking, 50% on the final rushes
- Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours
- Every line on the quote before anything is booked
Or call us on 07412 543822.
Reviews
What clients say about our crews
These reviews come from our Google Business Profile.
Book a sound recordist in Brighton.
Tell us how many people are speaking, where, and what the place sounds like: a railway, a road, a busy hall. Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Or call us on 07412 543822.
Check availability
The whole crew
Every crew role we book in Brighton
Send one brief and we send one quote, with every role on its own line. These are our day rates in Brighton, and each crew member gets their full rate:
Production 06
- Director From £500
- Producer From £450
- Production manager £504–627
- 2nd AD £355–448
- Production assistant £400
- Runner £245
Camera 07
- DOP From £850
- Camera operator £529–656
- Focus puller £461–575
- Clapper loader £355–448
- Steadicam operator From £950
- Gimbal operator £529–656
- Drone operator From £750
Data and playback 02
- DIT £527
- Video playback £334–518
Sound 01
- Sound recordist This page £550
Hair, make-up and costume 02
- Hair and make-up £398
- Costume £519–694
Art department 02
- Art director £675–878
- Set builders £341–512
Post-production 01
- Editor From £350
See how our rates work in crew rates in Brighton, or start from one of our crew set-ups in Brighton.
Production support
Everything around the crew
Sound starts with the location. The pages below cover locations, permits and the rest of a Brighton shoot.
01
Kit rental
Where to hire camera, lighting and sound kit for a Brighton shoot, and when the crew bring their own.
02
Locations and permits
The Sussex Film Office, private places such as the pier, filming on the beach and the drone rules.
03
Studios and set builds
Studios in Brighton for interviews and product shots, and where to go for a bigger set build.
04
Props and wardrobe
Where props and costume come from, and the stylists and hair and make-up artists we book.
Questions
Questions about hiring a sound recordist in Brighton
How much does a sound recordist cost in Brighton?
Our sound recordists are paid £550 for an 11-hour day, including an hour for lunch, and the recordist gets all of it. The APA/Bectu card for a sound mixer is £541–668. We add our 10% booking fee and 2% insurance, so one day comes to £616 + VAT. Their sound kit goes on the quote as its own line.
What does the insurance on a crew booking cover?
It covers two things. The first is employers’ liability for every crew member we book, up to £10m. The second is the kit we hire in for you. That’s what the 2% pays for. A large kit rental may need extra insurance, which goes on the quote as its own line. On a crew hire, you’re the producer of record, so public liability, the location, your own kit and anything you book yourself stay with you. If you want us to be the producer of record, we quote it as a full production, and our insurance covers the whole shoot.
Are your sound recordists from Brighton?
We book recordists who live in Brighton or Hove first. If the brief or the date needs someone else, we book a recordist from London, about an hour away by train. We add the travel to the quote before anything is booked. Our own base is London, at 124 City Road, and we have bases in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall.
Do your recordists bring their own kit?
Yes. They bring a recorder, radio mics, a boom and headphones, priced at a day rate on its own line. For the seafront, that includes a blimp and a windshield. For more channels or specialist radio mics, we hire from London kit houses with the same 10% + 2%.
How many radio mics do I need?
You need one for each person speaking at the same time, and a spare. For a panel of four and a host, that’s six.
Can you record on Brighton seafront?
Yes. The seafront is windy, so the recordist brings a blimp and a windshield as standard and puts a radio mic on everyone who speaks. Filming on the beach and the seafront needs permission from the Sussex Film Office. Check with the Sussex Film Office for the latest.
Can we record on Brighton Palace Pier?
The pier is private, so you need its owner’s permission. Its filming page asks for the date and time, the hours, the crew size, a lead name and a summary of the shoot. The arcades are loud, so we plan interviews somewhere quieter and use the pier for B-roll and atmos. Check with Brighton Palace Pier for the latest.
How far ahead should I book a sound recordist in Brighton?
Our team reads every brief within 2 working hours. Good recordists get booked first, so the earlier the better. The location often sets the date. A suspended parking bay needs 7 working days’ notice, and a road closure can take up to 12 weeks. Check with Brighton and Hove City Council for the latest.