Old Guy Tech

The Anatomy of the Grid & Battle-Tested Rock 'n' Roll Lighting with Randy Read

If you think modern LED programming on a cinema set is stressful, try operating an analog console while calling six carbon-arc Super Trooper spotlights over the roaring crowd of a 1970s Marshall Tucker Band stadium show. This week on Old Guy Tech, Dave McCauley and I are breaking down the massive industry news of the day—the end of an era as ARRI changes family ownership after more than a century. How is this move into the live broadcast and sports market going to affect the cinema glass and camera bodies we know and love? Then, Dave sits down with a true legend of the lighting grid, Randy Read. Randy brings over 40 years of battle-tested, high-end production expertise to the table—from touring with rock 'n' roll icons to his tenure at Cinetel Productions, Scripps Networks, and designing broadcast studios globally for ARRI. #Inside [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/inside] the Episode: The ARRI Acquisition:*We analyze the acquisition of the world's leading camera and lighting ecosystem by Thomas Riedel and what it means for the future of cinema post-production pipelines. Psychedelic Pre-Show Origins: How Randy got his start at 19 using food dye, oil, water, and overhead projectors to create live, music-reactive visuals behind touring bands. The "Super Trooper" Era: A look back at pure analog lighting rigs—manually syncing 180 Par cans, Leekos, and carbon-arc spotlights before software automation took over the industry. The Bill-Payer's Eye: The brutal truth every young filmmaker needs to learn early: "Beauty is not in the eye of the beholder; beauty is in the eye of the person who writes the check." The Multiple-Camera Art: Why true multi-cam set lighting is a dying breed, the raw horsepower and foot-candles required to pull exposure on older tube cameras, and why knowing the math behind amperage and power distribution separates the real lighting directors from the CAD drafters. Check your feeds, lock down your power distribution, and listen to an elite professional who has truly lit it all. What's the oldest piece of lighting iron or analog gear you've ever had to handle on a professional location? Drop your crew stories in the comments.

Scoring True Crime, Dolly Parton Studio Sessions & AI in Music with Paul Jones

This week on Old Guy Tech, Michael is flying solo in the booth while Dave is out in the field shooting B-roll. But we have an incredibly special episode as we welcome Michael's friend of over 20 years, Paul Jones! Paul is a music entrepreneur with over 30 years of global industry experience and the founder of the production music library, Auralation. If you’ve ever watched true crime hits like Snapped or City Confidential, or tuned into cable giants like HGTV, DIY, and Food Network, you have absolutely heard his work. In Episode 6, Paul shares his incredible journey from recording TV theme songs on a portable cassette player to running the studio where Dolly Parton recorded her Halos & Horns album (including a bluegrass cover of "Stairway to Heaven"!). 🎙️ In this episode, Michael and Paul also dive deep into: * Paul’s hilarious first TV scoring gig, which consisted of just playing his lowest synthesizer note every time the scene changed. * The reality of AI in the music industry—discussing tools like Suno and 11 Labs—and why AI is currently a fantastic iteration tool for songwriters, but isn't quite ready to take over the emotional heavy-lifting of scoring a film. * Behind-the-scenes of scoring the documentary The Hidden Tiger and capturing the multicultural sounds of rural India. * The booming true crime television industry that turned Knoxville into a massive production hub. * UT's new music business program and the exciting future of dedicated scoring stages in East Tennessee. 👇 We want to hear from YOU! What is your favorite piece of gear or your craziest story from the set? Drop a comment below, and let us know who we should interview next! 👍 The "Cheesy" Ask: As Michael always says, it feels cheesy to ask, but it really does help the channel—please hit that LIKE button and SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss our upcoming "Cautionary Tale" mini-series on Michael's robotic total knee replacement. #OldGuyTech #VideoProduction #FilmScoring #PaulJones #TrueCrime #DollyParton #Filmmaking #BehindTheScenes #AudioEngineering

GoPro’s $700 Scam? NAB 2024 Wrap & Gerald Undone Retires

NAB 2026 is in the bag, and the consensus from the "Old Guys" is... meh. Michael Samstag and Dave McCauley break down why the endless spec-sheet wars have hit a plateau. The most significant news from Vegas wasn't a camera launch, but the fallout from ‪@geraldundone‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@geraldundone] Gerald changing his content strategy and "retiring" from the exhaustive technical reviews that established his brand. We’re diving deep into the GoPro Scandal following the announcement of the Mission 1 Pro ILS. We break down why ‪@TonyAndChelsea‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@TonyAndChelsea] is calling this interchangeable lens system a "punt" and a "scam" designed to distract from the company laying off 23% of its staff. From the technical absurdity of a manual-focus-only action camera to the "vaporware" nature of the 8K and 50MP claims, we discuss why this "sinking ship" is relying on marketing over real engineering. Finally, we have a "Knee Time" update. Michael discusses his upcoming Knee Time Mini Series detailing his total knee replacement—a cautionary tale for younger operators about the physical toll of decades on your feet in production. If your tech doesn't last 10 years, it wasn't a smart purchase. Make sure you follow: Gerald Undone: / geraldundone [https://www.youtube.com/c/geraldundone] Tony & Chelsea Northrup: / @tonyandchelsea [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDkJEEIifDzR_2K2p9tnwYQ] Mike McGovern: / @mike_mcgovern [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTfys5QndcA3BPlqTrJm6lA] Gear mentioned: ‪@PanasonicLumixVideo‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@PanasonicLumixVideo] S1 Mark 2: GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS ‪@BlackmagicDesignOfficial‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@BlackmagicDesignOfficial] PYXIS 6K Blackmagic URSA Cine 17K ‪@DJI‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@DJI] Osmo Pocket 3 ‪@insta360‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@insta360] Luma DJI Osmo Pocket 4 HOKA Sneakers BMPCC 4K

🎬 From Bowie’s "Powder" to the FBI: Tommy Gibbons

Get ready for one of our wildest rides yet on Old Guy Tech. This week, Michael and David McCauley sit down with production veteran Tommy Gibbons for a deep dive into the "sordid land" of film history. Tommy’s career started with a Kodak XL Super 8 and a front-row seat to rock-and-roll history—specifically watching David Bowie in 1973. In this episode, we’re breaking down: The Legend of Hell's Highway: The true story behind the 1950s drivers' ed "blood and guts" films. The FBI Investigation: How a tractor-trailer crashing into a film lab led to the discovery of pirated prints of The Godfather and Superman. Set Survival: Tommy recounts surviving a timber rattlesnake bite and a near-miss with a 4-foot-tall timber wolf. Legacy Tech: We talk Eclair 16mm cameras, 3/4 inch decks, and the meticulous restoration process for the upcoming world re-premiere of Hell's Highway in Italy. Whether you’re here for the technical gear talk or the "cinematic immunity" stories that only long-time crew members can tell, you don't want to miss this one. Watch on YouTube! https://youtu.be/7m4NLwUGMNM?si=nF3Oxz6u5rWNMWeG [https://youtu.be/7m4NLwUGMNM?si=nF3Oxz6u5rWNMWeG] Join the crew: https://theproductionfront.com/ [https://theproductionfront.com/]

Why My Boss Told Me to Throw a Chair at Him: Pat Clark

Have you ever worked a set so chaotic your boss instructed you to throw a metal folding chair at him to avoid being electrocuted? If not, you haven’t worked Smoky Mountain Wrestling. In this week’s episode of Old Guy Tech, Michael Samstag and Dave McCauley sit down with DP, Owner-Operator, and 40-year industry veteran Pat Clark. We dive deep into the technical "war stories" of the freelance grind, exploring why a headset is your most valuable tool and what happens when legacy tech fights back. Pat shares how he moved from the "mummy gear" of the 1980s to capturing historic moments like the Michelle Snow Lady Vols slam dunk and F1 at the Brickyard. We talk shop on: * The "Mummy Gear": Dodge a Flying Chair (SMW Wrestling), Survive the 95° Humidity Warning (West Tennessee Beta SP), and Capture the 16mm Miracle (India Windmills). * Legacy Tools: A look back at the modular Ikegami 45 newsroom workhorse and why the Panasonic VariCam 720p remains a legendary low-res camera. * Modern Gear: Dave and Michael break down the DJI Osmo Pocket 4 launch, NAB rumors regarding the Sony FX3 Mark II, and the value of vintage Contax Zeiss glass on new camera bodies. * Career Survival: Pat shares crucial advice on the necessity of a "side hustle" or "checkmark" degree in today’s industry. Analog Heart. Digital Soul. Find the Visual Version on YouTube (Gritty Armory Haze Included): https://www.youtube.com/@OldGuyTech [https://www.youtube.com/@OldGuyTech]