Production Sound Technicians (IATSE Local 695)

Overview

IATSE Local 695 is the union representing production sound mixers, boom operators, sound utility technicians, video engineers, video assist technicians, and studio projectionists working in motion pictures, television, commercials, live broadcast, and sports in the Los Angeles area. Chartered on September 15, 1930, Local 695 covers the on-set sound department that captures dialogue, ambient sound, and production audio during principal photography. If you are budgeting a production that will shoot in LA under an IATSE agreement, the rates and requirements below are the numbers you need.

Local 695's jurisdiction covers sound work done during production. This is distinct from post-production sound editing (covered by IATSE Local 700, the Motion Picture Editors Guild) and re-recording mixing (associated with the Cinema Audio Society). The production sound mixer plans the microphone strategy for each shooting day, manages the sound department crew, and delivers cleanly recorded audio that the post-production sound team builds the final soundtrack from.

Current Wage Rates (2025-2026)

Local 695 operates under the 2024-2027 IATSE Basic Agreement with the AMPTP. The following studio minimum wage rates are effective August 3, 2025 through August 1, 2026:

The "On Call" weekly rate for a Production Mixer or Supervising Engineer (Y-1/Y-3) is $3,748.64 per week. These are minimums: experienced mixers on major productions negotiate above scale. The full wage schedule PDF is available at Local 695's website and at Production Ink.

Rates increase annually under the 2024-2027 contract. The next adjustment takes effect August 2, 2026.

Membership Requirements and Costs

Getting on the Roster

Before joining Local 695, you must get on the Industry Experience Roster through Contract Services (CSATF). The requirements are:

• 30 qualified IATSE days in your job classification within the past year, OR
• 100 combined qualified days of IATSE and/or non-IATSE work within the past 3 years

You must verify worked days with pay stubs and a letter from the employer or payroll company. Job titles on callsheets and pay stubs must match Local 695 classifications (e.g., "Sound Mixer" or "Boom Operator," not the generic "Sound Person"). Days worked as Utility Sound Technician and Boom Operator can be combined. Contact Contract Services at (818) 565-0550 ext. 1110 or visit csatf.org to start the application.

Initiation Fees and Dues

• Trainee (Y-16a) initiation fee: $1,000 (currently waived to $0). Application fee: $150.
• Reclassification fee (moving from Trainee to a higher classification): $10 plus the full initiation fee for the new classification, which runs several thousand dollars. Contact Local 695 directly for exact amounts per classification.
• Quarterly dues: Approximately $170 per quarter for Trainees. Dues for higher classifications are calculated based on the percentage wage increases negotiated by IATSE and AMPTP in the Basic Agreement. Dues are due January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1.
• Late penalty: $5 per month if dues are not paid within 30 days of the quarter start date.

The SAG-AFTRA Federal Credit Union and Actors Federal Credit Union both offer initiation fee loans for IATSE members who need to spread the cost over time.

Production Sound Mixer Role

The production sound mixer (PSM) is the head of the sound department on set. Before each shooting day, the PSM reviews the script, consults with the director and DP about shooting locations and microphone placement constraints, and plans the sound strategy for each setup. On set, the PSM manages the boom operator and sound utility technician, monitors all audio during takes, and makes real-time decisions about which microphone sources to record and mix.

The PSM's primary responsibility is capturing clean, usable dialogue. Production dialogue is always preferable to ADR (automated dialogue replacement recorded in post) because location dialogue captures the acoustic character of the environment and the spontaneous quality of performance that ADR sessions rarely fully replicate. A skilled PSM working in difficult acoustic conditions (outdoor locations, busy sets, ambient noise) achieves clean dialogue recordings that save substantial ADR cost and post-production time. ADR sessions typically run $200-$400 per hour for studio time alone, before actor fees, so each avoided ADR line is direct savings.

Boom Operator and Sound Utility

The boom operator is the PSM's primary department collaborator, operating the fishpole boom microphone that hangs over actors during dialogue scenes. Experienced boom operators develop precise physical control: holding a heavy microphone positioned overhead for long takes, adjusting position fluidly between actors in multi-person dialogue, and anticipating actor movements before they happen. The boom mic typically produces the highest-quality dialogue recording when it can be positioned close to the talent without appearing in frame.

The sound utility technician (sometimes called the cable person) manages wireless transmitters placed on performers, runs cables, operates additional boom poles on complex multi-camera setups, and handles the administrative work of the sound department: maintaining production sound reports and managing the equipment package.

What Filmmakers Should Know

For directors, the production sound mixer's ability to record clean dialogue in challenging conditions directly affects post-production cost and schedule. Including the sound department in location scouts (allowing the PSM to identify acoustic problems before the shooting day) prevents costly sound problems that are only discovered in the editing room.

For producers, Local 695 rates for PSM, boom operator, and sound utility at the applicable budget tier are all meaningful below-the-line budget items. A standard 3-person sound department (PSM + boom + utility) at minimum scale costs approximately $2,014.91 per day in labor alone, before overtime, meal penalties, and fringes. The sound package (equipment rental) is a separate cost from labor that must also be budgeted, typically running $500-$1,500 per day depending on the package.

For non-union productions, Local 695 members cannot work on your set unless you sign a signatory agreement. Non-union sound technicians are available at lower rates, but the quality gap can be significant for complex productions.

See Also

For the post-production sound editors that work with Local 695's recordings, see Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) in this directory. For the re-recording mixers who create the final mix, see Cinema Audio Society (CAS) in this directory. For help calculating your total sound department budget, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator. For the official wage schedule PDF, see the 2024-27 Local 695 Wage Rates.