
When it comes to Sound Mixers, pleasing production is two-fold. You have to look presentable and be fast, mobile and unobtrusive, says Grant A. Waters, a key player in sound for high-profile productions from reality programs like TNT's Life Flight and A&E's Duck Dynasty to film/documentary productions like The Vegas Story and more. Key to many of my most recent productions is a new acquisition from Petrol Bags, the Large Lightweight Audio Bag.
Recently, Waters wrangled sound for a new program from the creators of Duck Dynasty called Pig Men. Like Duck Dynasty, this new reality series follows the lives of people who have a very different and interesting lifestyle, Waters explains. These men own property outside of Waco, Texas, and they hunt pigs.
Reality like this is always a challenge, he explains. We have to capture our shots fast in one take, and be ready for unusual events. We had a sequence recently with one of our characters who drives a limousine. There are no seats in the back, so normally, a sound mixer would put his gear in the trunk and mix from a follow car. But, if I'd done that and something went wrong, well, I'd get the blame.
However, with the new Petrol Large Lightweight Audio Bag, I got in the large trunk, lay down with the bag positioned next to me, extended my favorite K-Tek 10-foot boom pole and mixed from the perfect place, he says. I love the size and configuration of this new bag. The bigger zipper flap over a huge long pocket allows me to use it for anything. I can pack my mixers, wireless, cords, expendables and more, and still be able to reach them quickly.
Because it is not as wide as other bags, it's good for my lower back, he adds. It sticks out less. My lower back doesn't hurt anymore, and I can work longer.
And, it might sound silly, but it always looks brand new. I've done everything - from chasing rattlesnakes to working with dogs! I've also done a project called Life Flight where we get in helicopters and follow emergency medics. I've had blood, dirt and a lot of other things on this bag, and it all washes off easily. It may sound foolish, but that's really important, especially when you are going after the higher profile jobs. If you show up with a battered and dirty set-up, producers will think twice about hiring you. Show up clean and trim and they feel you can handle the job.
The Large Lightweight Audio Bag is optimally designed for soundmen who use the Sound Devices 664 mixer, with or without the CL6 Controller. There is a convenient bottom opening for quick and easy access, full access for connector cables in both the front and rear compartments, and the bag can handle up to eight wireless receiver/transmitters.
Pig Men will begin airing late 2013. Petrol Bags newest audio bag has also recently helped Waters on the third season of Rattlesnake Republic, Dog's Best Friend for Oasis network and Life Flight, for TNT.
For further information on Petrol Bags products, please go to http://www.petrolbags.com or contact: Petrol Bags, 16 Progress Drive, Shelton CT 06484
About Petrol Bags
Petrol Bags is a leading producer of professional carrying bags and accessories for portable cameras, lighting, audio, support and other production equipment. The Petrol Bags product family encompasses a full line of highly protective, versatile, adaptable and extremely portable bags, backpacks, cases, and accessories. Petrol Bags works closely with industry professionals to create carrying systems designed for safe transport as well as quick and easy access on location.
Along with other leading brands in the broadcast and professional videographer industry, Petrol Bags is part of Vitec Videocom, a Vitec Group company. For more information on Petrol Bags, visit http://www.petrolbags.com
About Vitec Videocom
Vitec Videocom brings together some of the most respected, most innovative and most sought-after brands in the industry: Anton/Bauer, Autoscript, Litepanels, OConnor, Petrol, Sachtler, Vinten and Vinten Radamec. It acts as an endorsing brand for these market-leading broadcast, film and pro video products, encouraging multi-brand system sales and simplifying the way that customers worldwide do business.
Vitec Videocom is an operating division within the Vitec Group, an international business serving customers in the broadcast, photographic and military aerospace and government markets. Vitec is based on strong, well known, premium brands on which its customers rely on worldwide.
Vitec Videocom - innovative products around the camera.
###
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
02/05/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
01/05/2026
January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...
01/04/2026
January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION
Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...
21/02/2026
With Software Defined Broadcasting more established in Milan Cortina look for Los Angeles 2028 to have less hardware and more cloud-based software systems...
21/02/2026
The SVP of Olympic Operations on turning CAD drawings into reality, building tru...
21/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
21/02/2026
Back to All News
Netflix Unveils the Trailer of Accused', A Psychological ...
20/02/2026
Gravity Media and Los Angeles-based Green Couch Entertainment announce a strateg...
20/02/2026
IMAX announces it is working with Apple TV to bring the 2026 FIA Formula One Wor...
20/02/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the Philadelphia Phillies to design, manufacture, ...
20/02/2026
ESPN announces the upcoming launch of Women's Sports Sundays - a first-of-it...
20/02/2026
As the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots faced off in the NFL's biggest sporting event of the season on Sun., Feb. 8, Sennheiser wireless solutions ...
20/02/2026
ESPN announces its 2026 Major League Baseball spring training schedule, which includes four national games on ESPN, six games on ESPN Unlimited, and more than 2...
20/02/2026
Open Broadcast Systems, which specializes in software-based professional video transport, has added support for 200 Gigabit Ethernet to its range of encoders an...
20/02/2026
Chyron announces the release of PAINT 10.3, which is designed to help analysts and operators turn live action into clearer, faster on-air storytelling.
PAINT 1...
20/02/2026
With full squad workouts underway, MLB Network's live Spring Training game s...
20/02/2026
Tech enhancements, marquee productions are expected to take advantage of a summe...
20/02/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
20/02/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
20/02/2026
Speaking with SVG Europe after one of Team GB's greatest days at a Winter Olympics, BBC Sport's head of major events, Ron Chakraborty, explains the broa...
20/02/2026
Making Winter Games Olympic magic is the goal for every broadcaster in Italy cov...
20/02/2026
Curling, one of the least-dangerous Winter Olympic sports, is dominating the Mil...
20/02/2026
BBC Sport's presence at the 2026 Winter Games is centred around a significan...
20/02/2026
BBC Sport is bringing together its linear TV and streaming digital arms in a str...
20/02/2026
To broaden the appeal of winter sports at Milano Cortina, the BBC has integrated...
20/02/2026
Just in time for the start of Apple TV's inaugural season as the exclusive U...
20/02/2026
One big challenge was to depict the character of each of very different and wide...
20/02/2026
(L-R) Writer-director Amanda Kramer photographs the photographers at the premiere of her film By Design at the Library Center Theatre in Park City. (Photo by ...
20/02/2026
In our latest blog, Tim Pearson explores the impact that increased memory prices are having on the consumer electronics market, and particularly the set-top box...
20/02/2026
Calrec Type R: Shaping the Future of Radio from the Heart of Flirt FM
Love may have filled the airwaves last week for Valentine's Day, and we've just c...
20/02/2026
NEW YORK - February 10, 2026 - An estimated 125.6* million viewers watched Super Bowl LX on Sunday, February 8, according to Nielsen's Big Data Panel meas...
20/02/2026
NEW YORK - February 19, 2026 - Nielsen today shared updated and final Super Bowl...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/02/2026
A leading global investment bank, with offices at Two International Finance Centre in Hong Kong, partnered with systems integrators Global Vision Engineering (G...
20/02/2026
Rise AV and Rise Broadcast, the global not-for-profit organisations dedicated to improving gender diversity across technical industries, have today announced a ...
20/02/2026
Open Broadcast Systems, the leader in software-based professional video transport, has added support for 200 Gigabit Ethernet to its range of encoders and decod...
20/02/2026
Signiant today announced the formation of its Customer Advisory Board (CAB), bringing together a select group of customers to collaborate on product strategy, r...
20/02/2026
PTZOptics today announced the launch of its Visual Reasoning initiative that makes video more actionable by combining robotic PTZ camera systems, AI, and open i...
20/02/2026
Amino, a global media technology provider delivering devices, software and cloud services that simplify and elevate video delivery, today announced the successf...
20/02/2026
SMPTE , the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, today announced its call for technical papers for the SMPTE 2026 Media Technology Summit....
20/02/2026
Wowza Media Systems today announced that Granicus, a leading provider of digital engagement solutions for governments, continues to rely on Wowza to power its h...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
20/02/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...