Donovan Banks

My father always used to tell me that when I was working with wood. "Measure Twice, Cut once."

It is an important lesson in preparation, but not long preparation, just the immediate prep before you perform an act. Much like cutting wood, taking a photo or video or recording a take on your guitar.

While on the set of Spud: The Movie I watched with great interest how they go about filming a scene. For each Camera there is a camera operator, a camera assistant and 2 lighting assistants.

The lighting assistants go back and forth a few dozen times with light meters, ordering different light settings in different places and ways, testing again, changing, testing again and so on. when they eventually have it right they test a few more times and then confirm with the camera assistant, who also checks it.

The camera assistant ensures he has the right lens on the camera, physically measures the distance with a tape measure, adjusts the camera, checks focus, measures again, conforms with the lighting guy, measures again, cleans the lens, checks focus again and only then can the camera operator film anything.

They do a few practice runs for the director who double checks everything on his screens before doing numerous actual takes.

This practice of checking, double checking and triple checking is to save film. The thought of using tape to record audio astound me and I wouldn't dream of it but apparently film gives a certain feel and most movies are on film anyway...

When I am recording in studio, even playing live, I am constantly checking my tuning. I always tune before I do a take. It is that small time saver that means I don't attempt to play, start recording and have to stop and tune before trying for real again. Especially when playing live, you cannot stop the band and start again because you are out of tune, that is unprofessional. Most times you wind up playing the song out of tune and it sounds horrible.

The best player playing the most expensive gear out of tune will sound horrible.

Measure Twice, Cut once. It may save your career....