Production Mixer on Capturing The Bear

Chicago, IL (April 30, 2026)—Production sound mixer Scott D. Smith of Chicago Audio Works is currently mixing the fifth season of the FX series The Bear.

“You never know what’s going to be used in post-production, so my philosophy is capture everything we possibly can on set,” explains Smith, a two-time Oscar nominee and two-time Emmy winner. “I like the soundscape to represent the environment that we’re in, and to add to what’s happening visually. It’s not just mics on actors; we hide mics on set all over the place… The ability to put a wireless mic in places where we can’t get a cabled mic is the difference between getting sound for a scene or not.”

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To achieve this level of coverage, Smith deploys Lectrosonics digital and Digital Hybrid Wireless equipment that can range from a small bag rig to a massive 36-channel cart. His transmitter inventory includes everything from the SMWB series and miniature SSMs for concealing on talent, to HMa plug-on transmitters for booms and plant mics. On the receiver side, Smith’s setups span from legacy Lectrosonics products all the way up to state-of-the-art DSQD four-channel digital receivers.

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The physical constraints of production often dictate Smith’s gear choices. “We have one cart, for example, where all the rack spaces are half-rack spaces,” he notes. “We can’t use larger receivers in it, so we rely on DSQD receivers because they pack so much connectivity in a space-efficient package.”

He adds, “This season we’re working with a lot of water—it’s on the actors, on the set, it’s all over the place,” he also shares. “Having the preformed factory transmitter pouches has been a big plus, and frequently we’ll use those along with some additional protection for the transmitter to survive those environments. I haven’t had a Lectrosonics receiver fail me yet.”