The Bear, on screen

Smith of Chicago Audio Works is currently mixing the fifth season of the FX series The Bear. The Bear has emerged this Saturday as one of the stories drawing attention in Australia.

Key facts

• Smith of Chicago Audio Works is currently mixing the fifth season of the FX series The Bear.
• Academy Award Winner Mikey Madison and 'The Bear' Star Jeremy Allen White Team Up For 'The Social Reckoning.
• Smith Captures The Chaos Of The Bear With Lectrosonics.
• Chicago, IL (April 30, 2026)—Production sound mixer Scott D.
• “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.

What we know

Going deeper, Academy Award Winner Mikey Madison and 'The Bear' Star Jeremy Allen White Team Up For 'The Social Reckoning.

On the substance, Smith Captures The Chaos Of The Bear With Lectrosonics.

Beyond the headlines, Chicago, IL (April 30, 2026)—Production sound mixer Scott D.

More precisely, 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.”

It is worth noting that 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.

What they're saying

“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.

The wider context

On a related note, 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.

Going deeper, 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.”

On the substance, 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.

Beyond the headlines, I haven’t had a Lectrosonics receiver fail me yet.”

The bottom line

• 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.
• 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.”
• 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.