How to mic a pretty basic play?

[Adrian Tan]

Hi, I have zero experience in this. Anyone care to offer some suggestions.

Here's what the set looks like:

Sydney Independent Theatre Company - Tidy Town of the Year

Actors are just using natural voices; no sound system. The can't wear lapel mics, because there's fake blood involved, and they do a striptease.

I'm thinking of concealing a few omnidirectional mics around... maybe a boundary mic as well... and just hoping and praying. I've told them the audio is not going to be very clean.

What would you recommend?

[Roger Gunkel]

Definitely boundary mics as that's what they do best and probably a couple of shotgun mics as backup,

Roger

[Chris Harding]

Hey Roger

I was going to say that too!! I have two AKG's in my case and they work well for wedding speeches done from the table!!

Gosh Adrian you get all the lucky gigs ...filming naked actors (sadly I guess some will be men knowing your luck)

If there is a sound system I always leave it to them to set up and mix the stage audio and give me an XLR feed but sadly that isn't going to happen. I seriously would have my primary mics as boundaries on the front of the stage and then maybe cheat a bit and put a shotgun right up front (as close as you dare without it being in the way) as a backup. If they stamp and stomp on a wooden stage then alas the boundry mics will get that as a loud signal but they are very good when given a sound board as big as a stage and audio 2 metres away can be amazing!! If you can get to the venue maybe try a few tests using yourself on stage and various mic options???

Chris