Multiple mics
 

Hi

I'll be shooting a promotional video this spring that may well involve up to four people... I intend to shoot documentary style using a boom mic for the dialogue.. 90% will be shot out of doors.


My question is this: Is it worth adding a radio Lav mic to the main person in the group?
Or will this cause problems?
Am better off forgetting the lav and just relying on the boom and on camera mics..??

regards

Gareth

NEVER rely on the camera's mics! My experience has always been, that they will pick up everything BUT what they are supposed to. Boom mics would be better, IF you have a good boom person. I also see no real problem using a lapel mic on the speaker in addition to everything else.

The problem with shooting outdoors, is all the ambient noises that will creep in, including wind noises. Use good directional mics, and it will help immensly. I hope this helps some :)

Scout the location and make sure there aren't unwanted sounds common in the area that make the location unusable. I had a local shoot in a nice building that was RIGHT on a busy road... the shoot went okay, but it was frequently interrupted by trucks and other noisy vehicles. Next shoot with the same people. Crickets!

Both situations were killing us... and they probably could have been avoided by scouting the location at the proper time of day... a few days ahead of time.

I would DEFINITELY use the lav and boom. Depending on the tightness of the group (positioning) you'll have a real hard time covering everybody, unless it's scripted and you know where to go. With an open omni lav you can get decent audio in a bubble of about 5 or so feet. So your main guy and anybody standing right at his/her side will both be mic'ed pretty well. Sometimes in run 'n gun situations I'll put a tram on the chest of my interviewer and forget the stick mic. As long as he is facing the interviewee the audio is really good for both of them. It does require them to be close though.

Consider the extra mic as insurance. Try to boom everything, but even an experienced boom op would have to work to cover 4 people with one mic... so I'll bet you'll be glad you had some backup after the shoot is over.

Cheers Matt and Keith,

that's what I wanted to know.. as chances are I won't have an experienced boom guy..

I figured it would be hard work covering 4 guys with one boom mic... I have a G2 Sennhieser set up which I'll use to mic the main talent and boom mic for security etc..

the on board mic is a pretty good shot gun too... on an FX1, into a Sign Video XLR PRO... but if I use the lav I'll obvioulsy not use that..

Cheers Guys

Gareth