Indoor Use Of Shotgun Microphones

Anna Harmon · December 2nd, 2007, 02:21 PM

I always think of it as "Anything you can hear, I can hear better".

Ty, I had a nightmare of a shoot yesterday. Remember the 416 comment I made, well scratch that. They hired a camera guy who rented the audio package, I wasn't using my own and I wasn't consulted, and we shot in a very live apartment with a 416.

I was really upset and had nothing to help with the echo. It wasn't super horrible, it was just there. Y'all know what I'm saying.

Why would a camera guy rent sound gear when they're hiring a sound person?

Anna Harmon · December 2nd, 2007, 02:59 PM

Oh and forget treating the walls, I would've been shot or drawn and quartered.

Sound blankets? No way

Ty Ford · December 2nd, 2007, 04:56 PM

Anna,

I feel your pain. :)

Last week teh shooter kept going out for Broll with the camera mic and not switching back (and not telling me), so I had to do the "Huh? Wait a minute!" thing with him saying, "It's probably your cable, man."

As I flipped the monitor switch around on the 442 I heard this far away sound...oh, hey, it was you switching to camer mic. Wann'a switch back to line inputs, MAN?" :)

To any shooters reading this. Work is NOT a one way street. They didn't hire a PA, so I'm being a nice guy and helping him load in, set up and load out all of his camera and lighting gear.

What do I get? Barely an "uh, thanks" and he goes deaf on me while I'm three feet away from him asking him a question, pretending doesn't hear me. And then flat out not telling me when he messes with the audio inputs on his camera.

Thanks for letting me vent.

BTW, he probably used his sound gear cause he could charge them for it and make a few more bucks for himself, or because he got it really cheap and marked it up.

Ty Ford

Anna Harmon · December 2nd, 2007, 09:56 PM

Ah Ty, been there. Worked with this one camera dude who ended up being a great guy, love him to pieces, but completely left me hanging in one shoot. He didn't give me a second to calibrate and just ran with the project. This was during a live event so it was a you get what you get type thing. Took me 20 minutes to figure out what happened instead of the initial 5 just 'cause I had to troubleshoot WHILE he was shooting.

The rental house recommended the audio setup. ha ha. Nuff said. Capturing-wise I had to deal with the full spectrum, from whispers to screams all in one shot. It was challenging working with that mic. The screams were bouncing off the walls.

All that on an FP-33 mixer with those annoyingly delayed analog meters (I'm spoiled with the SD) into an HVX. I was crying by mid-shoot. It's been a long time since I used an FP-33.

December 2nd, 2007, 04:56 PM	#33
Ty Ford Inner Circle Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Baltimore, MD USA Posts: 2,337	Anna, I feel your pain. :) Last week teh shooter kept going out for Broll with the camera mic and not switching back (and not telling me), so I had to do the "Huh? Wait a minute!" thing with him saying, "It's probably your cable, man." As I flipped the monitor switch around on the 442 I heard this far away sound...oh, hey, it was you switching to camer mic. Wann'a switch back to line inputs, MAN?" :) To any shooters reading this. Work is NOT a one way street. They didn't hire a PA, so I'm being a nice guy and helping him load in, set up and load out all of his camera and lighting gear. What do I get? Barely an "uh, thanks" and he goes deaf on me while I'm three feet away from him asking him a question, pretending doesn't hear me. And then flat out not telling me when he messes with the audio inputs on his camera. Thanks for letting me vent. BTW, he probably used his sound gear cause he could charge them for it and make a few more bucks for himself, or because he got it really cheap and marked it up. Ty Ford __________________ Ty Ford's Audio Bootcamp Field Guide Ty Ford's Audio Video Blog Last edited by Ty Ford; December 2nd, 2007 at 05:08 PM. Reason: more content

December 2nd, 2007, 02:21 PM	#31
Anna Harmon Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 127	I always think of it as "Anything you can hear, I can hear better". Ty, I had a nightmare of a shoot yesterday. Remember the 416 comment I made, well scratch that. They hired a camera guy who rented the audio package, I wasn't using my own and I wasn't consulted, and we shot in a very live apartment with a 416. I was really upset and had nothing to help with the echo. It wasn't super horrible, it was just there. Y'all know what I'm saying. Why would a camera guy rent sound gear when they're hiring a sound person?

December 2nd, 2007, 02:59 PM	#32
Anna Harmon Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 127	Oh and forget treating the walls, I would've been shot or drawn and quartered. Sound blankets? No way

December 2nd, 2007, 09:56 PM	#34
Anna Harmon Regular Crew Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: New York Posts: 127	Ah Ty, been there. Worked with this one camera dude who ended up being a great guy, love him to pieces, but completely left me hanging in one shoot. He didn't give me a second to calibrate and just ran with the project. This was during a live event so it was a you get what you get type thing. Took me 20 minutes to figure out what happened instead of the initial 5 just 'cause I had to troubleshoot WHILE he was shooting. The rental house recommended the audio setup. ha ha. Nuff said. Capturing-wise I had to deal with the full spectrum, from whispers to screams all in one shot. It was challenging working with that mic. The screams were bouncing off the walls. All that on an FP-33 mixer with those annoyingly delayed analog meters (I'm spoiled with the SD) into an HVX. I was crying by mid-shoot. It's been a long time since I used an FP-33.