Need Windscreen Ideas ASAP at DVinfo.net

Rob Kroeger · November 5th, 2004, 03:30 PM

Hey All. Ive got all my field gear ready to shoot a game outside, its very windy out and a producer down at the Station forgot to give me the windscreens. I have to go film it in an hour and a half (Its 4:30 PM EST Now, Need to shoot around 6:00 PM EST) I have 2 Shure VP64A's. I have no way of getting the windscreens and I was wondering what I can use as a windscreen substitute. Any info would be much appreciated.

Jay Massengill · November 5th, 2004, 04:23 PM

Find a Radio Shack, or a music instrument store and get a generic windscreen. Thicker is better for high wind but beyond 1/2" thick dulls the sound too much for normal situations.
Then get a small hairband, in professional black of course, from a drug store. This will secure the foam if it's too big for the mic. The hairbands with no metal and no exposed rubber are best because they won't catch or tear the foam.

Rob Kroeger · November 5th, 2004, 04:30 PM

Yeah I was gonna do that but I cant get one becuase I have to leave for the game in like 15 minutes, its on sooner because of interviews. (Dont Laugh...) Breathable Long-Johns? Womans pantyhose? Atricle of thin, old clothing?

Desperate times call for (very) desperate measures.....

Emre Safak · November 5th, 2004, 08:14 PM

Now that it's over, do tell us what you used.

Rob Kroeger · November 5th, 2004, 09:12 PM

Haha Well, quite a long story. We were on top the press box, 32 Degrees, windchill like you cant imagine. We had a member of the crew run over to the store to buy us gloves it was so bad.

Anyways, cutting to the chase....

I found that if you use a neatly, circular-cut piece of Long-Johns, Streetched out, with a rubber band around it it blocks the wind quite well. It barely affects the voices of the talent(s) and after a little tweaking with the audio, I was in business.

Hope this helps someone down the line ;)

Thanks again all.

Mike Rehmus · November 6th, 2004, 01:14 AM

So the choice comes down to wear the long johns or use them on the microphone? Hard choice.

Rob Kroeger · November 6th, 2004, 07:18 AM

HAHA Very True, and let me tell you it was a hard choice to make, it was miserable last night.

Bob Harotunian · November 6th, 2004, 11:20 AM

Last night I watched a local TV station reporter on location talking about high wind damage to a structure. She was holding a mic with what appeared to be a modest windscreen while she was being buffeted sideways with gale force winds. But the broadcast audio hardly had any wind noise. How are they doing that?

Jay Massengill · November 6th, 2004, 02:26 PM

Omni dynamic interview mics are the least prone to wind noise. The foam screen and any shielding from her body were probably enough to mask it against the noise of the wind in general (as opposed to wind-noise inside the mic).

November 5th, 2004, 03:30 PM	#1
Rob Kroeger Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Saratoga Springs, Ut Posts: 31	Need Windscreen Ideas ASAP Hey All. Ive got all my field gear ready to shoot a game outside, its very windy out and a producer down at the Station forgot to give me the windscreens. I have to go film it in an hour and a half (Its 4:30 PM EST Now, Need to shoot around 6:00 PM EST) I have 2 Shure VP64A's. I have no way of getting the windscreens and I was wondering what I can use as a windscreen substitute. Any info would be much appreciated.

November 6th, 2004, 01:14 AM	#6
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	So the choice comes down to wear the long johns or use them on the microphone? Hard choice. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

November 5th, 2004, 04:23 PM	#2
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Find a Radio Shack, or a music instrument store and get a generic windscreen. Thicker is better for high wind but beyond 1/2" thick dulls the sound too much for normal situations. Then get a small hairband, in professional black of course, from a drug store. This will secure the foam if it's too big for the mic. The hairbands with no metal and no exposed rubber are best because they won't catch or tear the foam.

November 5th, 2004, 04:30 PM	#3
Rob Kroeger Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Saratoga Springs, Ut Posts: 31	Yeah I was gonna do that but I cant get one becuase I have to leave for the game in like 15 minutes, its on sooner because of interviews. (Dont Laugh...) Breathable Long-Johns? Womans pantyhose? Atricle of thin, old clothing? Desperate times call for (very) desperate measures.....

November 5th, 2004, 08:14 PM	#4
Emre Safak Trustee Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brookline, MA Posts: 1,447	Now that it's over, do tell us what you used.

November 5th, 2004, 09:12 PM	#5
Rob Kroeger Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Saratoga Springs, Ut Posts: 31	Haha Well, quite a long story. We were on top the press box, 32 Degrees, windchill like you cant imagine. We had a member of the crew run over to the store to buy us gloves it was so bad. Anyways, cutting to the chase.... I found that if you use a neatly, circular-cut piece of Long-Johns, Streetched out, with a rubber band around it it blocks the wind quite well. It barely affects the voices of the talent(s) and after a little tweaking with the audio, I was in business. Hope this helps someone down the line ;) Thanks again all.

November 6th, 2004, 07:18 AM	#7
Rob Kroeger Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Saratoga Springs, Ut Posts: 31	HAHA Very True, and let me tell you it was a hard choice to make, it was miserable last night.

November 6th, 2004, 11:20 AM	#8
Bob Harotunian Major Player Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Somerville, MA Posts: 360	Last night I watched a local TV station reporter on location talking about high wind damage to a structure. She was holding a mic with what appeared to be a modest windscreen while she was being buffeted sideways with gale force winds. But the broadcast audio hardly had any wind noise. How are they doing that?

November 6th, 2004, 02:26 PM	#9
Jay Massengill Trustee Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Burlington Posts: 1,976	Omni dynamic interview mics are the least prone to wind noise. The foam screen and any shielding from her body were probably enough to mask it against the noise of the wind in general (as opposed to wind-noise inside the mic).