Shotgun or Lapel for Interviews
 

I'm doing a series of small carpeted room, controlled-environment interviews. It takes me forever to set up my AudioTechnica wireless lapel (ATW R100x). I also hate risking interference when I don't need to be wireless. I'm leaning toward using my Rode VideoMic shotgun, which would be five feet away from both (seated) speakers. Am I a rebel for thinking this way? Will the sound suffer, or actually improve with the shotgun?

I would shoot both on seperate channels. I recently did a last minute interview and only had one shotgun and it worked fine. However, I would have preferred two.
M

Use Both
 

I think it would really be wise to use both the shotgun and the lav.
I find a shotgun a little too roomy unless the placement is just right and many times shots can be too wide for you to work that mic in nice and close.
I think the shotgun is a great back-up for when interference may raise it's
ugly head. It takes a few extra minutes to set up both mics, but it will only take one time for the extra effort to save your butt that you'll never go without it again.

Matt Gore

If your subject is stationary, my own preference is to used a wired, not wireless, lav. A 20 foot XLR cable allows for plenty of distance between camera and subject. Use the shotgun, too, by all means.

Best wishes,
Peter
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