What would you do (Reality TV question)

Hey Tim, do you have access to a comtek? If so, split your headphone out and use half to send via comtek to the boom op. That way you don't burn a wireless mic.

Lately I've been burning one of my G2's for wireless camera send for scratch track. Seems to work pretty well, again splitting the headphone out.

Keep us posted. Even with cheapskate producers, still sounds like a really fun project!

Phil
 
Unfortunately never even seen a comtek here in sa, but its okay because i only have four channels to work with anyway, if i run all wireless the boom op wont need phones in any case.

Phil, what are you using to split your headphone out? Just an adaptor splitter type thing, or something more advanced than that? When you say "split" do you mean turn one stereo headphone feed into two stereo headphone feeds?

I think its going to be cool, even though the producers are a bit stupid, the cam crew is really great to work with (and INCREDIBLY thoughtful of sound), and the content directors are also all very enthusiastic and un-full of cr@p. Plus the one challenge is to paint a jumbo jet! Should be fun to cover... If I havent mentioned it yet, the show is the South African version of Tommy Hilfigers "The Cut"...
 
Tim,

Just a mini-mini splitter, nothing fancy. So you don't have any IFB? Seems like most of what I have read about reality here is that they always put IFB in for the segment producer to take notes. Are you running a wireless feed in from the boom? Using the Sonys? Oy! I'm wary of using anything less than Lectro 411's or Zaxcom for wireless boom work.

Keep us posted. Sounds like a great job. Is it an exact copy of The Cut with Hilfiger or a knock off?

Phil
 
Yeah, you might want to go back and crop that in half :)

I would never mix the boom and wireless channels so phasing is not a problem.

The producers are going to want some sort of IFB or else they will have no clue what is going on. You could pick up some used comteks on ebay for cheap. The old single channel kind go pretty cheap and do the job just find in most cases.

For your 302 rig there, please don't tell me you use the neck harnass to carry your bag around. Get a back harness or you will end up with a hunchback.

Sounds like you are in for some fun times.
 
Wabbit - nah, the 302 job was sit and mix. And it's not such a big deal... and the producers are too stupid to understand IFB anyway. Would have been great, but Im pushing for simplicity now - if the gear isnt great, keep it simple. Thanks for the phasing tips, I am naturally keeping boom separate all the time.

Phil, its been franchised so its not a knock off, but it has different challenges and things. Its still got his name on it though he isnt involved...

I wont be running any wireless boom on the shoot (unless something really dramaticly complicated happens - i will have the right adaptors and stuff to make it work), if we are working with dubious wireless I'm sure as hell not going to compromise the one channel that could theoretically give some nice results (boom).

Anyhow, we start at 3:30 this afternoon with a short shoot until 9 (damn! world cup finals!) to get the contestants arriving at their new place. Will keep updating on interesting events.
 
Ok, back (we wrapped up in time for world cup!), Im watching the ET as I type :)

Was a great shoot for the first day - we were shooting the contestants arriving at their lodgings for the first time (choosing beds etc). They are staying in the penthouse of building in downtown Johannesburg, complete with recreational room, two workrooms, a graphics/printing/computer room, bedrooms etc etc... They arrived just after sunset and we shot some great stuff.

Im gonna use this thread as a sort of shoot diary, just to document whats going down (and of course for you guys to chime in and help me out).



Each crew consists of 1 director, two cameras, one mixer, and one boom op. Two crews in operation every day, and another two every night. Im shooting with day crew (and have been given the dubious honour of HOD sound, yay), and this is the other day crew mixer Hugo. Cool guy.



This is the view from the Jacuzzi on the roof of the apartment. Going to be a pretty cool place to spend the day. :)



Tonight we ran no lav's, but DID run three booms - and it was worth it. Three 416's (even indoors) produced great results... Ill try grab some more "in action" photo's tomorrow, tonight I was also booming (no time for pictures :))
 
HOD?

nice one - cos you weren't sure before why they were asking you for reccommendations.

Hey, we want pictures of you, not Hugo :)
 
Head of Department (if you were asking - same as sound super here in SA). Its no big deal really, still the same job, just cool to go on a CV sort of thing.

Yeah, Id put up pics of me, but I dont take very many of myself :) we'll see...

Today we did some interesting stuff - shot a link, and then put the tape into the control room player of this MASSIVE video billboard. When the contestants arrived, we played the tape (and filmed it and reactions). It was pretty cool seeing the link broadcast over this MASSIVE screen and speaker system into one of the biggest squares in Johannesburg. While rigging and testing we also took the opportunity to use the gigantic PA to complain about the quality of the coffee :)

Here it is:


Other than that, it was a solid day in the reality trenches - half the day was lots of lav and dual boom work, and the other half was lots of single boom work. Incidentally, I used the Oktava a lot today, and it SMOKES the 416 in most of the environments we are working in. I can honestly say I think I prefer it, and if I had to choose between 416 and Oktava, I'd probably pick the Oktava.

Course, there are some things an Oktava just cannot do..

Later... call time is 6:30 tomorrow.
 
yeah we call it HoD here too, sound super must be Omerican or summit.

Thats some screen you got there, wouldn't mind that in me livin room.... or a living room thats big enough for that screen!
 
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