Eliminating background sound

It is also remembering that, no disrespect, some fairly serious soundies are posting here. I get along pretty well with getting my mic close and stopping the chat if there is an obvious pollutant like an alarm or suchlike. Most of my material ends up with a pad of background music, RF garbage, that pads the more minor imperfections in my audio. I also record roomtone/wildtrack to fill in gaps in speech.

Here is a thing. Do some tests.

S
 
If you hear an airplane and it's disturbing, just shout "cut" yourself (as a soundguy)....Go to the people that make noise and ask them to stop a few minutes and that they can continue when you do another setup of light etc...
Also for directors, if you have 840486068866866844804606456046 takes, it might be enough... People can wait but they don't want to wait 5405646464646666660464646 hours. Of course it has to be in focus and good
and stuff.

Also do a location visit on a day that you would record it...Don't do a visit in a street full of shops on closing days.... when you record on a busy day....

And give 500% attention to sound....
 
If you hear an airplane and it's disturbing, just shout "cut" yourself (as a soundguy)
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If the director has not given you the OK ahead of time to do that it's probably the quickest way to get fired I know of.
 
Noiz2 said:
If the director has not given you the OK ahead of time to do that it's probably the quickest way to get fired I know of.
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I tell them that it's more timesaving that I just say "naaah, just stop the take", then having holl the take done and having to do it again... When I have problems or troubles

And then they say mostly "yeaah you're right".....

But in 90% they will hear the "big" sounds themself too (or AD will notice it or script).

It's also for example when suddenly my recorder stops or blocks or shuts down...it's useless to let continue the take....
 
That kind of depends. It's useless for sound when that happens but it still maybe a useful take performance wise or? It really depends on the show and the director. Most shoots I have been on it would not be OK for anyone but the director or AD to call a cut ,but not all.
 
If all else fails on a quieter location, try leaning mattresses or heavy blankets against windows, doors, etc. to absorb as much of the outside sound as reasonably possible. Beyond that, mic technique is most important: get it as close to the mouth as the scene allows, and make sure it is pointed the right way.
 
Mattresses or heavy blankets may 'absorb' some high and high-mid frequencies in the room. Blocking is a different discipline and usually requires structural alteration with solid materials. Moving blankets are common, I have yet to see any grip trucks carry around mattresses.
 
dre83 said:
If you hear an airplane and it's disturbing, just shout "cut" yourself (as a soundguy)
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Unless you are specifically given permission by the director this is a very bad idea.

I know that we are all obsessed with capturing great sound, but that's only half of the film. There's a lot we can do in audio post. That "noisy" take may be the perfect visual take. In audio post we can always use a wonderful dialog performance from another take and edit it in.
 
unclebob6958 said:
Unless you are specifically given permission by the director this is a very bad idea.
I know that we are all obsessed with capturing great sound, but that's only half of the film. There's a lot we can do in audio post. That "noisy" take may be the perfect visual take. In audio post we can always use a wonderful dialog performance from another take and edit it in.
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I concur, and never terminate a take myself. I''ll usually 'look' at the director's and/or 1st AD to verify they are aware of the issue.
 
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