Night Exterior in a forest

Y

Yaz

Active member
Hi!

I'll be filming in a forest for a couple of days, and I'm looking cheap but good recording method that's easy to set up as I'm on a tight schedule.

Could someone give me tips or useful mics / wireless mics options for me to achieve recording good audio in a forest?
Cast is 5 actors. I was thinking wireless mics...

thnx in advance!

yaz
 
Just let's get back to the real world: "forget wireless mics", it takes time to wire your actors, if the clothes are difficult and rusling it takes more time... So... forget the wireless.

And also: 5 GOOD wireless and cheap doesn't match.... So...forget the wireless...


Now, I also have advice which is a little more positive... so don't go to the bar yet :-p

I would just use 1 or 2 booms (and boomoperators) and a soundmixer (or soundmixer who's also booming). Normally you will have different shots. So things you have to take care off are:

- leave some space (1sec is enough) between dialogues between 2 people if only one is in frame.
- it can also be good to let the actor who's not in frame, do the movements/gestures but without making sound (without saying something).3 For example if in the back 2 cops are holding a guy, and in front there's another cop talking with another guy, well let the guys in the back do the movements and gestures, but don't let them talk.
- have dialogues recorded in wild (sound only) to use on wide shots where you don't see the mouth clearly but don't have closeups for it. But don't let the actor eat the mic...
- every action that's not in frame but makes sound... don't do it... Use "snapping finger" or just one slam of a hammer (and not slamming continuously) so that the actor
has some kind of "cue".

And don't worry...if you have good actors they can leave space between dialogues (answer - response) and you'll think "oooooh nooooooo the feeling is goooooooone, gooooooooone", but when
you edit it it will sound natural...

All things above you'll learn when you're in the edit and say... "he was right" :-p
 
Yaz,

Talk to the director/ DP and find out how they are planning to shoot. A camera can't "look" at five actors at the same time unless it's a wide shot. Unless they are doing some crazy run and gun shooting you are going to be able to do it with a boom. Maybe a wireless for a safety on some shots? But then I would rent it since as dre said good wireless and cheap are not found in the same sentence.
99% of the time you will shoot one side of a conversation and then shoot the reverse. Covering everybody is generally a waste both for you and for post, who has to slog through all the non used takes of off camera actors.
 
Oh and get good tone....... The forest at night is a lively thing. Great aural textures. Maybe even come back later with just the audio crew.

There is something about night forest stuff that I am picky about.
 
Yaz .. agree with booming it.

What location checks have you done? Go there a few nights prior without any gear .. take a torch, notepad and pencil. Wander about and make notes, you might find some areas better than others for nocturnal sounds. Check you don't end up not seeing the forest for the trees and watch out for deep holes.

Years ago I did this solo for a dark night shoot in a cemetary, from that I learned to always take a mate along and watch out for deep holes.

Cheers.
 
Hey guys!

Thank you all for the tips!
I got a boomer who's good. I have only one but I'll make it work.

I've been to the forest during day and night for location scouting. It was late Feburary and snow covered almost all the terrain. Found many cracks we gotta watch out for.

Sound during night, I thought I'd hear something, but from where I was, it was dead quiet, which was creepy.

I'll go there again for another day of location scouting. I'll test out video and audio there and find how we're gonna do this.

thank you all again!!!
 
things to think about are: musicfestivals, parades, neighbours having a fun evening/day/night, streets, airports,
 
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