Portable mic stand / solution for VMP + H1

[peripatew]

A simple question I'm sure, but I'm not familiar with what's out there. I need something simple to help get my "system" closer to the source when I can't use my Rode Lav.

For example, I was shooting a video this weekend with children, doing fast interviews with them, ranging in age from 2-10. I didn't want to take the time to setup my Lav on each of them for simplicity's sake, but also wasn't sure if they would hold still enough for me to avoid the ruffling on the mic.

I had my VMP mounted on camera, but was to far away for the audio to be very good. It was a small project, so I can make the audio work that I have, but would make much preferred a simple mic stand to hold the shotgun out of the shot, but much closer than I was able to get.

Would any cheap mic stand work? With a nasty clamp for the H1? Or are there some really good, portable ones out there?

Thanks!

 

[Gregg Juke]

Hi,

A couple of things:

* They make a mike stand adaptor for the H1. Basically a shaped dowel-rod with a threaded bolt that you can put in the tripod mount on the H1 (then that whole assembly goes into a standard mike stand clip). This will work on any microphone boom-stand.

* You can weigh your boom-stand down with pro light/sound sandbags, but if you're short on cash or more DIY, you can also use weights from any weight-lifting set (if you don't have one, borrow a couple of 10 or 20 pounders).

* We boom shots with a mike stand in the studio all the time. But out in the field, you probably don't want to do that. Especially with kids (jumping and running around and knocking things over!)... There are inexpensive boom-poles out there ($60 range), or you might consider making your own. Yes, you _can_ boom your own shot (if you don't have a dedicated sound-person) and you don't have a lot of camera movement and you practice a little (look it up on YouTube; there's a decent tutorial that I don't have tyhe link to right now... You could also check the VideoMaker site or search VideoMaker on YouTube).

Inexpensive microphone booms (again, not really recommended for what you're suggesting, though) are available at places like Guitar Center. You may also want to check out an inexpensive pistol-grip and shock-mount, if you don't want to try the self-booming thing (here's a link-- http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/529346-REG/Pearstone_GRIP_Universal_Microphone_Hand_Grip.html ).

GJ