Renting a Lav

S

sbryan

Well-known member
At one time I was interested in purchasing a lavalier microphone, but $900 is roughly 2/3 of the budget on my next short.

I will be interviewing people in the next two weeks and the Sennheiser MKH-416 picks up too much ambient noise.

The problem is: I don't have the money to buy something else and the MKH-416 isn't cutting it for this purpose.

Trew Audio quoted $610 for a Sennheiser G2 and $293 for a Sanken COS-11, and I'd like to rent the same combination. I do not live in NYC or LA, so picking the unit up from a rental house probably isn't an option.

Hopefully someone here can suggest an online rental house...

Thanks!
 
you are not micing it close enough. The 416 is going to sound wonderful in a lot of environments (better than any lav). try micing it from 12"- 18" away just above and in front of your subject. Use less headroom if you need too. Drop the mic in the shot and raise it until it is barely out.
 
See if Professional Sound Services in NYC may rent to you and ship it in a pelican. I just rented a lectrosonic with the cos-11 from them and it was a really reasonable rate. Otherwise, for purchase B&H has much better prices than your trew quote. You can also check G&G - but they don't carry as much.
 
If you are having problems with ambient noise - get rid of the ambient noise. isolate your location and make it as silent as possible. Yeah and that trew price is high - 500 for the g2 and get an countryman emw if you are on a budget.
 
Well, the camera is roughly four feet away and it's not possible to get closer or drop something in off-screen, as a boompole rig would cast a shadow onto the green screen.
 
adjust the lighting so theres room to get a boom pole in there. I'll guarantee you theres a way to get a boom pole in there.
 
An alternative to renting if you need the equipment for a month or more is to buy the equipment you need and then sell it when the production is done. For like new condition equipment you can usually get about 90% of your money back (minus the interest your money would be earning at bank during that time).

So theorically you can get $2000 of wireless, etc for a month for about $200. This is a very common practice for documentaries and small budget indys that can't shoot on back to back days/weeks. A lot of the good used deals you find are a result of this practice.

Good luck
 
But as the others already pointed out, you will mostly do better to focus on getting the boom mic closer. Working around shadows is part of the game. Wireless are a last choice option.
 
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