unclebob6958
Well-known member
Hiring a professional is always the best option. More important than the equipment that s/he uses is HOW they use it.
Do you know when to use a long shotgun rather than a short shotgun, or when to use a non-shotgun mic? Are you familiar with how to hide lavs on the talent and frequency management on multiple wireless systems? Do you know what "riding the fader" is?
An experienced, well-equipped PSM will have a selection of mics for various purposes and situations, and high quality, extremely small lavs and transmitters that have much better sound and are easier to hide on the talent than the low- and mid-budget stuff, and a much better idea of where to place them and how to keep them "noiseless" (clothing rustle, etc.).
Just as important is a great boom op. Shotgun mics have very narrow polar patterns, so if you are off the talent by a little bit you end up recording more background noise and less dialog. A great boom op has the arms of a gorilla to hold the boom over his/her head for hours at a time, moves silently, is able to keep the mic out of the shot, and has an uncanny ability to track whichever actor is speaking at any given moment.
Great production sound will save you A LOT of time and money in audio post (what I do). Every dollar/minute you spend on production audio will save you ten in audio post.
Do you know when to use a long shotgun rather than a short shotgun, or when to use a non-shotgun mic? Are you familiar with how to hide lavs on the talent and frequency management on multiple wireless systems? Do you know what "riding the fader" is?
An experienced, well-equipped PSM will have a selection of mics for various purposes and situations, and high quality, extremely small lavs and transmitters that have much better sound and are easier to hide on the talent than the low- and mid-budget stuff, and a much better idea of where to place them and how to keep them "noiseless" (clothing rustle, etc.).
Just as important is a great boom op. Shotgun mics have very narrow polar patterns, so if you are off the talent by a little bit you end up recording more background noise and less dialog. A great boom op has the arms of a gorilla to hold the boom over his/her head for hours at a time, moves silently, is able to keep the mic out of the shot, and has an uncanny ability to track whichever actor is speaking at any given moment.
Great production sound will save you A LOT of time and money in audio post (what I do). Every dollar/minute you spend on production audio will save you ten in audio post.