Wearing headphones?

[Gohanto]

I'm just curious, but whenever I see a professional movie set the director almost always listens on headphones instead of listening to the raw voices.

I've read a lot about the differences between watching takes next to the camera versus at a monitor, but what are the benefit of listening through headphones to the actors?

 

[GenJerDan]

I'd venture a guess: it feels more like what it will feel like on the screen? AT least if you're looking at it on a monitor, too.

 

[Christopher Barry]

Also, it might in some cases confirm a good audio take, otherwise it might be easier to redo the shot there and then, or prepare and $hell out for more ADR in post, potential conflicting scheduling, travel costs, etc.

 

[wabbit]

You see those directors with hp because they are parked back at video village which is usually pretty far from the action and they can't hear from there. Secondly, a lot of performances can be so muted (whispering voices) that even the cameraman aint hearing much.

Some directors don't bother with the monitor and want to be right in the action but usually they want to see what is ACTUALLY being shot; did the camera miss it's mark, is the performance subtle enough in the CU, etc.

Cheers

 

[Jon Starr]

Recently I shot outdoors under an overpass. It was noisy, but it worked. I found I had trouble listening to the actors at times, but the mic was so close that listening through headphones helped a lot.

Also you get a sense of how it would sound in the mic and the final product. You may not notice that they should really up a tone or lower the voice for a certain part of the line for dramatic effect as you would if listening to it on the mic.