Great Audio Outdoors

What are some challenges with recording audio outdoors? What are some ways to get around them and record great audio?

    Some challenges with recording audio outdoors are uncontrollable sources of noise such as the wind, airplanes, cars driving by, people, animals, etc. Some ways to get around them and record great audio are to use a lavalier microphone, a boom mic, or a handheld mic. Regarding issues like wind and traffic noises, most mics will be a massive improvement from on camera mics that often peak when the wind blows. The best microphone to use for the best sound is a lavalier as it can capture a subject very well without picking up anything beyond them. When using a lavalier, it is a lot better if you use a wireless connection as having the subject wired into equipment, especially the camera, is not ideal. However, if you're trying to record multiple subjects, a lavalier might not cut it. In this case a boom microphone can be the solution. As they have some directionality, they can eliminate most of the unwanted noise that it is facing away from and using a wind sock can help prevent it from picking up the sound of the wind. Booming can be especially useful when recording narrative films as it is much easier to get good sound without having the microphone on camera. Unfortunately, having a boom will require another person, which may not be possible for everyone. Another option, if you aren't concerned with having the microphone on camera, is a handheld microphone. This is especially good for interview or reporting and can effectively eliminate unwanted sounds and get good audio.

Recording Great Audio

What are the benefits of using a microphone on a boom vs a lav vs on the camera? What are the differences between single and dual-system recording?

    Using a mic on a camera is useful when it comes to situations like filming documentary-styled, b-roll, or for a scratch track because it doesn't require syncing and the only set up is turning the camera on, which is important for those types of recording as you may not have the time to set up any other types of microphones. However, doing this usually leads to worse quality audio because the camera operator needs to be closer to pick up good sound, meaning that for shots that are further, the sound will be sacrificed. Using a lav is really good for its subtlety as it is small and can be effectively hidden whilst still picking up good quality sound. For instance, lavs can be attached to people, hidden in their clothes, or planted in the environment in props or when shooting in a car. This means that lavs are very good for narrative filmmaking because it prevents the microphone from being seen and breaking the immersion. However, some downsides are that lavs are very sensitive to clothing rustle so any movement from a laved up actor risks ruining the lav audio. Lavs can also be clipped onto the outside of clothing, eliminating the rustle, which is good for interviews, field reporting, documentaries, and shots with a tripod. Using a boom mic is usually what gets the best sounding audio with much less risks of poor quality compared to the other kinds. As the mic is somewhat directional, it can eliminate some of the background and isolate the subject, making the audio much clearer. The boom pole itself allows for the mic to be as close to the subject as possible, without coming into frame, meaning that you don't have to worry as much about distance to the camera. Some downsides is the fact the boom pole can be quite obtrusive as you have to worry about the shadow, reflections, and if you're in the shot. It's also much harder to move around with making on-the-go shooting much harder. Thus, this is best for stationary settings and narrative filmmaking.

    Single-stystem recording is when you connect the mic directly to the camera and dual-system is where you use a separate recording device. Single-system is much simpler and cheaper as you won't have to purchase a recorder and the audio will already be synced in post. However, it is much more limited in the mixing capabilities and sound quality. On the other hand, dual-system recording can give you much more freedom to adjust the audio and also give you better quality sound. The drawbacks come with the cost of buying a preamp/recorder, the added setup, and having to sync up the audio in post.

Zoom H6N Mixer

Summarize 3 different key functions of the Zoom recorder that you picked up from this short video.  What is one question you still have on how to operate the recorder?

    Three key functions of the Zoom recorder are the phantom power, different formats of recording, and enabling different channels. As there are a number of microphones that require phantom power to function, the H6 is able to provide that through the menu, where you can individually choose which input to provide phantom power to. Another function is the different recording formats. The Zoom H6N is able to record in WAV (high quality) or MP3 (compressed). Using WAV is best for getting quality audio but if you are recording something for a long time, MP3 would be better as it would take up less space. Another function is the ability to enable channels. This allows you to hear and use a single or specific set of channels without having to adjust the levels.

Lavalier Walkthrough

Summarize 3 different key functions of a lavalier that you picked up from this short video. What is one question you still have on how to set up a lav?

    Three key functions of a lavalier microphone are its subtlety, hands-free operation, and wireless capability. One of the biggest reasons to use a lavalier microphone is because it can be hidden inside a subject's clothes. This is pivotal for narrative films as being able to see the microphone can ruin the immersion for the viewers. Lavs are typically the next best choice after a boom mic because of how small they are and how well they can be hidden. If a shot is long or if there's no way to boom it, hiding a lav on the actor or even planting on on set, e.g., inside a car or prop, is a very effective way to maintain the immersion whilst still getting good audio. Another important function is how little you don't have to worry about it after setup and placement. Unlike with boom mics (which need an operator that's constantly thinking about it), lavs can be placed and, if placed well, not need to be worried about if it's capturing the audio well. This is because it stays in the same place on the actor's body so it should maintain the same distance from their mouth no matter how they move. One of the biggest functions of a lavalier microphone is that it can be used wirelessly with a transmitter. Although the lav is wired to the transmitter, both remain on the subject's person, meaning that there are no wires that get in the way of movement. This allows you to still get audio when the shot wouldn't allow booms and/or would show wires from mics. Additionally, it frees up the actor to move around more freely and not worry about catching the wire on anything nor tripping on it. One question that I still have on setting up a lav is how to set it up inside someone's clothes while minimizing clothing rustle.

The Boom Microphone

Summarize 3 different key functions of a boom microphone that you picked up from this short video.  What is one question you still have on how to operate a boom?

    Three key functions of a boom microphone is to keep the microphone out of the shot, record good audio from a distance, and pick up the sounds of a single subject. The primary purpose and function of a boom pole is to keep the microphone out of the shot. The pole gives you extra reach that allows you to have the mic above or below the frame without sacrificing mobility. In order to do this, the shotgun mic attached to boom poles are able to pick up good quality sounds from a bit of a distance, allowing you that extra leeway to stay out of the shot and still pick up good audio. Additionally, the shotgun microphone is directional, meaning that you can focus on a single subject when recording audio with a boom microphone, isolating their dialogue or sound. One question that I still have on how to operate a boom is how to boom a shot with a lot of movement and limit the sound of the mic shaking. When I was booming for a scene where the subject was walking very fast, I noticed that the microphone would occasionally shake causing a light tapping noise. What can I do to help minimize that sound or the shaking?

Pickup Patterns

What are the different pickup patterns mentioned in the article?  How are each of them different from each other?  Why would these be needed?

    The six different pickup patterns mentioned in the article were omnidirectional, cardioid, hypercardioid, supercardioid, lobar, and bidirectional. The first and easiest to understand pattern is omnidirectional, which is able to pick up sounds from every direction. Omnidirectional microphones are suited best for picking up sounds that are more difficult to control, i.e., ambience, moving subjects, a press conference, interviews, etc. The next pick up pattern is cardioid, which is slightly directional (doesn't pick up sound from behind) making it very flexible and useful in many different situations. This differs from an omnidirectional mic because of the directionality, making this pickup pattern useful in cases such as trying to pickup one person's audio in a crowd (such as the singer at a concert). The next pick up pattern is the hypercardioid (or mini shotgun), which is directional making it effective at isolating sounds. This differs from the cardioid as it has proper directionality, eliminating much more background noise compared to the cardioid. Hypercardioids can be good for on-camera microphones and are typically good for recording instruments. The next pattern is supercardioid (shotgun), which is a more forgiving directional microphone. The difference between the supercardioid and hypercardioid is how much rear and side noise gets picked up as the supercardioid picks up less. This is almost always the pattern used for boom mics, which are good for both reality television as well as scripted content. The next pickup pattern is the lobar, which is truly unidirectional (one direction). The only microphone that can have a lobar pickup pattern is a shotgun mic and, with the very unforgiving pattern, you may need another set of hands if you want to use a lobar mic for filmmaking. The last pickup pattern is the bidirectional pattern, which is able to pickup sounds from both in front and behind. These types of microphones are often used in interviews, podcasts, radio shows, etc. as it is effective for a back and forth conversation.

Walkie-Talkie Lingo on Set

How can effective walkie-talkie communication improve coordination and safety on a film set, and what are some key best practices you should follow when using them?

    Effective walkie-talkie communication can improve coordination and safety on a film set because it allows for messages to be clearly communicated and understood in a concise way. Some key best practices you should follow when using walkies are using the channels appropriately by being on the right one for your role. switching to an open channel when having longer conversations, and avoid asking a question to everyone. When trying to talk to someone specific, you should say "[your name] for [their name]" and when responding you'd say "go for [your name]." You should also respond to orders with "copy that" so that the other person knows that you got and understood the message and that it will get done. "Stand by" is good if you can't respond at the moment and if someone asks "what's your 20" then they're asking where you are.