civil war enactment and sound

[Daniel Meador]

What is the best mic to use when attempting to capture sound during a civil war enactment? Obviously can't hold a boom mike other the action. Shotgun mics? Would also like to hear about setting up a good system for sound. I don't want to use my Scarlet in camera sound due to quality. And lastly, any instructional websites or DVD regarding capturing sound for cinema?

 

[Arnold F.]

This is a broad, multi-part question. I'll try to break it down - correct me if I don't understand.

Q: Can I be both a camera operator and sound mixer at the same time?
A: Not with any quality or speed, no. If a sound mixer were to ask me which camera, lenses, tripod, mattebox, follow focus, filters, etc. he should get so that he could mix and shoot I'd tell him the same thing.

Q: Which mics might a Sound Mixer use to capture the sound of guns and canons?
A: I would avoid shotguns and condensers because they can be damaged by the high levels. I have heard of mics even being damaged even when being near high sound levels (and not even in use!). When I have had to record potentially damaging high levels I have typically used dynamic mics, which tend to be able to handle it better.

Recording guns and canons as sound effects is usually a rather specialized craft and there are freelance recordists who specialize in it. The sounds of canons you heard in, say, Master and Commander, were not recorded on set. Richard King and other recordists he hired did it later. Moreover, those sounds are also composites, with sometimes many layers of sound elements, some of which might not even be the sound of a gun or canon. In my years as a sound effects recordist it was never something I attempted in part because the guys with the special knowledge would get called up instead.

The broadest part of your question is a "how to" question and is like asking, "How do I shoot a Civil War Re-enactment?" There is no single answer. It depends on what the script and production call for and it's the same with sound. No single answer. You get as much information from production about the demands of the day and do your best to prepare for it.

If there is a more specific way I can answer a question shoot me a PM.