Recording sound in relation to distance.

[DJ Persino]

So I am working on my 1st post production sound and would like to learn more about on location sound. The sound I am editing seems to be recorded differently and is not as crisp during wide shots/long shots, but close/mid shot the dialogue seems to come through clear. Is this a case of not adjusting the pre amp when recording dialogue from a distance? How far is the mic typically held when recording dialogue?

Thanks guys

-DJ

 

[Satsuki Murashige]

The sound from the boom mic is better in medium shots and close ups because the boom operator can get his mic closer to the actors without getting in the shot. Perfectly normal. The boom is usually just above the frame line.

 

[DJ Persino]

Thanks, I figured as such...But is there any adjusting in terms of mic volume, the audio seems to be recorded cold..But either way it seems to be much easier to fix cold recordings in post then hot. where is the sound guy in relation to the camera typically? I can see that obviously you can position the mic closer to the actors during close shots, but what I am trying to figure out is what i can do to avoid cold recordings when the camera pulls back, if anything.

I also have the idea that I would wear no shoes while recording where possible..and maybe some gloves while holding the boom pole, i wonder if that helps reduce set noise. i view the sound guys as ninjas or ghosts. Ill be working on some shorts for some experience here soon, and that's where ill learn the most

 

[Marc Wielage]

So I am working on my 1st post production sound and would like to learn more about on location sound. The sound I am editing seems to be recorded differently and is not as crisp during wide shots/long shots, but close/mid shot the dialogue seems to come through clear. Is this a case of not adjusting the pre amp when recording dialogue from a distance? How far is the mic typically held when recording dialogue?

You need to read John Purcell's excellent book Dialogue Editing for Motion Pictures: A Guide to the Invisible Art, specifically the sections on sound perspective. The re-recording mixer needs to make a decision on whether the dialogue needs to sound "immediate" (close-mic'd) or "distant" (mic'd far away), or some combination of the two. In some cases, there are mixers who record multiple microphones at one time, using wireless lavs on each actor while also booming from a distance. There are pros and cons to each, and sometimes you can mix the two in small increments. In many cases, the dialogue from close-ups is used in the wide shots, carefully edited to produce the same timing and sync.

Proper dialogue recording is an art in itself, but a lot of it boils down choosing a sound-friendly location, using the right microphones, getting the mics as close to the actor as possible, and keeping the levels consistent and dialogue intelligible throughout each day's shoot. This is far more difficult than it might seem to onlookers.

 

[Akin A]

Sometimes in film/tv, the audio that you hear in wide shots is actually the audio from medium/close-up shots, with the sound synced to the actor's lips as much as possible, but usually not perfect. This is because:
1) (As Satsuki said, above) the boom operator can't always get the mic close enough in wide shots
2) the actors might subconsciously be speaking in a different tone from shot to shot, which can sound weird after editing different shots together.
3) a lot of wide shots are so quick that it might not be necessary to use that brief piece of audio, especially if the actors' lips can't be read

Edit: And just as I finish my profound post, Marc beat me to it :thumbsup:

 

[Nick Fury]

You might consider searching as many if Marc's posts as you can find. He has probably answered all of The questions you have and are going to have for quite a good while, on many subjects, including sound and color correction...

Thank you very much

Fury

 

[DJ Persino]

Ill look into it all, here to grow and appreciate those who take the time to allow me to stand on their shoulders. Thanks for the replies