dominiquegreffard Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Hi all, On smaller sitdown interviews when crews are small i like to bring one sound blanket to put under subject to help the acoustic of the room. Sound blankets are slippery on woodfloors, carpets are heavy and often difficult to fold. Ideally I'd like to carry around a 6'x6'ish carpet that is not too slippery nor heavy. The smaller and lighter it folds down the better it is. I searched this site and amazon with not much luck. I know it is a production responsibillity to bring these things but to carry one would'nt hurt anyone and making sure there's always at least one. Anything you guys use with good success? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrd456 Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Home Depot has small carpet with non-slip rubber on the bottom---roll them up with carpet side out--that's what all the cool kids do. J.D. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 DG: " Anything you guys use with good success? " the options boggle the mind. I got some from a restaurant supply " I know it is a production responsibillity (sic) to bring these things " I don't know that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShubiSnax Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 Anything you guys use with good success? Paper tape. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 I bought half a dozen at lowes fit under 20. I use them a lot, and always keep a few on hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 Depends on the room. If there's a lot of slap echo in the room and there's time and crew to do it, I'll hang at least two or three blankets spaced vertically around the interviewee, plus one on the floor. Micing as close as possible also helps, but every situation is different. Sometimes, lighting and/or A&B cameras preclude using blankets up close, so you do the best you can under the circumstances. I don't think one blanket is enough some of the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 One = none And ask to not yelling. Helps a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feeley Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'll bring 0 to 4 blankets, depending. On a science story a while ago, I used all four for one interview and none for another interview just 30 feet away. Perhaps because the second was in an anechoic chamber? To minimize slipping of a sound blanket, I bring a mesh carpet gripper pad. Holds fairly well, weight nothing, folds up to the size of a coffee table book (at most), doesn't leave marks (which calms owners of the location). Fairly fragile, but about $20usd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominiquegreffard Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thanks for bringing in your opinion. I searched for non-slip blanket on amazon, lowes and home depot but with no success. Could anybody be kind enough to send a link to such a product? Another option would be to sew a carpet grip pad to a regular sound blanket so it folds easilly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Look for floor mats. Rubber backed carpets, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 DG: " with no success. " you can do this... BTW: like Jim Feeley's idea a lot... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Feeley Posted October 3, 2014 Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thanks for bringing in your opinion. I searched for non-slip blanket on amazon, lowes and home depot but with no success. Could anybody be kind enough to send a link to such a product? I lifted the picture in my post from Home Depot's website. Here's the right page for the US: http://www.homedepot.com/b/Flooring-Area-Rugs-Mats-Rug-Padding-Grippers/N-5yc1vZb8e0 I bought the last couple at Target: http://www.target.com/c/rug-grips-pads-rugs-home-decor/-/N-56duc#?lnk=lnav_shop%20categories_4 But any store that sells rugs should have them, I'd think. Note that there are several stickynesses or something for pads. I bought the "thicker" ones on the untested assumption that they'd work better. Seem to... There are probably better solutions, but for my little world I think other options all require more effort, space, money, and/or negotiation and on-set salesmanship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gilchrist Posted October 4, 2014 Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 One = none And ask to not yelling. Helps a lot One in the right place may well save your bacon. Just my experience. Your experience might well be different. Best regards, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VASI Posted October 4, 2014 Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 One in the right place may well save your bacon. Just my experience. Your experience might well be different. Best regards, Jim Hi Jim, Only a few times I have placed one and under good acoustics. Most times the minimum is two. Depends of the acoustics in a room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Gilchrist Posted October 4, 2014 Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 Mostly it depends on where you put the one you have. Blocking the loud HVAC vent that can't be shut down, in front of the server that can't be shut down, between the hard heels of a nervous interview subject and the hard floor and so on. You pick. One is better than none in most circumstances. You often can't change the world in which you're forced to work but you can often fix a problem or two. Best regards, Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Waelder Posted October 4, 2014 Report Share Posted October 4, 2014 My experience is that one good pad placed at the feet of the person speaking is fairly effective. A directional microphone from overhead will pick up the voice directly. Reverberation from all sources will be diminished by the directional design of the mike or be reflected to the floor where the signals may be absorbed by the pad. It seems to accomplish more than any other single position and is well worth the effort to deploy. After that, returns diminish considerably although the benefit of ten sound absorbing pads will almost always be an improvement over a single pad. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miles Anderson Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Home Depot has small carpet with non-slip rubber on the bottom---roll them up with carpet side out--that's what all the cool kids do. J.D. don't use the plastic stuff. it isn't nearly as effective as good rubber. the thicker the better. the emphasis is on rubber backed door floor mats, not carpets. restaurant style are the best. this is also useful for many other purposes including laying mats on hoods and roofs of cars to minimize rain noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathaniel Robinson Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 I carry a few "entrance mats", which have a nice rubber backing. I find they are effective at fighting bounce from a reflective floor, as well as safely covering cable runs. Have also been useful in hallways outside interview locations, to minimize hard-heeled shoes. I use these: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Apache-Mills-Enviroback-Charcoal-36-in-x-60-in-Recycled-Rubber-Thermoplastic-Rib-Door-Mat-60-443-1902-30000500/202072107 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnpaul215 Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 The entrance mats are great for hallways. If you are buying "furniture/moving blankets", it's worth checking these out. Not much more than the ones from Lowes & Home Depot, they are a lot thicker, but most importantly (?) one side is black and one is white. That can be helpful if you want to put the subject's chair on one. http://www.moverssupplies.com/sound-blankets-producers-choice.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al mcguire Posted October 17, 2014 Report Share Posted October 17, 2014 Great blankets. DoP's & Gaffers love them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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