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NFL sideline mic


Sean O'Malley

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I will be covering sideline sound for an NFL team and will be feeding scratch sound into an ARRI Amira. Covering NFL is a relatively new thing for us here in the UK, so my question to our US colleagues is which mic would you use for this. My goto shotgun is currently a Neumann KMR 81, would a long shotgun be more appropriate? I know that parabolic dishes are often used by US broadcasters, but I am thinking that would be overkill for a single camera shoot.

I would appreciate any thoughts the forum may have on this.

cheers

Sean

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I've done it using a 416, and didn't think that the results were very satisfactory. So this year I tried an mkh70. The results were waaaaay better and the camera man was quite impressed. But it was a lot more work for me. So the answer to your question depends upon the answer to this question: What is it that you need to hear? The sounds of the players on the field or the conversations of the coaches and pep talks in between plays at the bench? A parabolic mic is great for hearing the players on the field, but to hear anyone at and around the bench, I'd say choose a mic with decent reach that is light yet robust, and an appropriate length boom pole. 

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+1 what others have said.

 

Based on what one would guess you'll be doing, the most common sideline boom these days is a Schoeps CMIT.  Also used is Sanken CS3e, and Sennheiser MKH-70.

 

Absolute minimum pole length is 12', but as mentioned, 17' is better.

 

I'll be there, care to recommend a good pub?

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21 minutes ago, John Blankenship said:

+1 what others have said.

 

Based on what one would guess you'll be doing, the most common sideline boom these days is a Schoeps CMIT.  Also used is Sanken CS3e, and Sennheiser MKH-70.

 

Absolute minimum pole length is 12', but as mentioned, 17' is better.

 

I'll be there, care to recommend a good pub?

+1

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Hi John, there are plenty of good pubs, and bad, in Twickenham, but it is not my stomping ground. There a good one by the river but it is often very full. I hope we can meet up at the match. My role there is working for one of the teams. I believe we are just covering the match and press conference after.

cheers

Sean

 

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Hi Sean,

What John Blankenship said is spot on for the job.  A parab wouldn't be a good choice.  In addition to parab I've done a similar thing for the NFL Network.  I used a Schoeps CMIT-5U.  I know the NFL Films sound guy and he uses the same mic.  You'll see him with his long pole getting players and coaches on the bench etc.  For the press conference plan on a press feed to the camera on one channel getting the mic at the podium, and your mic up near the stage/podium to get the questions from the reporters.  You'll have to really ride the gain because the reporters might be quite a distance from your mic.  Or you might get lucky and you end up near the guy who asks the most questions.  I think my Vikings are one of the teams going over.  Do you know which team you're covering yet?

Off topic:

I worked the game against the Packers this Sunday but not as a parab op but field A2.  I got to keep track of sideline reporter Erin Andrews for the game.  The crew was the same one that was working the day I got trampled.  So a fun reunion since its been almost a year since that happened.  I was told the producer has a clip of the collision and still plays it before every game.

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Thanks to everyone for your helpful answers, all very much appreciated. The team I am working is indeed The Rams. I am looking forward to the event. This will be my first time at an NFL game though I have worked many times on studio based NFL shows and I am very sad to hear the recent news about Kevin Cadle who I have had the pleasure of working with several times over the years.

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