Jump to content

from "An Officer & A Gentleman" 1981


Jeff Wexler

Recommended Posts

  • 2 weeks later...

jeff, what mic is that on there? 815?

thanks,

tim

It was a long time ago (duly noted) but I believe it would have been an 815. We did have an 815 as our "long mic" but it was seldom used. We were already at this time pretty firmly of the mind that the "short" mic (notably the Schoeps hyper) was the main microphone for use indoors and outdoors. This particular dialog scene had many problems, for all of us, and is also one of the only 2 scenes that required some ADR (looping). It was a somewhat lengthy walk and talk on very uneven payment (that had been torn up mostly to the point of loose gravel from age, deterioration and construction) which required the use of a dolly with very noisy wheels. That, coupled with the fact that it started to rain (but of course you don't see the rain unless it is seriously back-lit --- you just hear it hitting the actors' hats, the plastic covering the camera and the off screen lights and grip equipment) we did not get sound that could be in the movie.

Regards,  Jeff Wexler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I also remenber the hard soled shoes and pavement where also not so good for the sound track, but we tried, look at the angle Don has the 815, he is the best I've ever seen. In our work together, this is the only time I can remember you and Don ever using the 815, of course my memorey is a memorey (sp?) One question, would you do it the same way today as we did it then? I semi remember that there was a wide walkup into the dolly shot that played into the reasoning that day besides the rain. Good memories, good picture, great photographer.

Regards old school

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One question, would you do it the same way today as we did it then? I semi remember that there was a wide walkup into the dolly shot that played into the reasoning that day besides the rain. Good memories, good picture, great photographer.

Regards old school

I think today we probably would have "protected" the shot by putting wireless mics on the actors (got to find something to put on all those unused tracks) and maybe we would use the new Schoeps shotgun mic which would help out a little on the nasty gravel sound. What would have helped, of course, and maybe we would be able to do it today, would be a little bit more site preparation (roadworks?) and then wait for the rain to stop!

Regards,  Jeff Wexler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

jeff, i know this is sort of the wrong place to ask, but what are your opinions on long guns? i was given an 816t by a friend of my fathers who found it at a boot sale (weird, but lucky me), and i love the idea of a super precise mic, but my understanding is that you're trading some side effects for that tight pickup pattern. could you maybe clear this up for me?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As you may learn from reading some of the other posts here, I am of the school of thought that is not so fond of the "long" microphones --- highly directional mics that use an interference tube design. These sorts of microphones, most notably the Sennheiser 800 series (the first one I used was the 804), do achieve very focused directivity and rejection of unwanted sounds to the sides and back of the mic, but this is always at the cost of voice quality and sometimes even intellegibility. I believe that ALL sound for picture involves compromises from the ideal, but compromising the natural qualities of both the voice and the ambient background (while trying to eliminate unwanted sounds) is not a compromise I want to make. When the "long" microphone is the only viable choice (and for all the right reasons) that is the mic that should be used; but in my book it is NEVER the first choice and should only be used when absolutely necessary and appropriate.

Regards,  Jeff Wexler

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i see that a thread was set up asking this same question - sorry. id really like to know what your workflow is on sets with regards to mic choice, ill make a thread in "workflow", id really like to know what you guys are reaching for, and when. thanks for the help, im so glad you let me know about this forum!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 11 years later...

In 1968 I worked with the first Sennheiser long shot gun the 804

 

We all quizzed (in TV land) what to apply it for and my dear friend Ted Scott (of Muppet Show fame)

said right lets suspend it over the harp player and that was that.

 

Later working with Ted I found my self operating a long arm Fisher boom with the 804 on the end!

That's when you learn real studio boom operating precision and parallax judgement.

 

mike

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...