least noisy clothing

[greg sextro]

tried asking this question over on ramps, but got few responses...

can anyone tell me generally what type of cloth/clothing makes the least amount of noise?  or maybe the most amount of noise?

for a small project coming up i need to rely heavily on lavs and the director asked me if i could recommend what kinds of fabric the actors should wear.  i told him cottons are generally pretty good, especially if they are on the thicker side.

any advice?

-greg-

[John Blankenship]

Soft cotton.  No starch.  Artificial fabrics are usually much noiser.

Find out how many layers you'll have to contend with.  Ask about jewelry -- a noisy necklace can kill you.

Do tests ahead of time.  A lot will depend upon how you hide the mics.

If the production buys any new clothes, they should be laundered a few times before the shoot.  New clothes often have "sizing" -- it's like starch and could double for a Rice Crispies factory noise-wise (I've been bitten by that one).

Thick down jackets are a no-no (that one, too).

Nothing will totally prepare you for what they DON'T tell you -- and there's always something they never bother to mention.  Like when on a commercial -- prior to laving an actor -- I asked the AD what the talent's action would be.  In his description of the action the AD never thought to mention that the actor would slam a clipboard against his chest and hold it there for the duration of the dialogue.

Also, share a copy of "The Letter" with the director.  If he really cares about sound, he'll pay attention to it and will be able to help you in many more areas than just wardrobe.  It's available a number of places, including on my web site at:

http://www.indyfilm.com/t_letter.htm

Good luck.

John Blankenship, C.A.S.