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Heartbeats on a lavalier


cinetj

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Got it today on a shoot. Thought telling the actor he didn't need to get too emotional on that particular scene but preferred (wisely) to change the mic's placement a bit to the right on her chest.

It's Valentine's day today in Brazil. Maybe this was an hommage.

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Happens every now and then. Very thin people are the worst. There's little between the heartbeat and the mic. Never talk to the actors. They can't do anything anyway and the director would probably try and take your life if she/he overheard you telling an actor not to get emotional during a scene.

Move the mic, boom it or roll off the bass and that's all she wrote.

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I did an interview once, and for the life of me I couldn't track down the source of this metalic ticking that sounded like a clock. I couldn't find it cause I only heard it on the mic, but not in the room. When I brought it up as I was trying to find it, our talent peaked up and informed me that he has a titanium heart valve. Just had to live with that one.

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Had the same sort of thing happen to me also. Interviewing a retired state trooper about a cold case and I kept hearing a clicking sound, asked if he could take off his watch thinking that was the culprit. He said "oh you must be hearing my mechanical heart valve"!

Needless to say I lived with the clicking:)

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Wow! Mechanical heart valve is something I never would have thought to encounter! I did have to do some pretty creative dialog edits with a guy who had clicky dentures. Ya'll know what I'm talking about I'm sure, if you've dealt with hearing titanium heart valves and such...

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Happens every now and then. Very thin people are the worst. There's little between the heartbeat and the mic. Never talk to the actors. They can't do anything anyway and the director would probably try and take your life if she/he overheard you telling an actor not to get emotional during a scene.

Move the mic, boom it or roll off the bass and that's all she wrote.

I know, Alex. I was just kidding about talking to the actor. I don't think something would come out of : "Could you please stop your heart during this one take?"

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I know, Alex. I was just kidding about talking to the actor. I don't think something would come out of : "Could you please stop your heart during this one take?"

This is why typed word on the internet is the worst form of communication. I didn't pick up any sarcasm or humor at all from what you wrote, although I'm sure you were thinking it was really funny.

I often find myself typing something, and then re-reading it as if I were a stranger to see if it translates. Never does. Always have to re-type the idea to make myself clear.

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When I hear a rumbling stomach I ask the talent if they're ok with eating something. Nobody ever complained. As for heartbeats, moving the mic, possibly to the shirt/blouse, is key.

I had to interview a WW2 veteran once and even though he had his lunch just before the interview his stomach was groaning louder than he spoke. heartbeats are pretty easy to deal with imo.

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The first time I recorded heartbeats on a lav, two actors embraced, and the effect of that chain of sound: open environment, brief clothing rustle, followed by the muted heartbeat, then the rustle again, and back to open environment, sounded very cool to me. I wanted to try and find an opportunity to cut it in somewhere.

Martín Hernández beat me to it in Iñarritu's "Biuitiful" when Bardem hugs his daughter in the "Dont Forget Me" scene. Clothing rustle and all, I'm not quite sure why it works, but it does...biutifulee. I was very excited when I heard it.

Best

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The first time I recorded heartbeats on a lav, two actors embraced, and the effect of that chain of sound: open environment, brief clothing rustle, followed by the muted heartbeat, then the rustle again, and back to open environment, sounded very cool to me. I wanted to try and find an opportunity to cut it in somewhere.

Martín Hernández beat me to it in Iñarritu's "Biuitiful" when Bardem hugs his daughter in the "Dont Forget Me" scene. Clothing rustle and all, I'm not quite sure why it works, but it does...biutifulee. I was very excited when I heard it.

Best

+10

I love this I have often thought the sound of people coming together and hugging with lavs on sounds like going underwater. I will have to see this film you speak of, and I am glad you are not the only one who wants to use some of our stuff that is technically a mistake as sound design. You know what Id like to see and I am sure its been done, but in a way I cant tell. I want to do a zoom/rack or Whip pan effect with the boom. For example picture is wide and far away and zooms/racks to talent as they start the action. I have done it on the post side of things with lavs, but I think it would be so much more natural in the hands of a good boom op who can see the frame or the camera operator. The camera whips over or zooms in and the sound perspective goes from wide room and distant talent to close miced breathing and proximity effect. Actually I am gonna start a new post about this thought of creative production sound recording.

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...

The camera whips over or zooms in and the sound perspective goes from wide room and distant talent to close miced breathing and proximity effect. Actually I am gonna start a new post about this thought of creative production sound recording.

Yes to sound perspective, and please do start a new topic!

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I had a guy the other day who's heart beat was so loud, I could pick it up on the boom! It was his first time on camera and he was nervous beyond belief. The interview was in Arabic which I don't speak but I could tell when he was about to talk because his heart would start racing. The lav mic was a total no no! A first for me!

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The first time I recorded heartbeats on a lav, two actors embraced, and the effect of that chain of sound: open environment, brief clothing rustle, followed by the muted heartbeat, then the rustle again, and back to open environment, sounded very cool to me.

I think that can work to a point, provided you ride the levels vigorously and there's no EQ change. It's murder on dialogue. I try to go all boom on situations like that.

Only got loud heartbeats once, with a terrified actress in an interview situation, but I've definitely heard stomach rumbles -- one that was so loud, both actors burst out laughing.

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