When Actors' Heads Bend Down...

[Jan McL]

Even when the wires sound well, when the actor looks down and they get much closer to the lav mic, I have yet to find a mixing technique that sounds transparent. I typically bring the level of the lav down but have been reluctant to bring up the level of 'air' from the boom to accomplish what my ears want to hear. I think this would do it, but...something stops me from pushing it far enough.

Maybe just typing this will help get me there.

Any thoughts?

[Philip Perkins]

In post I do make an EQ and level change for this, same if their hands come up in front of the mic or they end up facing a wall etc really close. It's tough to do this on the fly w/o rehearsals and everyone hitting their marks, but I've done it (mostly on commercials where the same shot is done thru dozens of takes).

phil p

[RPSharman]

Those are the things that are extremely tough to get "live" and it's so easy to get faked out. That's where I hope the post folks will do their magic.

[larry long]

sometimes we get it right on the fly sometimes we don't at least these days there is a safety net of ISO's

then again on film and us with 1 or 2 tracks we rehearsed.

Now we wing it and trust our experience.

[BAB414]

Try to dig them out of you can. I'm working with a mixer right now who doesn't mind the perspective change which occurs when they look down and the boom can't follow them.

Also try booming from below if possible.

[Jan McL]

Hear ya, BAB414, but if the boom could get it, I wouldn't be using the wires and boom as 'air'.

Speaking of the issue here has given me the guts to more aggressively cross-fade lav/boom during head moves.

Thank goodness for excellent posties and iso tracks!

@Phil, actor-by-the-window sound always bugs me too. Have successfully convinced a number of boom ops to go for the reflection off the glass rather than try to get ahead of 'em...much better that way.

[Simon Hayter]

Hear ya, BAB414, but if the boom could get it, I wouldn't be using the wires and boom as 'air'.

Speaking of the issue here has given me the guts to more aggressively cross-fade lav/boom during head moves.

Thank goodness for excellent posties and iso tracks!

@Phil, actor-by-the-window sound always bugs me too. Have successfully convinced a number of boom ops to go for the reflection off the glass rather than try to get ahead of 'em...much better that way.

That works for me too.

When they bend their heads I try to persuade my boom ops to move the mic away from the actor and point straight down, especially if its over a table - same principle as the glass. Enables me to pull down the lav and not get that heavy sound.

As for getting the mix right each time...

[Henchman]

It's an easy eq fix usually.

[Jan McL]

I've been fortunate to have excellent posties of late, but...on some shows...not so much. Bugs the hell outta me to hear the proximity increase and background ambience fade away to nuthin'. Prefer to give you post heroes time to finesse by finessing m'self more. Glad to know it's an easy EQ fix tho

[drpro]

Just carry some neck braces in various sizes!!

David

[Jan McL]

Just carry some neck braces in various sizes!!

David

Snort. Just found 4 used on Craigs List. Wheee!

[aristotle_kumpis]

But what if they are not wired, and it's just a boom? The dialog does change. They could ADR that I guess.

[Jan McL]

I've worked with boom ops who are genius at digging those kinds of words out, even without benefit of a reflective surface. Wish there was an active boom op section here for them to share THEIR secrets... That said, Boom Ops seem more able to better disengage from their craft during off hours (not to paint with too broad a brush, but...) than we are with our big investments in gear, esoteric knowledge and whatnot.

[VASI]

Actor head down. The boom op should follow the mouth (head) move as possible.

If the setup of boom/mic is 30^o or 60^o degrees to be "on-spot" actor mouth in previous movement, after that you have problem when the actor head closing down. I recommend to use 90^o degree setup boom/mic and what I said in first line. If that not works try cardoid capsule for boom. And if this not work again try this: Boom for lower frequencies with low gain in collaboration with lavalier.

Maybe tomorrow to show you with pictures what a mean for 30^o, 60^o, 90^o degrees.

[David Waelder]

With boom operating, whatever works, works - and whatever doesn't sound good is the wrong solution.

I've read some responses here that run counter to my experience - notably going overhead and pointing straight down (getting the audio on the bounce from the floor?) but I wouldn't argue with success.

My approach has always been to withdraw the boom, go low and "shotgun" in. That is, try to get in under the actor to dig out the audio. Not quite the same thing as booming from below (although that's also an option if one can make the changeover), more a matter of just getting a good line of sight to the speaker's mouth.

How much one should be concerned about acoustic irregularities depends on context. A film shouldn't sound like it was all perfectly recorded in a studio; a little bit of perspective shift as someone moves in a space actually gives the recording a subtle authenticity and shouldn't, I think, be completely stripped from the track. One has to ask, is the actor delivering the entire Gettysburg Address while contemplating his navel? If that's so, clearly some remedy needs to be applied. But if he's merely dropping his head for a line, like Spencer Tracy checking his mark, then the momentary audio shift is, I think, entirely acceptable.

Anyway, pull back, drop lower (usually possible if you are pulling back) and shotgun in. It's always worked for me. (Maybe I just have lower standards.)

David

[Wyatt Tuzo]

Anyway, pull back, drop lower (usually possible if you are pulling back) and shotgun in.

I think I may be with you, david. When I'm booming, I think I tend to side mic these situations a bit... find a line-of-sight. But to the original Q, that doesn't help much if your'e in a situation where you HAVE to rely on a wire. That's where I would leave it up to post to smooth out

[Ian Thomson]

With boom operating, whatever works, works - and whatever doesn't sound good is the wrong solution.

<<<<<<<>>>>>>>

Anyway, pull back, drop lower (usually possible if you are pulling back) and shotgun in. It's always worked for me. (Maybe I just have lower standards.)

David

Yup, love the little perspective shift when people move. (not off-mic of course, but the ever-changing sound of the dialogue bouncing off set-pieces/walls/etc)

thankfully, so do most of the mixers I work with

as for digging out lines with head drops - I've always instinctively done what David's suggesting, to my ear it just sounds right.

now as for a person close talking into a Wall or window...