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plan this one!


bcopenhagen

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So here's the job I have next week, for which I'm trying to develop my plan.

Corporate, for in-house projection at a meeting.

The shot:

Main actor wanders thru office "cubicle-land", engaging in dialog with 6 supporting cast along the way, one at a time.  Steadicam, all in one shot (~2.5 min)... director wants to be able to hear the supporting cast as we drift toward and away from each of them... audio directly to camera; no syncing later...  I'll most likely be working alone.

Thought about cart-based + boom op, but we might cover too much distance for a stationary cart to be practical.  It's questionable if a boom could get it done, because of the need for drifting into and out of the dialog sections.  Also, boom adds to the difficulty of the choreography; ie, elephant herd navigating thru an office environment... we'll go thru two doorways, too.

I'm thinking to work out of the bag, use wireless lavs all around... possibly wireless hop to steadicam... so 9 systems total + an IFB broadcast...  heh, i looked again at that picture of the Queer Eye sound team for inspiration...

As for getting 7 inputs thru a 4-channel Cooper CS-104... Main actor goes thru Ch 1, and onto camera Ch 1.  He'll be ad-libbing (comedian).  He's wireless #1.

Then, I'm thinking to build a switchbox of XLRs going into the other 3 inputs.  Thus, Ch 2, 3, 4 on the mixer each have 2 wireless coming into them, routed thru the switchbox.  So, for mixer Ch 2, when we're done with dialog for the person on wireless #2, while it's potted down, I switch that input to wireless #5.  The mix, then, runs twice thru Ch 2, 3, 4 , switching the wireless inputs along the way.  All those go to camera Ch 2.

Sounds reasonably do-able in theory...(or am I crazy?)

I'll know more about the choreography once I see a mocked-up dry run of the shot tomorrow or Friday.  Meanwhile, I'll wire my own mock-up of the switch and make sure there's no hiccups.

Comments.... holes in my plan... other ideas...  I'm all ears.

Let's not go TOO FAR into the boob-op or no boob-op discussion....

I have made it very clear to production that I will need one of two things from them, which both translate into more money out of their pocket.  Those are:  a) quite a bit of time to plan and implement if I work alone;  or B) an assistant.

At this point, rate (incl. my standard ENG gear: mixer, 4 radios, 2 IFBs) is clocking in at $1K for 10hr.  On top of that, they will spring for the 5 add'l radio mics.  Seem somewhat fair?  Client is a regular.  Since it's so planning intensive, I'm considering asking for a half-day of prep, which would include a brief scout of the location with them.

Thanks for your input.

Brian

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this might be a good time to try the 30 day demo of boom recorder and ISO the wireless and just send a "on camera" mono mix.

They don't want to sync later.  I think it's foolish, cuz of course recording double-system multi-track makes sense.

I might argue that point again.  But I think I'd opt for an HHB or some such in this case...portable.

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If you can't sell them double system, try to sell them the benefits of ISO's.

Or, what about linking 2 442's (or 442 and 302) together?  an extra rental, but simple.

If you have time in between 'scenes', could you just re-tune your Rx on-the-fly to accept the next actors Tx?  That way you could just carry 4 RF's (or keep it down to 2 if your are feeling adventurous!)

Your "switch-box" idea will probably work :)

Sound like a fun job!

-Jason

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This is the kind of shot one remembers with great pride once it's completed. That's the good time; the anxiety of actually doing it may not be so great.

First, you definitely want to have an assistant, ideally two assistants. This sounds to me like a boom operator plus a utility sound person to help with the wiring. If a radio mike is scratchy on take one, you don't want to de-rig your boom operator to service it. And troubleshooting radios always goes best if one person, presumably the mixer, is able to continuously monitor.

Now, about the boom operator - why even have one if you need to wire everyone? (And, you're right, you do need to wire everyone.) I'm operating on the hunch that these shots often feature several short interchanges in passing and end with substantive dialog between your walking talent and the last person he/she talks to. If that's the way your shot blocks out, you'll want to record the tail of the shot with a boom. Often, as things settle, you can get the boom in a good position and get good boom audio for the most important dialog.

So, that's eight microphones - one each for your seven talent (walker plus six cubicle workers) and the boom. All of them, boom included, should be radio.

It may not prove necessary - or even desirable - to wire each cubicle worker on their person. You may find that plants serve your needs well for the cubicle workers. But you will still need a microphone - lav or plant - for each cubicle worker's response. And, of course, a radio set for each. Arguing in favor of plants: you may not really want the up close and personal sound of a lav on people who may be receding into the background as they speak.

Now, how do you get the eight microphones through your four input mixer? I would suggest that you use something akin to Lectro 411 receivers and change frequencies on the fly. Here you definitely need an assistant to make the changes for you while you are mixing. So, you main talent is mike 1 and that's your constant; mike 1 works throughout the shot. The other mikes, including your boom, only work at their cue point. Once a line is finished and the mike faded down, your assistant can reassign the frequency to pick up the next person. With four inputs, you can always be one receiver away from needing the "re-frequed" receiver. That is, when the first cubicle worker (channel 2) completes the line, you assistant is adjusting the receiver while you are working channel 3. You still have channel 4 available before you have to go back to channel 2 for mike 5.

Possibly the last person does not need to be wired if it is possible to catch that dialog with the boom.

For this to work, you need to be in one place so your assistant has comfortable access to the receivers. But I think you will find that is possible. This sort of steadicam shot doesn't often go in a straight line from New York to Boston (as an analogy). Rather it will wander through Central Park, cross 5th Avenue, and then skirt up 80th St. I expect you can find a cubicle, probably near the end of the walk, where you can safely stage you gear and still have range to the beginning of the shot.

As a compromise position with your employer you might ask for a boom operator and the use of a PA during the shot. Simply changing frequencies is a task any intelligent person could learn to do for the shot. (Of course, if this is a union shoot, a utility person is mandated. But I recall you saying it was an industrial.)

I did a shot very much as you describe for Journeyman a few months ago. Kevin McKidd roamed through a maze of office cubicles talking with an office manager who was interacting with people in each cubicle she passed. Finally they settled at her cubicle and exchanged several lines. I didn't have your challenge with more people than inputs but I did accomplish the shot much as I laid it out here. I set up in one spot, wired everyone, and rolled over to the boom for the dialog at the end.

David Waelder

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To give Glen Trew his due, he is eloquent and brief.

One boom is the simple way and it does preserve perspective. But I have so often been in the position where the boom cannot be deployed effectively in the stampede of people who "need" to circle the steadicam operator.

But, in the interest of simplicity, let me throw out a variation on the plan. This requires just three microphones:

Mike one: radio lav on the principal walker. Use this mike to also pick up responses of people in the cubicles.

Mike two: an additional radio lav on the principal walker but with the microphone affixed to the back. Use this to pick up anyone responding after the walker has turned away.

Mike three: Your boom mike. This mike works for the last interchange in the shot.

David Waelder

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What you can do is entirely dependent on the choreography, the total distance travelled (and lit), actors or non-actors (or both, being corpo), and (since this IS corpo), how quiet the set is (ie how loud is the HVAC that they won't turn off for you).  My general  take on situations like this anymore is to try to give them what they want (nice finished mix to camera) and meanwhile back everything up prefade, and w/a boom op following the camera as well (the bail out).  It seems like they will have to do the shot a few times to get the timing right, so you'll be able to rehearse w/ them.  Easiest alternative (what we would have done w/o question until a few years ago) would be to wire the main guy and then go after everyone else in turn w/ the boom.  Since you are on Steadicam you may find that they'll be using primes, and relatively wide ones, which means the camera needs to march right up to the actors to get a medium shot--good for booming if some rehearsals can be had.  Also--don't discount some plants--perhaps on wireless--lots of places to hide in a cubicle.  Go get 'em.

Philip Perkins

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This forum is so great.  Pretty much all the bases have been covered...and so eloquently.  While the one wire and boom is most elegant and natural sounding IF choreography, shot size, and rehearsal time cooperate, even then the shuffling of the "herd" could be a deal breaker.  Especially if the boom op has to do a dance with the china-ball-on-a-stick guy (I've been there).

IMO, David Waelder's plan is brilliant and complete.  Both the 8 mic version and the 3 mic version with a lav on the principal's back.  For more wireless mics than rcvrs/channels, I have had great luck switching on the fly using the user-programmable tuning groups in the 411a.  Very quick compared to other options.  Two things to be aware of is the annoying fact that the receiver automatically reverts to the home screen, so toggle them to the frequency screen just before you roll and also some receivers can be a little sticky with the response times of the buttons.  I find this is more a problem with the menu button than with the up and down buttons.  If you choose to link Sound Devices mixers, I do this all the time and they work great that way.

Paul

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I agree with Al.

Keep it simple.Wire on Presenter and boomed with a Schoeps CMC6/Mk41 on GVC swivel.

Small rig,done this shot many times,sounds great, boom it yourself out of a bag.

Split to Ch 1 for Presenter and Ch 2 for Schoeps.

BVS

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Hey Brian.  All good advice you have recieved here. Simple is the best way always. I have done this shot a million times. With my Boomer, I would let her do it all. Since you are a one man band, I would radio the hero and boom the rest. Feed radio to one track and the boom to the other. Let us know.

CrewC

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Thanks, guys.  These are all great ideas.  The notion of booming is appealing.  I'm definitely not one who quickly eschews the value and quality of good boomwork.  Indeed, it's always the baseline from which I begin to form a plan...

Anyway, two very good points were made that happen to counter each other:  1) boom could sound good, be simple, and might be feasible (consider Philip's insight about prime lenses on the steadicam) ; 2) boom could be boned by the herd of people, uncontrollable noise, tight choreography, hard overhead lighting.

I've begun to dissect the dry run video and it's not quite as bad as I had been imagining.  I was thinking low ceilings, 8-ft doorways and myriad other choreographic difficulties.  It's actually a small tour that exits a conf. room onto a mezzanine level, goes downstairs into a "grand foyer" (ie, big space), and finishes exterior, outside the front doors (looks like at least 12-ft high doors).  Choreography could get hairy going down the stairs, as the shot reverses on the mid-stairway landing.... have to squeeze a 1st AC and a boomer past, between the railing and the edge of frame.  Dialog at that point too...

Ignoring external factors, and just looking at the shot, I think the boom can definitely sound great (and be possible) for 4 of 6 of the support cast, so I might be able to get it down to just 3 radios, making mixer inputs a non-issue, and iso backup to a 744T possible.

Strategy meeting tomorrow.  I'll know still more...

Again, thanks for your ideas.  As Paul said, this forum IS so great.

Brian

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Hey B, don't let the herd elbow you out of a shot or bone you on any shot. You have a right and responsibility to be there. If the steady cam can make it down the stairs or escalator, so can you. Also a good mic mounted on the camera can be very useful. Steady cam op will resist this for many reasons, not all wrong. Good luck.

CrewC

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Hey B, don't let the herd elbow you out of a shot or bone you on any shot.

CrewC

Heh, thanks for the moral upper, Crew, but don't worry... I've been known to kick sometimes if I need a spot.  I was more concerned about how to get the dialog piece on the stairs during a complicated dance.  I'd have to pass within a foot or two of the speaking talent, while for every other piece I'll probably be going for a 6-8 foot pole length.  That would be one of the radios, as I make my squeeze move.

Scott, excellent notion.  I had started to think that too.  I have to see if the camera has trk 3-4, in which case I'll definitely put a camera mic on.

Brian

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Boom and a wire would be my vote too.  I did something similar very recently, and wired the main subject a little "looser" as to better match the boomed folks.  Mine was an infomercial, so the responses were unscripted and unpredictable and a bit hard to blend with the wire.  Worked out very well.  I sent each track to each of three cameras.  I also monitored the audio alternating (L)® and summed.  If they are unable to take the time to mix their two tracks, the summed track was pretty good too.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So that one is in the can.

Final modus operandi:

Boom

2 radios (1 on principle speaking part + 1 on supporting cast)

1 cam mic

The second radio was a necessity due to the choreography of the shot.  When these two characters meet on the landing of a stairway, steadicam slid by them (lens about 1 ft from their faces; operator's rig sliding along the handrail behind him, ie tight!), and turned around into a reverse.  I was hot on his heels, ducking below the oncoming reverse shot, and with about 2 seconds to make it or break it, I squeezed between cam rig and railing and bolted down the stairs to get out of the oncoming pan that looks down those stairs.  Obviously, I took the dialog on the stairs with the two radios.

I showed up in that shot once or twice and nailed the cam rig once going around the corner, but there were an equally distributed number of screw-ups in that brief 10 second portion of the shot, so I was certainly off the hook.

The "herd" noise was little to none...actors usually came to a stop for the dialog... and probably irrelevant when post finds and lays in the "busy corporate building foyer" sound effect that I'm sure they have.

I split tracks on a wireless hop to HDX900, principle lav ch 1, boom + other radio on ch 2.  During the squeeze play, I pulled the boom out of the mix.  Cam mic went to Ch 3/4.

Since I was rolling backup to 744T, with an extra track to spare and the Rx already in the bag, I put another lav on another supporting cast whose dialog was occasionally compromised by the increased headroom of one sitting/one standing.  I left that out of the mix (usually sounded great on the boom), but the ISO is there if post wants it.

I never heard the cam mic audio, it's quite possibly filled with servo motor noise from the iris, zoom, and focus pulls.  But it might also be useful in certain sections of the shot, to fill out some ambience (ie, as the boom was mixed out).

I've worked with the post house who will mix this, so I'll probably find out what they used and what they didn't.

Simplicity reigned.  Pre-planning was essential.

Thanks again for all the ideas.

Next?

-Brian

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  • 1 year later...

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