MarcPDesaulniers Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 I actually work on a travel show with a host that sweat a lot. When I mean a lot, it is A LOT. In warm countries, five minutes after he gets changed, his shirt is all wet. Since we film in harsh conditions (jungles, remote villages, etc,) I can't rig him in his A/C room because we don't have A/C rooms or any places that could keep him dry for a couple of minutes. On the last shoot in West Africa, I gave up and stopped hiding the mic on him because if I rigged the mic on his chest or shirt, tape wouldn't hold or water would go inside the capsule and affect sound quality. I'm curious if one of you guy have any advices/methods for this kind of situations. Best regards. Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Woodcock Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Get a body warmer and make pockets inside and place some of those ice packs you put in chiller bags inside, Rubens Barrichello of Formula 1 does this to keep cool before a race. You can buy A/C jackets in Japan. Only other thing I can suggest is to place the mic upside down so sweat does not run into the capsule. Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevegrider Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 What is his wardrobe like? In a similar circumstances, I once secured a mic underneath a talent's collar. Not ideal placement, but better than the sweat-soaked center of the chest. Not an option, though, if your talent only wears t-shirts. A Mic Bra (available from the usual suspects) would keep a mic secure, but may be visible once a t-shirt gets wet and clingy. Sometimes don't you just wish you could boom everything? :s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Mega Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Sandwich the lav mic in sports tape, then safety pin through the sports tape and onto his shirt. It will not fall off. Zip bag the tx also. Good luck Mega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Great technique. Sweat can travel down the wire and into the tx, causing pretty massive damage. Perhaps hanging the tx with the antenna pointing down will prevent sweat from getting to the internals. Sandwich the lav mic in sports tape, then safety pin through the sports tape and onto his shirt. It will not fall off. Zip bag the tx also. Good luck Mega Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominiquegreffard Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Lectro makes a waterproof transmitter or lectro aquapacks are designed to keep your non waterproof packs dry. Could you show us a picture of your technique peter? What do you refer too when you say sports tape? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 There is a thing called a mic bra that's sold at sound shops that is a band that goes around the chest. In this band there's a pocket built that holds the mic. I don't know how quite it is but it's worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atheisticmystic Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 A head-worn mount if possible (eye/sunglasses, hat, or even "tac"-style with an E6 or the like) ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Hayes Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Surely on a 'travel show' you could mic in-shot if the choice is poor sound or mic in shot i bet the director/producer would go for neat mic in shot option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mirror Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Here's a link to the mic bra and where to buy it. http://www.trewaudio.com/store/MicBra-Mic-Pouch.html Here's a review about it from the members of this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 " On the last shoot in West Africa, I gave up and stopped hiding the mic on him " that is an excellent solution! my favorite! Mic Bra, and other options (recently discussed on jwsoundgroup.net,) are possibilities... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greg sextro Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Whit Norris taught me a technique where you use a small piece of "shamwow" on the body of the lav, near the opening. It should help wick away water from getting in the mic opening itself. In your case, a waterproof lav like a b6 and a waterproof tx is likely the best course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 " a waterproof lav " actually, they are "water resistant" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcPDesaulniers Posted March 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Thanks guys for the insights, I'll definitely try the mic bra option / mic up side down and the safety pin/ sport tape thing. The producer and director agreed to show the mic. I know it's a travel/doc style show but as much as I love a cos-11 with my ears, I hate it with my eyes. And, of course, boom everything would be amazing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarcPDesaulniers Posted March 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Oh, and Peter, like Dominique asked, a picture of your sport tape rig would be much appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPSharman Posted March 17, 2013 Report Share Posted March 17, 2013 Kinesio tape is pretty good at sticking, but you do need to successfully dry the skin prior to application. Mic on the outside is surely the best solution here. Good that you asked and that it was agreed to. Reasonable producers. But keeping the pack safe from sweat is important too. Sweat can seep in anywhere and destroy your transmitters. Maybe it won't happen while you're on the show, but one day it'll fail and it'll be opened up, and you'll discover the guts are all corroded. Happened to me. I make sure my transmitters are never exposed to bare skin. And try to keep the sweat from getting into the connectors. This job sure is an adventure. We're all pretty lucky that these are our problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted March 18, 2013 Report Share Posted March 18, 2013 Microphones should be hidden when they sabotage the suspension of disbelief. Otherwise, they should be clipped on like a... like a... oh, yes... like a lavalier mic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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