Recording Sound in Interiors with Tin Roofs?

[sciproductions]

I have a project coming up where we will be shooting a really long dialogue sequence inside a cottage during night time. Unfortunately it has an old style rusty tin roof. 

In terms of dealing with this and potentially problems it will cause, my thought is:

- Use WD40 on as many areas of the roof as possible.

- Line the exterior of the roof with high density foam and ontop of that moving blankets (to absorb wind and minor rain or droplets).

 

Is there anything else to help treat it, that I'm not thinking of?

[Conor]

Not much to add apart from that the only time I have ever been on a shoot where a weather day was used due to sound concerns, was when we shot in a barn with a tin roof and it was raining. Recording any dialogue was completely impossible. I think the blankets sound like the most promising approach here, but prepare for major headaches.

[Philip Perkins]

Rigging whatever you can over the roof to deflect the rain away from it (and drain down somewhere farther away from where you are shooting) is the best I've done.  Even if you put something soft on the roof there will still be a thrumming from the rain in the space.   I've tried layers of furni pads, hog's hair etc and they can help, but the best idea is to not let the rain hit the tin roof in the first place.  Are you buds with the grip dept?  Will they help with some big blacks rigged over the roof on stands?

[Tobi A]

Keep in mind any sort of furni pads, carpets or blankets will get very heavy once wet. 

Astro turf (fake grass) can work. Similarly to hogs hair the grass blades soften the drops impact but the water can still run through so it doesn’t get waterlogged.