[Jfriah]

You're starting "trial shoots" without your boom people there? Or am I misreading your posting? Your entire sound crew should be there, learning about the sets and how to move around efficiently and stay out of bad spots, etc.

And how do the microphones "sound bad" (both the lav and the level issue---you said if you go above that point it just sounds bad)?

Check your gain stages if it is noise/hiss you are worried about.

As for hiding mics, you could end up getting really roomy DIA, which is what I'm dealing with on my current project. Lav, camera mic, and hidden mics. Not fun to try to match.

Jeff