Two actors, one mic

max-walker · 10th March 2010

I am about to do sound for a short film, production and post... Its just me and I only have one boom and mic etc available. There will be two actors speaking and in this case it will be fine because the dialogue flow will allow me to switch the mic position but what would you do in a situation where the actors will be talking over each other a lot and you only have one mic?

jumpnyc · 10th March 2010

rent a lav for $50

Uncle Bob · 10th March 2010

You do the best you can to capture both when they are speaking at the same time.

Just keep in mind that much can be accomplished in post. They may not be "stepping" on each others lines on the set, but it can be cut that way when you are editing.

When they are speaking simultaneously you can also use audio from the unused/alternate takes if you are having problems with intelligibility; it's unusual for you to see both actors speaking so it's not too difficult to pull off.

denniskersten · 10th March 2010

Learn the script's dialog then you know where to move your mic. Good luck!

Lipflap · 10th March 2010

I, too am all for the lav (or lavs) option, but if you're stuck with one mic, then I suggest you (or the boom operator) learn the script as best as possible so that you know when to pan. Go to the rehearsals if you can afford to. Then you squeeze your rabbit's foot and hope for the best. In post, you'll have only one track. Normally, you can leave this as is, but if one character is consistently off-mic, you may want to separate the two characters so that the mixer has more control. In any case, talk to your mixer so that you deliver the tracks he/she needs, not just what seems to make sense.
Good luck,

philper · 10th March 2010

You can do the shot with one good boom mic--we do it all the time. If you do your job well the sound is much more natural than trying to mix two buried lavs. The keys to making it work are: A: a good room--try to treat floor and wall reflections (w/ furni pads etc) if they are a problem, as well as deal w/ BG noises. B: a good mic and a mixer with good limiters C: a good quiet shockmount for the mic and a quiet fishpole, D: learn the dialog for the scene--this is what Hollywood boom ops do, E: watch the person who is NOT talking--you've already got the person talking right now--watch for when the other person starts to speak. When you shift the mic to the 2nd talker, shift your eyes to the first and wait for them to start to jump in. Good luck.

Philip Perkins

max-walker · 11th March 2010

Thanks guys, useful tips!

max-walker · 11th March 2010

To John Purcell, just noticed the name at the bottom of your comment which is strange as I have just only yesterday ordered your book!

Lipflap · 11th March 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by max-walker

To John Purcell, just noticed the name at the bottom of your comment which is strange as I have just only yesterday ordered your book!

Life is indeed strange. Thanks for buying the book. I hope it proves useful.

Gohanto · 11th March 2010

One other consideration, what mic are you using?

If it's a shotgun (most common) then know the script and moving between actors (silently and quickly) is likely the best bet.

If you have a good hyper like a Schoeps cmc641, you can sometimes get away with splitting the differences between the actors. (Not with shotguns however because they don't have a smooth off-axis response)

max-walker · 12th March 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gohanto

One other consideration, what mic are you using?

If it's a shotgun (most common) then know the script and moving between actors (silently and quickly) is likely the best bet.

If you have a good hyper like a Schoeps cmc641, you can sometimes get away with splitting the differences between the actors. (Not with shotguns however because they don't have a smooth off-axis response)

Its a Rode NTG-3, and yeah it does sound very different off-axis.

philper · 12th March 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gohanto

One other consideration, what mic are you using?

If it's a shotgun (most common) then know the script and moving between actors (silently and quickly) is likely the best bet.

If you have a good hyper like a Schoeps cmc641, you can sometimes get away with splitting the differences between the actors. (Not with shotguns however because they don't have a smooth off-axis response)

On really fast multi-actor scenes I sometimes go to an even wider pattern, like Schoeps MK4.

Philip Perkins

10th March 2010	#1
max-walker Gear Head Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 51 Thread Starter	Two actors, one mic I am about to do sound for a short film, production and post... Its just me and I only have one boom and mic etc available. There will be two actors speaking and in this case it will be fine because the dialogue flow will allow me to switch the mic position but what would you do in a situation where the actors will be talking over each other a lot and you only have one mic?

10th March 2010	#5
Lipflap Gear addict Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 310	I, too am all for the lav (or lavs) option, but if you're stuck with one mic, then I suggest you (or the boom operator) learn the script as best as possible so that you know when to pan. Go to the rehearsals if you can afford to. Then you squeeze your rabbit's foot and hope for the best. In post, you'll have only one track. Normally, you can leave this as is, but if one character is consistently off-mic, you may want to separate the two characters so that the mixer has more control. In any case, talk to your mixer so that you deliver the tracks he/she needs, not just what seems to make sense. Good luck, __________________ John Purcell author of Dialogue Editing for Motion Pictures: A Guide to the Invisible Art (Focal Press)

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10th March 2010	#2
jumpnyc Lives for gear Joined: Jul 2004 Location: NYC Posts: 876	rent a lav for $50

10th March 2010	#3
Uncle Bob Gear addict Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 421	You do the best you can to capture both when they are speaking at the same time. Just keep in mind that much can be accomplished in post. They may not be "stepping" on each others lines on the set, but it can be cut that way when you are editing. When they are speaking simultaneously you can also use audio from the unused/alternate takes if you are having problems with intelligibility; it's unusual for you to see both actors speaking so it's not too difficult to pull off.

10th March 2010	#4
denniskersten Gear Head Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 57	Learn the script's dialog then you know where to move your mic. Good luck!

10th March 2010	#6
philper Lives for gear Joined: Dec 2005 Location: San Francisco area Posts: 2,422	You can do the shot with one good boom mic--we do it all the time. If you do your job well the sound is much more natural than trying to mix two buried lavs. The keys to making it work are: A: a good room--try to treat floor and wall reflections (w/ furni pads etc) if they are a problem, as well as deal w/ BG noises. B: a good mic and a mixer with good limiters C: a good quiet shockmount for the mic and a quiet fishpole, D: learn the dialog for the scene--this is what Hollywood boom ops do, E: watch the person who is NOT talking--you've already got the person talking right now--watch for when the other person starts to speak. When you shift the mic to the 2nd talker, shift your eyes to the first and wait for them to start to jump in. Good luck. Philip Perkins

11th March 2010	#7
max-walker Gear Head Joined: Dec 2009 Posts: 51 Thread Starter	Thanks guys, useful tips!

11th March 2010	#10
Gohanto Gear nut Joined: Mar 2009 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii Posts: 97	One other consideration, what mic are you using? If it's a shotgun (most common) then know the script and moving between actors (silently and quickly) is likely the best bet. If you have a good hyper like a Schoeps cmc641, you can sometimes get away with splitting the differences between the actors. (Not with shotguns however because they don't have a smooth off-axis response)