rec.arts.movies.production.sound

On Feb 22, 1:23=A0pm, Kill Bill wrote:
> Looking to learn here..
>
> I had a small low budget feature a few weeks back. =A0Watched the final,
> and I noticed that my car scenes didn't sound the way I wanted them too.
> =A0 Now granted, they didn't spend any money on post sound sweetening, but=

> still.. I think I could have done better.
>
> I've done lots of car scenes before, for some reason this one bugged me.
> Normally I just lay my shotgun on the floor pointing upward between the
> two actors between the console, and on occasion place a wireless lav on
> a visor sometimes, but this got me thinking.
>
> Whats the best way to capture sound from inside a car/truck, and what
> mics do you guys recommend for this job?
>
> Thanks to all those who respond.
>
> -bill

You said it was a low budget feature, and i have done a few low budget
features/shorts with car stuff. This is what i learned on those. Think
about the location, like you would any location, but think about what
it will be like while you are shooting. Is the car moving or are they
parked? Windows up or down? Mechanical condition of car? Car engine
running, being towed, platform? Will they know they have to turn off
the heat/AC? What about monitoring? Will you be in the car, follow
car, or set up sound and have to hope it works.
If you can use a few types of mics, then you should. I like to try to
lav up the actors. I have done some stuff with a kind of beat car and
something like the CUB-01 will get a lot of the noise of a
transmission near death, or a faulty exhaust system. The CUB-01 is
great, but i have had cases where the lavs were the good track because
the car itself was a mechanical mess. Maybe better mounting would help
that? I have to experiment on my own more. I have gotten excellent
results with a hypercardioid or cardioid below the frame and aimed up
at the talent (and above them is a padded ceiling!!!). First time i
did that, i rigged up a mount on the fly and, it worked out great. It
was actually a mic i was using for VO that i had with me.

-johnpaul