How to mic an RV for a road trip shoot?

[Anonymous]

I am doing a road trip shoot in an RV in May 2011. I will have 5 subjects on the RV that I need audio from. It’s over my budget to mic each of them wirelessly. Any suggestions?

[EarlC]

Acquire as many Zoom H2 standalone audio recorders as you can, use one or two taped down and placed near where audio sources will be; use Radio Shack hardwired lavaliere mic systems plugged into the line/mic input of the H2, for portability with primary audio sources. Voila! Not usually a problem syncing in post. Good, clean, clear, crisp audio and some GREAT backup from the general placement H2s.

They’re under $200 each. I use four of them for most of my production work – documentaries, live performances, interviews, events, podium mics, DJ/band speaker sweet spot acquisition, etc.

[Anonymous]

Great advice. Thanks!

Would I use the onboard mics on the H2s, or are you saying I should plug lavs into them?

[EarlC]

For placement in proximity, and not in a pocket or jacket, on the person, H2’s built-in mic does very well. You’ll need to work with your settings and again find out the proximity or sweet spot ration for placement on a podium, chair, table or stand and isolate from vibration, etc.

When the talent/person is actually wearing or carrying the unit you need to use a hardwired mic lavaliere plugged into it, cutting out the built-in mic circuit.

[vid-e-o-man]

While usingthe H2 as EarlC suggests, you could use the built in microphoneson the H2 to record the’room tone’ on the interior of the RV to use in an audio program to help eliminate background noise from your audio tracks.

[Grinner Hester]

I just stick with camera mics for these. Have never had a single issue in all my years of doing it this way.

[Author]

Posts