On Sat, Apr 20, 2013 at 07:51:44AM -0700, Paul DeShaw wrote:
Sorry this is a bit OT, I don't know whom else to
ask.
I belong to a martial arts community which produces videos of guest
teachers when we host a seminar. We used to use a lavalier mic on the
teacher's chest. For reasons I don't understand, that practice was
stopped, and the mic was moved to the high ceiling rafter, where it picks
up the whole room. The result is that some of the most revered figures in
our art have had their words lost in the background noise. If I can't
convince those in charge to use the lavalier mic as it's designed to be
used, would a camera-mounted shotgun mic do better? Any suggestions as to
model? Any other suggestions for micing a moving subject 30 feet or so from
a wall-mounted camera?
The 'pro' solution for such a scenario would be a wireless lavalier
(being 'cabled' is probably not what you want while demonstrating
martial arts), or a semi-gun on a boom. Semi-guns are the ones that
are 35-45 cm long, price range $250..300. Even such a mic will not
produce usable sound 30 ft from the speaker in typical gym acoustics,
so you don't want it on the camera but closer. That means either a
boom + operator, or someone sitting near the edge of the tatami
holding and pointing it. If the speaker doesn't move too much you
could also suspend it pointing down 30 degrees or so towards the
speaker, but clear of the ceiling.
Ciao,
--
FA
A world of exhaustive, reliable metadata would be an utopia.
It's also a pipe-dream, founded on self-delusion, nerd hubris
and hysterically inflated market opportunities. (Cory Doctorow)