A new client called me this week with a date and location for a shoot. I knew I could move some things around in order to take the job. So I accepted pending a little planning. Certain things are essential: lighting, sound/ambient noise, number of cameras, purpose of the shoot. A few short e-mails and one telephone conversation defined the shoot: one-camera, candid documentation of interactions between sponsors and potential customers with a sensitive microphone to pick up their conversations.
A boom microphone would do the job best. However, the budget did not allow for an assistant to hold that shoulder-muscle-building graphite pole and mic above people's heads so the best audio solution was not possible. Since the shots are candid, the next best audio solution - lapel mics - would not fly. I'll take a directional microphone, which should handle the job better than average. I'm also taking a less sensitive microphone just in case. The event is taking place in a mall. I just hope the mall management does not decide to pipe in any music. That will make it hard to pick up the voices and could blow out the sensitive microphone. (Been there, done that!)
