Investigation Post 11/7

 Work Log

Monday: Researched lavalier mics and boom mics
Tuesday: Practiced using a boom mic and zoom audio recorder
Wednesday: Writing
Thursday: Writing

Lavalier Mics

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pbxy0OupNbA

While I have written about lavalier mics in the past, I now have researched further into the practical usage of them within the filming process. , I learned a couple tricks and where to hide them. One thing I had never heard of until I watched this video (2:58) was that it is a great and common practice to loop the cord by creating a knot with the end of the mic. This will reduce unnecessary noise and interference from the cord by cutting it off with the knot. Also, a common thing for filmmakers to do is to attach gaffer tape (4:09) in a triangle shape to both sides of the lavalier mic (but not on the actual microphone part on the top of the mic). Lastly, it's also important to use gaffer tape to tape down the rest of your cord behind the loop so that there is less interference with a mobile cord.

Furthermore, there were a few places mentioned to hide lavalier mics as well. Remember, the purpose of a lavalier mic is that it is a small mic that is not meant to be seen in the camera's line of view, it can be seen by any angle that isn't in the camera's POV. Here is a list of the most applicable places I saw in a few different videos:

• Simply below and inside the collar of a shirt
• On the side of your hair
• In a hat or beanie
• On props

Boom Mics and Zoom Audio Recorders

With boom mics, there isn't a whole lot to say. What's important is to remember that you need to have the mic out of the camera's frame, the direction your mic is pointing is what direction the audio will mainly pick up, how to set up the boom mic with a zoom recorder, and that you need to loop the cord around the stick as seen in this video below:

With zoom audio recorders, there are also only a couple things to say. This is a list of things you need to do when recording with one:

1. Make sure there are working batteries in it or that it is plugged in
2. Insert SD card
3. Plug in boom microphone into appropriate plugin

   

   https://kino-eye.com/download/Notes-Zoom-H4n-v2.pdf

   
   
4. Plug in headphones into the headphones plugin
5. Turn on the zoom recorder
6. Press record when you want to start listening to your audio, the red ring will be flashing
7. Alter your recording volume that is being picked up so that it averages around -12 dB
8. Press the recording button again to record audio
9.  Press the stop square button to stop the recording

Here is a video on how to use a common zoom recorder: