Your mic kit should consist of at least one good omni-directional
lavalier mic. My favorites are the Audio-Technica AT892, Sony ECM-55,
or Countryman B3. All are very small, easy to conceal and are industry
standards. A good hypercardioid, like the Audio-Technica AT4053 or
Sanken CS1, is next on the list. With an omni lav and a good
hypercardioid, you can capture a lot of great sound both indoors and
out. These "condenser" mics will require phantom power sourced from
either your camera or from a phantom power box. Condenser mics use
external power that either comes from an in-mic battery pack, in-line
battery pack or voltage received from the camera or mixing device.

Here’s a great budget kit: one omnidirectional lav, one unidirectional
lav, one hypercardioid, one small mixer device (if all three or more
mics are to be used at one time) and a few quality mic cables. My faves
are from Canare or Mogami. These last forever if they’re cared for.

Always bring the mic in as close to the subject as possible. And don’t
make the on-camera mic your default-it should always be a last choice.
Even a third-party shotgun isn’t such a good idea, either. Reflections
from the camera alone can color the audio. Put the mic on a boom stand
instead of the camera. Not only does this let the mic be brought in
closer to the subject to capture better sound, but the sound field
perspective won’t shift when the camera’s moved.

A $10 computer next to a sound source will sound better than a $1,000
mic placed 20 feet away from the sound source. Only use
on-camera/built-in mics for sports events where crowd noise is the
goal, for concerts where you have no option for mic placement or for
situations where you’ve got a master recording device and you’ll be
using on-camera audio for synchronizing to the master audio.

Lavalier mics (lavs) are easy to place on a subject’s body, or hide in
plants, decorations or furniture near your dialog source. If using a
wireless lav, try to avoid putting the receiver at the camera point
unless the camera is very close to the wireless transmitter. Consider
running cables from the closest convenient point rather than trying to
send a radio signal across large rooms. You can use wireless devices in
most shooting scenarios, but save them as a last resort. Anytime radio
signals are introduced to the shoot, it’s a potential problem,
especially if budget-level wireless systems are used. Instead of
wireless, consider using a device like an iRiver or other digital
recording device. Place the device near the subject, with the
microphone connected directly to it. Never use an analog device to
record audio for video. It’s virtually impossible to re-sync analog
tape to digital tape due to wow and flutter.

The small lav is easy to conceal if necessary, but notice that even
when exposed, it’s not very visible. Avoid foam windscreens when
possible.

It’s also fairly easy to conceal hypercardioid mics, but always
consider the distance factor. You’ll maintain the clarity of your sound
if you keep the mic within at least five feet of the source.

Balanced cables, in the form of XLR-ended cables, will let you run long
cables to your mic. If your camcorder doesn’t have balanced audio
inputs, consider using a balancing device, like a Beachtek or Studio
Devices box, that mounts on the bottom of the camcorder. These devices
give even the least expensive microphones professional quality audio
control. Never run unbalanced cables over distances longer than 15 feet.

Boundary mics are often overlooked for field production but they are
excellent mics for events, car interiors, interviews and even dramatic
production. They are also extremely quick to set up. Many boundaries,
like the Audio Technica AT871, which are hemi-cardioid, will give you
great rear rejection. These mics work well even when it rains. In fact,
dozens of boundary mics were used in the Athens Olympics, feeding news
broadcasts around the world. Like hypercardiods, low-profile boundary
mics are easy to hide. Most require phantom power, whether from the
camera source or from a separate power pack.

Boundary mics hide well, and are outstanding for most event situations. They can be wall, ceiling, desktop or floor mounted.

I carry an emergency kit consisting of in-line pads, low impedance to
high impedance adapters, splitters, a small roll of gaffers tape, a
screw driver, phone plug to phone plug, phone plug to 3.5 mm plug, RCA
to everything, gender-benders (male to male/female to female) adapters,
spare mic clips, putty knife mounts, small bits of silk (to be used as
emergency colored windscreens) and rubber bands for holding mics
tightly to various surfaces. I also carry a small lightweight beanbag
that can usually be found in most toy stores; I use it as an isolator
when a mic needs to be hidden on a difficult surface. And don’t forget
shock mounts: you should have at least one, in case you encounter a
stand mounted mic on a bouncy, boomy stage.

Just about every small adapter available can be found in this emergency kit, stored in a padded lunch box from Old Navy.

Always test your mics together, listening to multiple mics at the same
time. You’ll read on various forums and reviews that X brand mic is
better than Y brand, and while this may be true, the bigger question
is, how consistent with X brand is your current mic kit? Consistency of
sound is critical if you’ll be cutting audio segments together. This is
what the bigger brands of mics often have going for them. Should you
choose one brand of mic and stick with it loyally? Not necessarily,
though trying to maintain a consistent sound tends to inspire brand
loyalty. While some audio pros advocate "fixing it in the mix," it’s a
better idea to simply get it right in production.

More mics are better than fewer mics, and well-planned mic placement,
mixed with experience, is the best way to learn the art of sound.
Mapping out a shoot for camera and mic placement will help you learn
quickly; blueprints often reveal potential problems that eyeballing the
room simply can’t reveal. Draw your diagram from an overhead view to
see the entire space clearly.

Douglas Spotted Eagle
Managing Producer
Sundance Media Group

Douglas Spotted Eagle, a producer and founder of the Sundance Media
Group and VASST Training Series, is the author or co-author of several
digital media books, including Digital Video Basics ( VASST), HDV: What You NEED to Know ( VASST, also available on Amazon.com) and Vegas Editing Workshop
( CMP Books). In addition to creating music and media that has earned
him a Grammy, DuPont, Peabody, Telly and Nammy award, he’s recorded,
edited or produced media that has found its way into more than nine
Emmy-nominated productions. He uses the latest technology as part of
his daily workflow.

Audio is 70 percent of the visual experience, yet often is relegated to
a second thought in field production. This not only weakens the overall
production, but also makes a strong statement about the professionalism
of the overall production.

Getting great audio in the field doesn’t need to be difficult. Above
all, it requires prior planning and common sense. Good sound is the
absence of bad sound; great sound is well-planned good sound.