When are documentaries not movies?

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Michael Slowe
Posts: 807
Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:24 pm

Re: When are documentaries not movies?

Post by Michael Slowe »

Peter, I face your problem almost every time I make a documentary. One way to overcome background noise is to fit a tie clip mic to your subject (either wired or radio). This should give you a higher level for the voice. At the same time you use the second channel for your other mic (probably on the camera if you're working alone). When the clip is on your timeline, if you need to use any of the FX track, you can control the volume separately from the voice on the other track. Your problem is of course that the voice, even if recorded on a tie clip mic close to the subject's mouth, can be drowned by the FX but it would have to be very loud to do this.

Regarding your point about 'cheating' I don't think that re recording or dubbing sound tracks can be considered thus. You're not faking anything that didn't happen, you're merely 'adjusting' the audio that was at the scene. I would take serious issue with Dave on this point if indeed he thinks this but I doubt that very much.
Peter Copestake
Posts: 340
Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2007 2:23 am
Location: Colne, Lancashire

Re: When are documentaries not movies?

Post by Peter Copestake »

Michael said -
I would take serious issue with Dave on this point if indeed he thinks this but I doubt that very much.

No, he wouldn't have realised the background sound of the bakery was so great. Conversation was shouting mouth to ear, that's why I didn't record the oldest employee.
Peter.
Peter Copestake
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