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The Theatre/TV/Film experience relies heavily on good sound.
In small acoustically pleasing venues, projecting the voice may be all that is necessary. However, in larger and more complex venues microphones and sound reinforcement systems are absolutely necessary.
LAVALIER MICROPHONES
LAVALIER MICROPHONES
Lavalier microphones are the most common and the ones you will come across more regularly.
They are designed to be mounted via a clip or pin to clothing. The small element design makes them inconspicuous enough to be used in TV, Film or Theatre and are available in several colours, black, white and tan.
MICROPHONE PLACEMENT
MICROPHONE PLACEMENT
Placement is most definitely a joint job by Sound and Costume together.
Generally mics are placed at the top of the chest area, above the ear or along the hairline.
Avoid placing the mic too high on the chest by the throat. High frequencies can be blocked by the chin and can cause sound to be muffled or muddy.
NEVER use gaffer tape to affix a cable to the skin. The glue can cause skin irritation. Use surgical tape or clear bandage tape.
If placing a Lavalier on or near the hairline, consult the person responsible for hair/wigs, to determine the best method of placement.
Mics and cables can be secured in the hair using clips, bobby pins or can be sewn into wigs.
If the actor is wearing glasses, the mic can be mounted on the temple area of the glasses. Clear tape will hold it steady.
When mounting on the head, the cabling at the point at which the neck bends needs to be the most secure. Make sure there is some slack or any sudden movement can pull the mic put of place. Again surgical tape is the best choice for this.
Be careful not to get makeup into the grill or the element.
If the microphone cable is run on the inside of the clothing, tape the cable to the fabric to prevent contact noise, which is caused by cable and clothing rubbing together.
Consider sewing a channel or tube of fabric inside the costume to prevent excess rubbing.
Noise from materials in costuming rubbing together can be difficult to prevent. Synthetic materials make more noise than other materials.
Think about ways to isolate the mic and cable from any noise.
MIC PACK PLACEMENT
MIC PACK PLACEMENT
Mic packs should always come to Costume clearly labelled with the relevant character name for continuity purposes. If they don't, check with the sound department first to see who they belong to.
Mic pack placement is often a test of the imagination and innovation between the Sound Designer and Costume Designer. Take into consideration any potential quick changes.
Obvious options are:
- clip the pack onto the actors clothing at the belt line, inside.
- they can fit into pockets of shirts , jackets or trousers with little hassle.
Even so, ensure the antenna stays unobstructed and fully extended at all time.
When costuming prohibits normal positioning there are a few other options to consider:
- Small of the back, in a mic pack belt.
- Between the shoulder blades , in a body pack with elastic loops around the arms.
- On arms or thighs using elastic straps.
& remember ................. a tidy cable is a happy cable.
Also take a look at this LinkedIn Learning video tutorial: Lav-Hiding Techniques
Written by AM
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