How should I mic my interrotron set up?

[Richard Crowley]

I’m not getting the full picture here. Are you RECORDING the other person’s audio (speech?)? Is it a production track or just a scratch track? Do you need to isolate the sound from you to the other guy from the recording of the other guy? Note that when you see remote interviews on TV, the people at each end are wearing earpieces to hear the other guy’s audio but so that it doesn’t interfere with their audio being picked up by their own mic.

We don’t know what the ultimate goal of the audio is here, and we don’t know whether isolation is important?

[Noam Osband]

Yeah, looking over my question there is a lot left unsaid……

So, the only audio I want recorded is the subject. That will be for production. I will be doing that with the camera shooting him: my HMC-150. I have two XLR’s so I use one shotgun and one lavalier. I need to attach my sound to a speaker so the subject hears it well. We’re not going to be sitting across from each other cause we’re going to be making eye contact through the two teleprompters that will be set up.

I want the subject to feel totally at ease with the image on the teleprompter they’ll be taking to, so I plan on partitioning the room with a curtain. But that isn’t for audio reasons. It’s just so the subject is alone with the teleprompter.

Does that make sense? Thanks in advance!

[Richard Crowley]

It is not clear why you think you need anything at all for the subject to hear you since you are both in the same room?

[Eric Toline]

Richard,

It’s to create the illusion that the interviewer is NOT in the same room. I’ve worked on those type of setups and that’s what I was told by production when I asked the same question.

Eric

[Bill Davis]

You’re taking a lot of time – using a lot of extra equipment – and adding a lot of complexity to a process that will give you essentially the exact same results by simply having your interviewer stand directly BEHIND a single camera – and ask the interview questions out loud.

Yes, your way presents a video picture for the interviewee to respond to. But in my experience, it’s almost totally unnecessary.

I was in San Diego shooting interviews recently. We did 30 plus recordings over two days. Politicians, civic leaders, and lots and lots of “just plain folks” pulled off the street to give their opinions alongside everyone else.

The producer wanted exactly what you’re looking for. Responses directly into the camera.

NOBODY had a bit of a problem being asked simply to listen to the interviewer and respond directly into the camera.

I think you’re putting a lot of effort into solving a “problem” that isn’t really there in the first place.

For what it’s worth.

“Before speaking out ask yourself whether your words are true, whether they are respectful and whether they are needed in our civil discussions.”-Justice O’Conner

[Ty Ford]

Bill,

I’m with you. I’ve done sound for shoots like this. It’s very strange to talk to a disembodied face in a box. Sort of like the genie on PeeWee’s Playhouse.

It seemed to me the elaboration of the system fell into the “because we can” model. To which I answered, sure, you CAN, but why would you want to?

If it’s a client request and you can’t get out of it. Get an SM58 mic with a switch and a small guitar practice amp to ask questions. Don’t forget to turn the mic off each time you’re done asking a question and direct the on camera person (probably more than once) to wait until you turn off your mic.

Regards,

Ty Ford

Cow Audio Forum Leader
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide

[Noam Osband]

The thinking is that it lets the subject look deadahead at the camera. And I want that look….

[Richard Crowley]

OK, if you say so. But you have never actually established a need for any kind of audio “talk-back” system at all. Good luck.

[Noam Osband]

Your points all make sense. I do feel though that if I’m going to have a film centered around a long interview of someone – kind of like the doc Collapse that recently came out (i really well directed film) – than i cant just keep asking them to look into the camera. if i want someone talking for hours, i need them to have eye contact. its always the best way to get someone to open up i think.

[Ty Ford]

Noam,

My SM58 with a switch + guitar amp (or small fostex powered monitor) answer your question.

I’m not just an audio guy, I shoot, light and edit.

Even though you have an obvious attraction to this particular method for shooting, I continue to have a negative reaction. Do what you will, but….

Interview or not, maintaining dead on eye contact with a person or a camera (your pursuit of perfection) is not normal for a human being.

With your intended setup, you’re putting the viewers of this piece in the position of the interviewer. The viewer is not asking the question, you are. That’s offputting to me as a viewer because you are forcing me into a role I did not choose. In fact, I can only participate as a viewer if I’m not on that axis.

There is something very creepy about forcing an interviewee to sit in a dark room with a camera and forcing them to look at a disembodied face on a video monitor with a voice not coming from a human being, but from a small electronic system. I can’t imagine the “face as an avatar” approach engenders a positive feeling in them. In fact, it smacks of terrorist interrogation or a Fritz Lang film.

Just my opinion. Best of luck with your project!

Regards,

Ty Ford

Cow Audio Forum Leader
Want better production audio?: Ty Ford’s Audio Bootcamp Field Guide