Recording Passing Cars… Advice

[Brian Reynolds]

Motor Racing FX … there are 2 quite different philosophies on the subject, do you
1. move the mics to suit the camera view by attaching them to the camera so as the camera pans so do the mics?

OR
2. have fixed mics so the image passes on the screen, a bit like a window of a house.

Option 1. normally a little easier to set up as you are fixing them to the camera and using the camera audio lines back to the truck. Often the mic suggestions are a stereo mic like Shure VP88, Rode NT4, Sony M/S Electro Voice, Audio Technica or many other ‘Stereo’ mics or another option is short shot gun mics (ie 416) either side of the lens which offers some acoustic baffling between the mics.
The panning of the mics is like moving a human head where the main focal image is centralised, this method works very well for Street circuits where there are many acoustic reflections from buildings etc but gives an overall sound. This method is used standard on F1 coverage world wide.

Option 2. Using fixed mics that are using the camera audio lines but NOT being moved by the camera.
This sort of set up works well on open tracks because the lack of acoustic reflections.
With this method often mis matched mic pairs are used, for example an 816 for the entry and a 416 on the exit. The 2 mics may be many metres apart and mounted on ground spikes or on the camera scaffolding.
This method can give a very wide image with a ‘central’ dip in the sound that can be filled with other misc FX and commentary.

[Chris Conlee]

Thank you for the great information, Brian. Much appreciated. Lots to learn in the sound recording world.

Chris