ASK & DISCUSS INDEX

7 years, 5 months ago - Barry Ryerson

Normally if you're doing a music video outside you lip sync (aka mime) to an existing recording. If you're wanting it to be performed live during the shoot then either you'll need a boom mic or a lav mic. Both have their ups and downs but it all depends on the kind of music it is. Boom mic would be useless for recording a singer of a pop / rock band but would work for solo singer / guitar work.

You can also get body mics (mics that fit close to the cheek and mouth) and can even make them skin coloured.

Just some food for thought. Good luck with the shoot!

Also, if it is a rock / pop band you can get away with having a normal mix in place anyway as it fits a performance video better.

7 years, 5 months ago - Andy Sowerby

Create a set with props, e.g. large flowers, and hide the microphones in the props? If it has to be live then they'll have to have some mics somewhere, so think creatively about how you can hide them with props/set-design. My advice... get a good production designer!!

7 years, 5 months ago - Matt Harris

lav mic hidden in sleeve cuff for the guitar sound (assuming as above you want the live recording and aren't synching it later) and another hidden lav for the voice.

7 years, 5 months ago - Tim Benjamin

We just made a short film in a single take. Yes, it's quite tricky, everyone needs to completely rehearse all the moves! And if you use a boom it makes it harder still. We used wireless lav mics. They can be hidden behind a shirt-collar, completely invisible, and the sound quality is very good (we used a couple of Rode Filmmaker kits). You can get special tape to stick the mic to the singer's skin - best to get that stuff as some people get a rash with sellotape or (lol!) gaffer tape. In the sound edit you can pan L/R to track the movement of the actor, if necessary, although forward-to-back is harder to achieve (but perfectly possible with a bit of audio editing trickery).

Oh and if you are doing it outside... good luck with the weather. We lost a whole morning to rain but fortunately lucked out with a nice afternoon!

But anyway, with a music video, you would normally lip-sync and hide (if necessary) a loudspeaker with playback for your singer(s). There are fascinating stories you can find online about how the many playback speakers were hidden in all kinds of interesting places for the big set-pieces in La-La Land.

7 years, 5 months ago - Caleb Moody

Thanks guys. Really helpful.