Microphone advice wanted

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419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

Checkout the awesome 3D image I produced below. This is a top-down representation of a scene I want to video. The video camera (red!) will be filming towards a desk at which two people will be seated. The grey gradient area is the part of the desk which will be being filmed.

OK, I want to be able to set this up so that I can record clear audio, however for reasons I can't go into, I cannot mic up both subjects. Using the camera's built-in mic is of course a bad idea. I also cannot place a table microphone in front of them on the desk (the mic must not be seen). I was thinking of using a shotgun mic, but I've never used one of those before and I'm not sure if the area they cover is sufficient to hear both people talking clearly; or is it?

Distance of camera to subject area will be approx 1.75/2 metres.

Discuss...

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 7:54 pm

How much headroom will be shown?

Elite Baiter Joined: 02 Jul 2006 Posts: 1702

You willing to spend money on this?

If so a james bond style approach will probably work
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=220058&doy=12m11&C=SO&U=strat15

swap the loud speaker for a 3.5mm stereo jack.

Now im assuming the block is a table and 2 people the other side of the table
otherwise your camera is looking through a building or window

To disguise the item, you need prpbably some junk old phone, simply use white lead from the phone so it looks like it goes into the wall socket and wrap around to behind wherever the camera is and record that way?

inside the phone build the room bug, or even an old table lamp with a big bottom so you can focus the mic.

Next use a bit of science lol, on the little tiny mic give it a cone, this will focus more sound down the mic, but if theres wind it will be a noisy recording etc.

To the subject it will appear like some lamp pen paper on a desk with a telephone but in fact its a very very good listening device.

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:17 pm

A shotgun or directional mic fixed to the camera should be ample at that short distance Shiver.
I use one of THESE on my little camcorder and it gives astonishingly good sound recording.

Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:57 pm

It looks like a similar setup to a Police interview sort of situation. At work we use Neal recorders:

http://www.neal.co.uk/products/BoundaryLayerMic.htm

They have a flat plate like microphone that sits up on the wall, it picks up everything in the room.

I'm pretty sure you won't want to buy one, and I don't know where you live in comparison to me, but I can probably lend you one if you're close enough. I'm in West London.

(Edit: If you choose to borrow one, I can only let you have it for a couple of days, 1 week maximum).

419Eater Admin Joined: 30 Sep 2003 Posts: 7469

@KD: No headroom at all. Only hands will be visible.
@Mugatu: Thanks for the offer but this will be a 4-5 week project.
@Windypops: I thing a shotgun is probably the way to go. Off to eBay...!

I'm budgeting at around �40-�60 to for the mic.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Exactly what is it that Shiver does with his spare time?

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 1:56 am

@ pastor Frank... I was wondering the same thing... but I can't wait to see it Very Happy

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 3:35 am

The shotgun mike is pretty good for one subject but at the distances and the angles, using only one may not be good. You could use two and go for stereo. Mounting an electret mike inside a metal bowl does amazing things. Clear plastic bowls are basically what are used at ball games. Think ray tracing and focal points in physics .

Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2007 12:15 pm

Connie has a point there, Shiver.
I had a closer look at mine and it seems to be a two or three mic affair.
It can be changed from 90-120deg for picking up sound. I'm sure most stereo mics can do the same.