I wish that I could say that the life of a professional Production Sound Mixer consisted only of sitting around on a large, Hollywood feature film set while being obscenely overpaid. But more often than not, we actually have to work for a living and that often entails mixing low budget "reality" television (video shot for cable, etc.)
On shoots like these, we are usually under staffed, under budgeted, and under equipped. Never-the-less, our paying clients expect it all to come out looking and sounding like a big budget, network funded, broadcast remote.
Here is a breakdown of how we might handle the typical "low budget" television demo or competition, such as a local cooking show, sporting event, or how-to-do-it.
First, we have to deal with our on-site reporter/commentator. Use a handheld, dynamic omni or cardioid "reporter's mic" to pick up their audio.
A dynamic mic will give you the cleanest sound with the least amount of background noise. Omni mics such as the ElectroVoice RE50, Audio Technica AT8004, and Shure VP64 are industry favorites. Omni's pick up from all directions, so mic angle is not critical; only proximity to the sound source is important. In other words, keep the mic close to the chin of whomever is speaking!
Cardioid mics, such as the Audio Technica ATM650 or the ElectroVoice RE11/RE16 are popular and offer the advantage of even better audio isolation in extremely loud venues since these mics are directional. However, the reporter must remember to aim the mic towards the mouth!
Our Reporter will provide an on-site introduction, interviews with the contestants, interviews during intermission with coaches, judges, bystanders, etc. During the "action", our Reporter will also provide on-going commentary or play by play.
The Director or Producer will need to communicate to the Reporter in order to provide stage direction, prompting, cues, and so on. So the Reporter will wear a simple earpiece which is fed from some sort of wireless. This is known as an IFB.
IFB stands for Interruptible Foldback. A small receiver is worn by the Reporter or Commentator, which provides an audio feed of the main program to the earpiece. At any time, this program feed can be interrupted by the Director or Field Producer in order to prompt, direct, or brief the on-air talent. Some reporters like to hear their own voice in the earpiece; others find it distracting.
The sound mixer will consult with talent to determine what audio should be present in the earpiece as default. Depending on the nature of the production, the audio feed might include general program material, other commentary, questions from the "studio anchor", etc. Audio that would be considered distracting and non-useful to the Field Reporter, such as sound effects, would be left out of the IFB mix.
Usually, we will use a professional assisted listening device such as a Comtek or Listen Tech system.
These systems consist of a small transmitter that is able to plug into the Aux Send of your mixing panel, along with a personal receiver with earpiece, worn by talent.
For example, I use the Listen Tech system quite often because it is relatively inexpensive and the basic input cable has an RCA line input (for the Aux Send of the mixing board) as well as an input for a lavalier mic (that I can just hand to the Director or Producer). That is the simplest way to rig the IFB, since it does not require understanding how to configure the Aux Send of the mixer to include a live mic that is not part of the main program output. (Sure, I know how to do it in my sleep, but novices can easily get confused and end up sending the Producer's mic out over the air!)
However, if a dedicated transmitter/receiver communications system is not available, you can improvise with a spare wireless mic. Make sure that you have an adapter cable to take the Aux Send output of the mixer (usually a ΒΌ-inch jack) into the bodypack transmitter (connector will vary base on the make/model of your wireless). Most wireless mic portable (camera mountable) receivers offer a headphone jack, so that your Reporter can monitor.
Assuming that you are using a simple and relatively inexpensive mixing panel such as a Mackie or a Behringer, you will want to feed your Reporter from the pre-fader Aux Send. The reason that you will use the pre-fader Aux and NOT the post-fader Aux is so you can easily run a mic from the Producer into the board and send it out to the Reporter without that same mic signal going out to the camera or recorder!
On a mixing panel, there are two types of Aux Send. The pre-fader mode mean that incoming signals are "split" by the panel to the faders and to the small knobs (pots) that control the Aux Send. The controls of the Aux Send are completely independent of what the fader may be doing; it does not care if the fader is completely on, off, or in the middle. The Aux Send is completely separate; same as if you had two mixing panels on your desk. So, it is now possible to send the audio from the Producers mic out to the Reporter even though the main fader of the Producer's mic is off or closed.
On the same token, we want the Reporter's mic to be audible to the camera or recorder -- but NOT audible in the Reporter's own earpiece (to avoid feedback howling in the earpiece and to avoid hearing one's self on delay while trying to speak). To accomplish this, just turn down the volume of that mic's Aux Send. It will not go out to the Reporter. But if the fader is opened, it will go out the main mix (as we want it to). Note, while you are turning things down in the Reporter's Aux Sends, you might also want to screen out the tone generator and the sound effects mics!
If the wireless transmitter that you are using does not have a Line Level input, then turn down the level of the master Aux Send.
