Using Your Headphones

You and your boom operator should always use professional cushioned

headphones, which cup the ear and block outside noise to make sure that

your sound is coming through clearly and that there’s no interference or

buzzing on the line. You can use earbuds (which fit in the ear), but you get a

less accurate indication of the sound recording because some background

noise still makes its way in.

 Always verify your sound recording through headphones. At the start of each

day’s shoot, record some test audio and play it back in the headphones to make

sure your microphone and recorder are working properly (this includes your

camcorder’s audio if you’re shooting on video or digital). I’ve had too many

shoots where I forgot to bring headphones or earphones, and just assumed that

the camera was recording sound. One time, the microphone didn’t have a bat￾tery and didn’t record any audio. Another time, the external microphone wasn’t

plugged in properly to my camcorder; instead the camera was picking up sound

with the built-in camcorder mic, and you could hear everything in front of and

behind the camera (all of it louder than the talent on camera).Silencing footsteps with sound

blankets and foot foam

If you have actors walking on hardwood floors or concrete, especially women

in high heels, you need to put sound blankets on the floor. Sound blankets

are like the heavy padded sheets used in moving vans for covering furniture.

Sound blankets absorb the sound of the actors’ footsteps on a bare floor,

preventing the actors from stepping on their lines — literally. These blankets

absorb errant sound waves and prevent your dialogue from sounding tinny

or picking up too much reverberation. Of course, you only put sound blan￾kets on the floor when the actors’ feet are not in the shot. You can also drape

sound blankets over vertical stands or hang from the walls to help absorb

reverb off bare walls.

You can also purchase foot foam from any sound rental company. This prod￾uct is a foam rubber of varying thickness that can be cut and adhered to the

bottom of your actors’ shoes, enabling them to walk on hard surfaces without

making excessive noise and allowing the camera to show their feet as well.

 If you’re on a limited budget, you can silence your actors’ shoes by using double￾sided tape or glue to attach thin pieces of carpet padding to the bottoms of

their shoes. Applying the soft fuzzy side of velcro to the bottom of footwear is

another good trick.