Author Topic: CALLING: Calling Mics  (Read 5680 times)

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philimbesi

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CALLING: Calling Mics
« on: Sep 25, 2006, 10:04 am »
I've always wondered, do you guys and gals call body mic cues or just sound effects?   In other words do you call goes on body mics when actors are wearing them or do you let the sound engineer take it?   I've done it both ways and it's worked and not worked both ways, I was just wondering what the consensus was.  
« Last Edit: Jun 08, 2009, 11:45 pm by PSMKay »

MatthewShiner

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #1 on: Sep 25, 2006, 10:31 am »
I've only called mic cues if it was for an effect; if there is a someone mixing the show with a lot of body mics, chances are they are not going to be on headset anyway.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

thehayworth

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #2 on: Sep 25, 2006, 10:39 am »
I do not call the body mic cues for a musical.  I let the sound engineer handle it.  This is not the perfect solution, since this person has a lot to worry about and can forget to turn them off ... and let the audience hear actors go pee.
However, me trying to call a ton of mic cues on top of everything else is no fun either.

i call body mic cues if we are using one in a non-musical as a special effect of some kind
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stagemonkey

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #3 on: Sep 25, 2006, 02:23 pm »
This is one of those things I decided on a show by show basis.  If there is an experienced sound engineer mixing the show chances are I can trust him to do everything properly, if they arent very experience I will call them.  Chances are whether I call them or not I try to have them marked in my script if for whatever reason someone else need to run sound and I have to call them.  I find sometimes if you give the sound guy a little more responsibility to take the cues on their own they take more pride in their work and things get done correctly.  So as I usually say there is no set way to do anything, it all comes down to what will work best for you and the current show at hand.

Mac Calder

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #4 on: Sep 26, 2006, 02:34 am »
As a general rule I would say "No" to calling personal mics (either lavs or handheld) - I am a prompt corner SM (as opposed to a booth dweller) so the sound op can usually see far better than I can. I do occasionally call "Sound, check ACTORS NAME" if I suspect they have not turned the mic right down, or add it as a cue if there is a mic-up/down that is not an exit or entrance.

Aerial

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #5 on: Sep 26, 2006, 08:51 pm »
I agree with most on this.  I do not call the mics if its musical, or mic heavy.  If there are a few scattered occurances of a mic, I will call them.  Personal preference.

MatthewShiner

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #6 on: Sep 27, 2006, 04:00 am »
The real answer to if you need to call the mic cues is if you need to call them, you call them.

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Anything posted here as in my own personal opinion, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of my employer - whomever they be at a given moment in time.

Balletdork

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #7 on: Sep 27, 2006, 09:33 am »
The real answer to if you need to call the mic cues is if you need to call them, you call them.



exactly... I once worked a show where I had to cue the music director tht the song should be starting now!

philimbesi

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Re: Calling Mics
« Reply #8 on: Sep 27, 2006, 01:12 pm »
Thanks everyone, that was what I figured would be the consensus.  Thanks!

 

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