Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1515068
Spring 2024 – LOCAL695.COM 31 The approach to recording sound on 1923 is to make sure we have well-placed lav mics on all the actors at all times, and then get in there and boom the coverage whenever possible. More than 50% of the show is filmed day exterior on ranches so sometimes it's just impossible to get a boom in there no matter how hard we try, therefore, the wires are crucial. We are relying nearly exclusively on DPA 6060 series mics and Lectrosonics SSM transmitters. The size and weight of the SSM allows my utility, Kelly Lewis, to mount the transmitter and mic inside a cowboy hat more often than not. When the hat is not practical, we generally hide the mic in the neckerchief, called a wild rag. These two staples of the cowboy wardrobe really come in handy for excellent sounding mic placement with minimal clothing noise. Now the wind, that's another thing all together. We have gotten good at building the mics with Bubblebee Windbubbles, which allows us to avoid burying the mics too far into the clothing. The day that we film on ranches, we have a forty-five-minute pre-call to load all of the equipment we'll need for the day onto 4WD Gators at base camp and get out to the set. We often arrive on set ready to wire actors right at sunrise. We have just enough time to take some beautiful Montana sunrise photos to text home before we're rehearsing and setting cameras. Often the first setups are wide shots, and they can get pretty wide considering the terrain. The actors can be on their number ones on horseback one thousand feet away and delivering dialog on the ride in. Having the transmitters in the cowboy hats for reception comes in pretty handy for these scenes. Harrison Ford as Jacob Dutton in 1923. Photo by James Minchin III/Paramount+ 2022. Harrison Ford on the set of the 1923. Photo by Emerson Miller/ Paramount+ © 2022 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved.