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EXPO, LAS VEGAS, NV, April 12, 2010 — Audio-Technica,
a leading innovator in microphone and headphone technology for
over 45 years, was selected as the microphone/wireless systems
manufacturer of choice in the production of Auction,
a new reality show scheduled to air on Discovery Channel in spring
2010. Audio supervisor Noel Dannemiller relied exclusively on
Audio-Technica microphones and wireless systems for sound acquisition
throughout the show’s production schedule. The complex wireless
set-up fed a mix of six microphone inputs from each of the two
location sound mixers to the main A and B cameras while also allowing
a third camera operator to select any of the five talent mic channels
or the mix from either sound mixer.
A wide selection of
Audio-Technica wired and wireless equipment was used on the show,
including AT899
Subminiature Omnidirectional Condenser Lavalier Microphones and
BP896
MicroPoint™ Subminiature Omnidirectional Condenser Lavalier
Microphones for the five main contributors; boom-mounted BP4073
Line + Gradient Condenser Microphones, BP4071
Line + Gradient Condenser Microphones and AT4053b
Hypercardioid Condenser Microphones; camera-mount ATW-R1820 Dual
Receivers; ATW-T1801 UniPak® Body-Pack Transmitters; and ATH-M50
Professional Studio Monitor Headphones. “I was really happy
with the performance of the Audio-Technica solution for our show,”
said Dannemiller, who owns Lock 18, Inc., a location audio services
provider based in Akron, Ohio.
Dannemiller outfitted
each of the five on-camera contributors with a lavalier mic and
associated ATW-T1801 body-pack transmitter. “The AT899 is
a nice natural-sounding mic,” he reported. “When we
had problems hiding the AT899 we would switch to the BP896 sub-miniature
lav mic.”
The BP4071 long (15")
shotgun, a very directional mic with good off-axis rejection,
was used for exterior scenes. “When used with an experienced
operator, the BP4071 allowed us to key in on the main subject
while rejecting unwanted background noise for optimal sound,”
explained Dannemiller. “Since the BP4073 short (9")
shotgun has a wider pickup range than the BP4071, I chose it for
exterior situations with multiple contributors.”
The AT4053b condenser
mic was employed for sit-down interviews and group round table
meetings. “Its hypercardioid capsule had enough reach and
pattern width to cover the group of contributors without impeding
on the camera frame,” he observed.
The five contributor
transmitters fed three ATW-R1820 dual-channel receivers in each
sound mixer’s bag; the sixth channel was reserved for the
boom mic. Two ATW-T1801 UniPak transmitters in each bag fed the
mixer’s output to twin ATW-R1820 receivers mounted on cameras
A and B. An ATW-R1820 on camera C provided the operator with any
combination of the nine wireless frequencies – five talent
mics plus four camera hops – being used.
“We put the receivers
in fanny packs worn by the camera operators and connected their
outputs to the camera using coiled microphone cables, so we had
the ability to quickly reassign a receiver to any of the five
cameras if needed,” Dannemiller elaborated. The two additional
cameras typically utilized on-camera mics or were used for shooting
second camera shots, B-roll or time-lapse shots.
“We battled through
zero to 30-degree temperatures, driving snow, ice, freezing rain
and just plain rain, all without any audio performance issues.
With proper gear protection, these systems can handle just about
anything,” concluded Dannemiller.
For more information,
please visit www.audio-technica.com. |