Top Ten Tips for Getting Great Audio 1. Ensure you have your equipment matched up for mic or line level operation. 99% of poor audio delivered from location by self shooters stems from mismatching the mic and line level settings on equipment. 2. Carry spare batteries on your person not in the boot of the car in the car park. 3. Improve hidden mic rustle with the use of a rubber or foam mount, specifically designed for the job. Ensure that the mic cable is not taught as it runs down the body, and the capsule is not in direct contact with any material. Use cheap tape to stick the mic mounts in position. 4. Consider booming from above as your first option, as you can stay at a consistent distance from the subject even when the shot size changes. Also it generally means you're not pointing at aeroplanes, ceiling mounted air conditioning vents, and rustling trees. 5. If you're suffering wind noise on a radio mic, use aftermarket wind shield discs over the mic capsule, but if you're stuck, see if you can adjust the angle of the contributor so that the wind is in their back, as it will help shield the mic. 6. If you're unhappy with a take, sound wise, don't be afraid to speak up straight away, as it will be more annoying in the edit if it is unusable. 7. Record wild tracks where ever possible if time allows, and feature the boom in shot, then the editor will know it's an audio only recording. 8. If you're working with a director, prearrange sign language to indicate if it's not a good take but unless preagreed let the director decide whether to cut or not, as they may feel it would disturb a nervous contributor unnecessarily. 9. If you have an issue with background noise (traffic for example), then feature the source of the noise in shot. The viewer will compensate without realising. 10. If using cheaper models of radio mic consider upgrading the mic capsule, as it's usually this that lets the budget versions down.
