ADR in my car

[Rob Thomson]

Hello,

 

I need to do some ADR'ing for a film I'm making HOWEVER I still live in my parent's house with all my family, who are always running around, watching Tv, shouting at each other or whatever, so there's no-where in the house I can record peacefully.

 

I do however, own a car. I've come to the conclusion this is the only place, or rather, the least worst place, I can actually ADR.

 

So, I've tried googling but no-one else has ever done this apparently, so if anyone has any good ideas on where to put the microphone, what could I use to cover the windows to stop reverb, where should I sit/stand/or lie? Any suggestions on this topic would be most appreciated by me.

 

Thanks!

Rob.

[Brian Drysdale]

I know a news sound recordist who used to record voice overs in the car for rushes that had to be sent to base for editing. A car is pretty good, certainly a lot better than many editing rooms where VOs are recorded. You should get away with pretty standard cardioid microphone distances, however, like anything to do with sound you need to test your set up and listen on the headphones. Of course, it can also depend on the size of the car and the upholstery, but if the person is in the back, they should be well away from the windscreen, which is at an angle anyway.

[Phil Rhodes]

I've done ADR in cars. They're pretty good - odd-shaped and thickly upholstered, which kills reverb, and to a degree soundproof. And, of course, mobile, so you can take the studio to the artist and then find a quiet spot.

[Rob Thomson]

My parents have a toyota yaris:

 

Picture: Toyota Yaris

 

And a peugeot 307 estate:

 

Picture: Peugeot 307

 

Which would be better?

[Brian Drysdale]

Which would be better?

 

That's really your call, you can tell how reverberate it is by listening. One may sound more "dead" than the other, you could clap your hands and hear how quickly it dies or listen to the someone's voice. Do some recording tests and use the one you prefer, sound is one of things you can experiment with and get interesting results. Space may be an issue, however, you can stand outside the car when you're recording.

[Daniel Smith]

Contact a local university/college that has a sound recording studio and/or voice over booth, get a few students involved and in return get free facilities. They learn something and you get a professional environment to record in.

[Gregory Earls]

If you could get to a friend's crib, get some gaffer's tape and hang sheets and blankets on the wall, you should be good to go. Woody Allen is famous for snagging lines in hotel rooms.

[James Steven Beverly]

Buy a cheap full sized van with a 6 cylinder engine (3/4 ton Chevy/GMC if you can find one although Dodge are the cheapest and Fords are the most plentiful), pad it with that wavy foam rubber:

 

 

then you can set up a card table with a recorder and mixer, a large, wide screen monitor and a cooler for drinks. It can also double as a low rent grip/camera truck, a tow vehicle for a process trailer and tow dolly or in a pinch, a motel room in case you get a hot date. :rolleyes: