Sound for a dinner table scene

[CraigTarry]

Hello, I'm going to be making a 10min. short using the DVX100A and a Sennhauser M66 shotgun mic. The entire short is at a round table, white table cloth, wine glasses candles and a copper fondue pot in the center. The location is a living room with hardwood flooring.

I can mic the dialogue ok, but I'm concerned about the proper way to record things like forks clacking against plates, wine being poured, etc. I want it all to mix right, so if there's things best added later I want to plan for it.

Shots will be from a few feet away to close in. There'll be some music space at intervals along the way.

Thanks for any suggestions - Craig

[David Mullen ASC]

Well, you can put things under cups, etc. to minimize noise, and when any prop is off-camera, either you use towels under things, below frame, to deaden the sound as the actor sets something down, and you simply tell the off-camera actors to not touch things or mime action.

 

It may also be necessary for actors to not say important lines just as they are making noises like pouring water into a cup or slamming a plate down, etc.

[Guest bigal]

Not too sure if this will work right or not, but when I did theatre I would hide a floor mic(sound grabber) on the table and play with the levels on a mixer to get it just right for picking up little things like that. However I'm not possitive that it will work for film or not.