OFTV - In Real Life 6x30

Role: Location Sound Mixer
Production Company: LittleFilm 

This 6 episode OFTV series comes to the UK once annually and this is my second year recording the project.
The format involves Casey, an experience adrenaline seeking presenter taking out UK OF creators out of their comfort zone for some thrill seeking experiences. Along side all the action there is often a time to reflect on their career, causes and issues they want to talk about in an sit down interview which refreshing way to conclude often what is a technical day of filming. 

In this episode Megan Barton Hanson joins Casey for a day of white water rafting. Our task evolved over the project brief. Originally we had been told no dialouge would be required on the boat but given my experience with the series it didn’t feel right creatively. I put together some suitable equipment that would be enable us to have all five contributors maintaining wireless signal range whilst at any point of the course and also ensured everyone had recording transmitters as a backup, as key dialogue or action or occur at anytime. 

My first assistant Joe, prepared a plan for waterproofing the transmitters in the event of any splashes or worse! We decided on the Countryman B3 as mic of choice, mounted by Joe upside down in the centre of the helmet. This gave nice overage of the wearing talent but also could be used to get another person in close proximity if required.- Something useful in action or unexpected situations. Mounting in this position also allowed for water to drip down and off of the capsule naturally. The B3 has been used for watersports before and can actually become fully submerged and still provide a useable sound providing the capsule and cap are free from water. 

As you’ll see from the clip above, everything was going really well- almost too well. Then we hear over the radio, the director saying are the rapids at full power?— Yes, they were. They felt that they still needed a bit more drama so they got the instructors to tip the boat! None of this was in the plan but luckily we had prepared the potential of the kit getting wet, this would be the ultimate test. 

The show is shot on around x6 operated cameras, multiple go pros and drone simultaneously. This requires us to rely heavily on radio mics, although we have a boom on standby and for atmosphere it is couldn’t be utilised here. Luckily all kit and talent survived without incident, check out the short edit above.