Those BIG microphones

[idun]

Just watching Vivement Dimanche on TV5 Monde and as usual the guests have those BIG handheld microphones. Any one any idea why, I cannot think of one.

[pachapapa]

So Bernadette doesn't lose it.

[JohnM]

Didn't see it so can't give a definative answer, however, large microphones usually have large capsules / diaphrams which give a better reproduction of the sound so it could be that or it could be that the surroundings mean that the mic had to be close to the mouth in order to reduce the effect of feedback and or other background noise, Lavellier mics [i.e Tie Clip Mics, not to be confused with Throat Mics which are totally different] are usually not as close to the mouth as a hand held and the tiny ones on stalks from the ear are often omni directional. However, it could be a simple as the director thinking it looked trendy!

[Loiseau]

I can't think why the French use those mics so much still! I didn't see that particular programme either, but it's always happening when they interview people. It looks so old-fashioned, as well as distracting, wobbling that mic back and forth between interviewer and interviewee. I can see that it situations like an outside broadcast it might be necessary, but other than that you almost never see them used on UK television. It's usually lapel mics.

Angela

[idun]

JohnM, they have always used them. Today they were all sat down and in the studio and  did not have enough for one each, only those that were allowed to speak at that moment had them, so they passed them on when necessary.  Michel Drucker did not have one today. 

Vivement Dimanche can be interesting, not today though.

 

[Loiseau]

I wonder if it's a way of stopping the French interrupting/talking over one another?!  [Www]

I used to work in TV many years ago, and for a discussion programme of the type you mention, there would either be a mic on a table equidistant from all the speakers, or one on a boom that dangled out of shot above them and could be moved towards each participant as they spoke.  (It was before the days of lapel mics!)

Angela

[Chancer]

If they are not used in the UK then either the person in the audience has a lapel mike and a battery pack in the middle of their back (thats why they lean forward earnestly) or their is a boom mike hopefully just out of shot.

If tthey are wearing lapel mike packs it also means that the questions from the floor are not at all spontaneous, have been submitted beforehand, the presenter will have had a week to think through his response, not even him but his researchers.

There are smaller hand held mikes but they need to be held very close, the public, especially the French are very reluctant to put a foreign object that close to their gueule, note how they shrink back in revulsion from the lollipop mikes.

[JohnM]

If they are also amplifying the sound from the mics for teh audience, they may use fewer mics because each extra "open" microphone means that the chance of feedback is increased.

Last time I spoke about the subject with BBC sound engineers, they grumbled that sound was always treated as a second class subject in TV land, the look of the shot taking priority over whether or not people could actually hear what is being said. Perhaps French TV take their audio responsibilities more seriously??

[Chancer]

Newsreaders and presenters perhaps, I can always understand them even if I am not watching but the films!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lets not go there!