Many many places to place a mic on a body..depends on costume, hair, quick changes the actor does and so forth. As others have said--the rest of the actors who whine about having a Mic can pound sand--you give mic's to those who need one, so they can deal. As a sound designer I have often poulled a mic from a cast member because they simply did not need one or they were being picked up by a shotgun or
PCC stage mic just fine.
Now a mic belt is a norm you will want to get and make sure it is canvass or
muslin and has a
velcro flap or way to close the top....do not use Felt or Wool (static charges can
build up and discharge and
send a loud POP thru--yes they can)...however I would not
line it with plastic. The reason folks use unlubricated condoms (always practice "safe sound"
) is several factors--first they BREATHE and moisture from sweaty actors stays out--also they do not contain or hold in heat and body packs can get hot from an actors body....and if you add moisture to that heat--this can damage the electronics over time... Also to consider--some folks have an alergic reaction to plastics and rubber. For folks who may have allergic reactions to rubber-then look to the
current selection of rubber gloves in your janitorial closet. Nytrile is a non-latex, non-rubber alternative that works well too for mics (many of the new non-latex rubber gloves are made from Nytrile..they are usually purple or blue but can be any color--and non-powdered gloves are best as cornstarch can get nasty in a body mic).
Now if you do not have a mic belt or cannot get your costume shop to sew one up for you, you can also use an ACE wrap bandage--a 3"-4" ACE wrap will work in a pinch. Just "sandwich" the body pack in between the 3-5 layers of the ace wrap and it will hold it nicely
thru a show. ACE wraps also allow you to do some "creative" mic techniques in tricky costume areas such as for an under-arm, chest or
leg wrap to secure the body pack to where a regular mic belt won't work. As for where to place a transmitter--be aware of the costumes you will run into--occasionally metal beads and chains, heavy sequin outfits, heavy wool and multiple heavy clothing layers can actually
shield some of the cheap
VHF and low-power transmitters and cause drop-outs.. So as a sound person you should know the costumes your actor will be in as well. Best is to locate the recievers on-stage near the actors and transmitters if possible and just run your lines back to your board.
As for placement--as I said...the pack can go almost anywhere on the body you can run the
wire (and yes--tape the
wire to the back or body of the actor too if needed--follow the natural contours of the body and always stay aware of how movement and any dance or on-stage interaction may snag the
wire or create a movement problem). Depending on costume and quick changes
etc...I"ve stuck transmitters on hips and thighs, under arm pits, had costuming sew mic packs INTO a costume, stuffed them in pockets, in bra's, in underwear and many other places in my 20+ year career...tho the small of the back is the standard preferred area...so work best with what you have.
As for the actual mic placement on a person--Others have given you some great suggestions to try out--an ear-wire, elastic headband and the hair pin trick
etc....securing the mic to the
face with medical tape (use Tegaderm or Blendaderm medical tape, or "top-stick" toupee and wig tape too also works) and so on. Placement can be on the side of
face in front of the ear, behind the ear (nasty and difficult), hairline, cheekbone and so on.. When I train new sound folks, I tell them to feel the actors
face for their cheekbone and look to place the mic just below the bone in parallel. Also they can feel for the jawline and mandible on the side of the
face in front of the ear and place the mic on that spot too. Voice can be picked up very well from these natural "vibration" points..you don't neccesarily have to get the mic by the actors mouth. In tough situations you can also do a neck clip on tee shirts or a
flat chest taping on the breastbone just below where it juts out--but when you have to go below the headline you run into clothing noise problems, heavy sweat issues, visability issues and movement issues that will be a pain to mix and deal with. The less you put under costumes or off the head the better you will be to stay in a normal area--such as the ear, cheek and jawline...
TIPS: If the actor wears a hat--make sure you place the mic low enough the mic is not "cupped" or knocked by the hat... If the actor kisses or hugs or is slapped by other actors in scenes--place the mic opposite the side they touch or meet so as not to get that "CLANG" of the contact during the show too...
and never let an actor be in charge of turning their mic ON or OFF... They should be mic'd up, sound checked and they should never have to touch or worry about the mic afterwards. If you leave an actor in charge of their mic--they will screw it up. Actors are "
props with dialog"--treat them as such.
Use electrical tape and put a "loop" or
strain relief of mic cable on the body pack--this ensures the actor does not rip out the wires to the
connector accidentally. If the
connector does not screw in (like a microdot connection) to the body pack--tape it...those mini-XLR and T
connector clips can fail sometimes so make sure the
connector is securely fixed to the transmitter by taping it into place. Tape over the
switch too--so it does not accidentally get turned off...tho most higher end mic's have a frequency or chennel lock and power-lock ON ability--its always a good idea to tape the
switch or little buttons. Keep the actual mic
element about 1/8" to 1/4" off body as best as you can--in other words don't
flat tape the mic
element to the skin--sweat can and will get into the
element and suddenly your actor will sound like he is drowning. a tiny air-space between the
element and the skin is perfect--and if you have serious issues you can place a small piece of Moleskin under the mic
element as a barrier... Keep a small can of compressed air with a tube backstage should any mic get "sweat logged" and sound like they are underwater or muffled..a quick burst of that dry air DIAGONALLY accross the
element (never EVER into the
element) while the mic is muted offstage will
clear it right up. Final tip--Hairspray and other make-up can ruin a mic element--cannot tell you how often I have seen hairspray sieze up a mic
element... Instruct all actors if they should use hairspray that they MUST
cover and
shield the mic thoroughly.. Preferred would be if you get the actors AFTER they have done make up and costume--so all they need to do is touch-up...but warn them ALL about the use of Hairspray,
gel, make-up spray sealer, and so forth and to keep it away from the mic
element.
Mic's are a norm in theatrical shows--do not worry so much about it being seen..its a given there is to be a
microphone somewhere...and if you do a good job mixing then folks won't even notice the mic.. Hope this helps....good luck and feel free to post any questions ro concerns you have. The members of the
Controlbooth community is a wealth of knowledge for all to learn from...
-wolf