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Sound · Intermediate · Brief

Location Sound — Wireless, Lavs & Difficult Rooms

Wireless systems, hiding lavs, and negotiating with a real location — traffic, reflective rooms, HVAC. The gap between studio and street.

The brief

Room Tone Portrait

Capture a place through sound alone. Build a 90-second sonic portrait of a room you know intimately.

Week 7

Deliverables
  • 90s audio piece
  • Field notes
  • Mix breakdown
Constraints
  • No music
  • Recorded in one location
Learning outcomes
  • LO2 — Solve dialogue capture in a real, uncontrolled location.
  • LO2 — Manage multiple wireless sources and monitor them live.
  • LO3 — Document sound decisions in a location report.
What you'll practise
  • Location scouting for sound: reflections, HVAC, traffic, neighbours
  • Wireless coordination — frequency scan, backup channels
  • Multitrack — boom + two lavs into an F6
  • Timecode jam and sync workflow
  • The sound report as a legal-quality document
Before you start
Prerequisites
  • Production sound fundamentals completed.
Kit
  • Zoom F6
  • MKH 416 + boom
  • Two lavalier sets (frequency-cleared)
  • Timecode box or slate
  • Sound report pad
Safety
  • Location risk assessment must be filed 48h before this workshop.
  • Public locations — one crew member is always looking outward, not into frame.
Step-by-step
  1. 01

    Recce the space

    Walk the location with headphones on and nothing plugged in — just listen. Log five noise sources and one that will be worst on the day.

  2. 02

    Frequency scan

    Run the F6 scan across the intended wireless channels. Note conflicts and pick backups.

  3. 03

    Multitrack setup

    Route boom to track 1, lavs to 2 and 3, mixdown to 4. Slate a level test.

  4. 04

    Shoot two takes

    One controlled, one with a deliberate noise interruption. Decide live whether to reset or push on.

  5. 05

    Fill the sound report

    Scene, take, notes ("circle take 2, siren on take 1"), tone recorded, wilds recorded. Sign it.

Watch this
  • TodoSound department vlog from a working feature — tutor to curate.
Read this
  • TodoAdd BECTU / production sound guild location protocol PDF.
Common pitfalls
  • Relying on the lav and skipping the boom — you lose the natural perspective.
  • Not slating multitrack — the edit will hate you.
  • Ignoring the fridge / HVAC because "we'll fix it in post" — you can't.
How you'll be assessed

For Assessment 1 any exterior or non-studio scene needs a location sound plan and report. This is the template.

Tutor notes — TODO

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  • TodoProvide the sound report template (PDF + carbon copy pad).
  • TodoArrange a location partnership for the workshop day.