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DPA Microphones Get Medieval for HBO
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- Category: More Top Stories
- Published on Monday, 03 December 2012 17:12
- Written by Lauren Waldron
DPA Microphones recently helped Emmy Award-winning Production Sound Mixer Ronan Hill deliver crystal-clear dialogue for the HBO hit series “Game of Thrones.” To ensure that his original recordings were as pristine as possible, Hill used DPA’s 4071 lavalier microphones to capture on-location dialogue for the medieval fantasy series’ third season. “The DPA 4071 microphones have really helped to keep ADR on ‘Game of Thrones’ to a minimum, and have contributed to the show receiving a Primetime Emmy for Best Sound,” says Hill. “As someone who was brought up to ‘get it on the boom’ and only use radio mics when there was no other way, I have become a convert to them when used with DPA’s 4071 lavalier microphones. When used outside, the 4071 provides really good isolation from environmental conditions while still retaining a natural vocal quality. It also offers reinforcement to the boom when utilized indoors. It is a rare occasion when these mics aren’t included in my audio mix.”
DPA Microphones is the leading Danish professional audio manufacturer of high quality condenser microphones and microphone solutions for professional TV, video/film, studio, broadcast and theater productions. DPA’s 4071s became the lavalier microphone of choice on season two of “Game of Thrones,” and their high-quality results save the production time and money by keeping postproduction ADR to a minimum. “You soon appreciate how good they sound,” Hill explains. “They are available with well-thought-out accessories to aid fitting, and we fitted them to all cast with dialogue. Thankfully, the cast appreciate that the costumes are difficult for sound, so they are tolerant to tweaks that will save the need for ADR.”
Created by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, “Game of Thrones” centers on the violent dynastic struggle of several noble families for control of the Iron Throne. “The show is filmed in many remote and hard-to-get-to locations and in all kinds of weather conditions,” Hill reports. “In [season] one, we were shooting in below freezing temperatures, while in [season] two we had to contend with a hurricane. Every day is an adventure in sound.” Hill says his favorite shooting experience was on the season two episode “Blackwater.” “With large battle scenes in addition to the great dialogue, [‘Blackwater’] had real potential for sound,” he explains. “There was so much texture to record with the added challenge of isolating the dialogue. ‘Game of Thrones’ has a character count of over 300, with scenes of over 10 principal characters speaking. There is always the professional pressure to capture the dialogue on location and keep ADR to a minimum. I wanted to give a presence to the big action scenes and burst the old myth that no scripted dialogue means there is no sound. I also tried to ensure rehearsal for any songs to be sung live.” Now familiar with DPA’s microphone technology, Hill hopes to utilize more of the company’s products in the future: “As a result of my good experiences with the DPA 4071s and the positive feedback I have heard about DPA’s other microphones, I can’t wait to try more of them.”