# TV: Hiding Mics on Actors... **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 17, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415 "2010-04-17T00:33:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/1 "2010-04-17T00:33:55Z")
Mic, mic…where is the mic? How do they hide the microphone on actors? You don’t see it pinned to their lapels, for one. And, if hidden under clothing, why don’t you hear the rustle of cloth across the mic, esp when they hug, for example? ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/2 "2010-04-17T00:41:07Z")
They use [boom mikes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boom_operator_%28media%29). ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/3 "2010-04-17T00:47:25Z")
OK, so how do they reduce the echos? Shadows of the boom(s), or multiple shadows? Why do all voices sound of equal strength? A stage is not an anechoic chamber. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/4 "2010-04-17T01:01:23Z")
Boom mike operators are very good. They avoid shadows and place the mics as close as possible, constantly adjusting as the actors move around. A stage is not an echo chamber, either. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/5 "2010-04-17T01:09:19Z")
You often do see it pinned to their lapels, actually. Or on their tie, or on any large frilly thing near a woman’s neck. And mics have gotten smaller in the last ten years, so they’re harder to spot. ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/6 "2010-04-17T01:10:14Z")
Well, I haven’t seen them on television shows, but there are several movies out there with boom mikes visible. Maybe the editing is better for television? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/7 "2010-04-17T01:22:22Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > Boom mike operators are very good. They avoid shadows and place the mics as close as possible, constantly adjusting as the actors move around. A stage is not an echo chamber, either. Yeah don’t forget that most sitcoms are filmed on a sound stage. An office scene is not filmed in an actual office. The walls are completely different, the “ceiling” is very controlled and mics are very strategically placed. As are actors. Shows that have outdoor scenes, say like Law & Order, put boom mics to good use. Also, if there are any sound problems, scenes can be over-dubbed. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/8 "2010-04-17T01:42:24Z")
The production of **Survivor** is amazing. In all the time I have watched survivor, I seldom see the crew or equipment or even the shadows of the crew and equipment. In fact, the only time I can remember seeing a camera man is on a family member visit when the family member went running to the castaways. I guess production lost control of the scene. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/9 "2010-04-17T02:18:06Z")
Sometime they hide the microphone [in a bush](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXxUENPE6tY&feature=related). ---
**Author:** ![runcible\_spoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9fc29f/32.png) [@runcible\_spoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runcible_spoon)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/10 "2010-04-17T02:22:39Z")
Can’t speak for TV, but live theater sometimes uses mikes taped to the actors’ chests. They’re very small, and with skin-colored tape and makeup, very hard to spot. Reduces some of the clothing noise, too. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/11 "2010-04-17T02:27:38Z")
> [@statsman1982](#): > > Well, I haven’t seen them on television shows, but there are several movies out there with boom mikes visible. 35mm movie film has a 4:3 frame aspect ratio if used in the traditional 4-perf way. If a film is being shot in traditional widescreen (1.85:1 aspect ratio) on 35mm film, the top and bottom areas of the 4:3 frame are not used and may be matted out. Sometimes, however, the scene will be shot in full 4:3, assuming that the projectionist will correctly matte the film when it is shown. In this case, boom mikes, lights, etc., may be seen in the top of the frame. If the projectionist doesn’t matte it correctly (or the film lab screws something up) then these might be visible on the movie screen, even though you were never supposed to see them. Some films are notorious for close tolerances that caused boom mikes to be visible in a lot of shots (_Thirteen Days_ is an example.) > [@](#): > > Maybe the editing is better for television? On TV you don’t have to deal with a projectionist screwing up. 😛 Also, fewer and fewer things are shot on film for TV these days. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-hiding-mics-on-actors/536415/12 "2010-04-18T00:43:31Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > You often do see it pinned to their lapels, actually. Or on their tie, or on any large frilly thing near a woman’s neck. And mics have gotten smaller in the last ten years, so they’re harder to spot. I’ve only noticed these in plays and talk shows.