I need some expert advice about filming in rainy conditions. Do you have a moment to respond or point us to some resources? I have a student who is filming in Equador during the rainy season this December as part of a nat geo science grant. We are looking at his gear list. He’s cc’d on this email.
Any tips about filming in rain or moisture conditions?
Will shaggy wind screens be enough to protect a short boom mic?
Do you recommend lavs for rain?
Rain/moisture is always a problem. A few things that can be done:
Saturate your furry covers with water repellant such as you might use on camping gear, etc. After applying the repellant, keep brushing the fur with a hairbrush to prevent clumping. Very important that the fur remain soft and furry in order to break up wind and raindrops.
If heavy downpour, put a dry condom over the mic to protect the electronics. You will lose a little of the high frequencies, but if it is raining than the actors will be shouting anyway to hear themselves over the rain.
Order from a good audio house, or grip supply/expendables shop what we call “hogs hair”. This a plastic, thistle appearing sheet that is often used for shipping packing. You can form a loose “tent” above the windscreen, and this material deflects and breaks up water droplets. We commonly line the bottom of sinks and shower floors with it during production to dampen the sound of running water.
Check with the mfr of the microphone…. Call their Repair Dept and get a list of care instructions for what to do if the mic does get wet. Common fixes include baking the mic at low oven temps, rinsing the mic in alcohol to displace the water, dry rice, silica gel. But it is best to get specific advice for your make/model mics.
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