Choosing the right microphone for your recording can be of great importance. In this guide, we go through different types of microphones and what areas of use they have.
Your phone-headphones
Using headphones works great when you need to record simpler movies where only one person participates. If you use corded headphones, however, you need to be close to the phone when recording, which is why it is best suited for selfie recording.
Use a lavalier
A lavalier is a small microphone that you hide well. The microphone is attached with a clip to the clothes, usually at the chest, and can be worn with a puff cover (microphone cover to avoid wind and wind noise). The lavalier works perfectly if you mostly look straight into the camera as it picks up the sound that goes straight down into it. If you move your head a lot, a headset may be preferable as the sound in the lavalier can otherwise vary a little when you angle your head away from it.
💡 Tip!
Remember to place the lavalier on the side towards which the person angles their head the most. If, for example, it is an interview situation where the interviewer sits on the right side, the mic should be placed on the right side of the chest.
Headset
A headset you usually attach around your ears is perfect if you are filming a person standing on a stage and speaking, or performing other actions at the same time. Then it doesn't matter if the person moves their head up and down or sideways. The sound remains constant as the microphone is always at the same distance to the mouth.
Handheld microphone
A handheld microphone is well suited if the person standing in front of the camera is used to speaking or singing with a handheld microphone. The disadvantage can be if the person moves their hands a lot or changes their grip on the microphone, as there can be boomy hitting sounds, or uneven sound if the person forgets to follow the microphone with their mouth when they move.
Boom Microphone
You can use a boom microphone when you need good sound without any microphone visible in the picture. There are many different varieties, from those that are attached to the camera to large hand booms that you may have seen from major film sets.
A boom microphone is when the mic is attached to the end of a boom, allowing perfect positioning in front of or next to the user's mouth. If you need a boom microphone, it may be well worth contacting a sound production company that can both help you with the execution and rent the right equipment for you.
If you want to read more about how to succeed with the sound in your film, you can read our guide "5 tips to succeed with the sound in your film". Good luck!