"Where do you think you're putting those hands?" Lisa Borders might have reasonably asked.
“Here. Let me clip this mic on you.”
There’s no getting around it. One cannot gather news unless one records audio. Operating in a world that lacks boom-mic toting audio techs, the local TV news goon typically has two options: Hold the unwieldy, flag-draped stick microphone under the chin of your interview subject; or clip the discreet lavaliere mic to her garment.
From the standpoint of the visual aesthetic, the latter is almost always the preferred method. It also has the greatest potential for personal embarrassment.
The above text is lifted from this 2009 post. The video, which aired this weekend, freshens it up a bit. Thanks to 11alive.com producer Eden Godbee for playing along; and to photog Richard Crabbe.
This blog encourages you to recycle.
And, then there was the time at a local station where the hijinks got a bit out of hand, back in the 1960’s. Out of respect for the people involved, who have all moved on to careers of great respectability, no names will be mentioned….
At that time, one of the sportscasters had a crush on the, ahem, Weathergirl. She, on the other hand, did not have a crush on him. The Weatherperson typically wore an A-Line dress, just a bit short to put some sex into the weather broadcast. The weather map featured little magnetic symbols for sun, thunder storms and the like. They had a polarized coating which made them “flash” when exposed to a polarized overhead light; the light’s filter turned and the symbols flickered. Takes you back, doesn’t it?
Prior to going on air, she would be fitted with a lavalier mike, with the cable going down the inside of her dress. This required her to have a daily moment of indignity. She would sit on a chair and lean WAY back. One of the studio engineers would take a stick with the microphone attached and guide the mike & cable up the front of the inside of the dress.
After the sportscaster’s advances had been spurned one again, he persuaded a camera person and a booth engineer do something which was not on the broadcast schedule. At the appropriate moment, the camera cut to the weatherperson in that awkward moment and the sports guy said: “Isn’t that right, **********?” The viewing audience saw some balding guy kneeling on the floor pushing a stick up the lady’s dress.
Not sure what the ultimate outcome was, but the lady was justifiably angry, going to management about the matter. Of course, she was right, but it was a different time. And, as mentioned, all have gone on to careers of respectability.
Mike Check!
Nicely done-i remember a few times when i was still in the biz running into a few awkward moments-that’s when I turned to the photographer and said –“say isn’t this your area of expertise”