Lectrosonics, Inc.
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
United States
Cape Town, South Africa – December 2014…
Face it, there simply aren’t many people who love getting physical with lions!
In the case of South African animal behaviorist Kevin Richardson, it’s a
passion! He has slept next to, fed, and lived with lions. Along with lions, he
has worked with cheetahs, leopards, and hyenas. Richardson relies on intuition
rather than static rules and, in doing so, has gained the trust of these
animals. Play tends to get quite physical. Hence, when documenting his
activities for an upcoming show on British Sky Broadcasting’s Sky 1 TV, the
electronics used to capture audio have to be robust. That’s precisely why Location
Sound Recordist Sebastian Dunn relies on Digital Hybrid Wireless® technology
from Rio Rancho, NM-based Lectrosonics.
Sebastian
Dunn has been working in location sound since 1993. The first milestone in his
career occurred when he covered the post-apartheid elections in South Africa
for Sky News. In 2013, he was nominated in the Sound Factual category for the
illustrious BAFTA Television Craft Awards. The nomination was received for his
work on Brazil with Michael Palin, of
which he is particularly proud. With credentials like these, Dunn knows what it
takes to capture sound. He discussed his use of Lectrosonics equipment.
“I’ve
been using Lectrosonics gear for over 20 years,” Dunn reports. “I started with
the company’s M185 transmitters and CR185 receivers, later upgraded to the UM
and SM transmitters, UCR411 receivers and, from there, I acquired SMQV super
miniature transmitters and SRb dual slot ENG receivers.”
“The
4-part series has the working title The
Origin of Cats, Dunn continued. “The production company is Bristol based
Offspring Films in the UK and the show will ultimately air on Sky 1 TV in the
UK. The show is slated for release mid-2015. My contribution to the show took
place in Namibia and South Africa and for this, I used two SMQV’s and the
SRb—both on block 26. I also used a Lectrosonics SNA600 dipole antenna.”
“Throughout
most of my career,” he explained, “I’ve been travelling and, for the most part,
working in technically challenging environments. Having used almost every
wireless system on the market, there is none more robust and durable than
Lectrosonics. I’ve successfully used them in extreme 130 degree heat as well as
sub-zero environments. As my locations are always so varied and unpredictable,
I can’t always check frequency compatibility but, for the most part, have not
encountered problems severe enough to rule out the use of wireless mics. The
SNA600 antenna is also a valuable part of my kit—particularly when the RF range
is questionable. The addition of the LectroRM app for my iPhone has also been
extremely useful so that I can make hasty changes on the fly.”
Dunn
described what the Lectrosonics equipment typically encountered with Kevin
Richardson. “The fully grown lions can be very rough and physically jump on him
and push him around,” says Dunn. “When I asked to wire Kevin up, he said it was
a huge risk. Having worked with many film crews in the past, Kevin said that
most transmitters got damaged by his lions. When I mentioned that I only use
Lectrosonics transmitters, his eyebrows lifted! ‘They’ll handle the punishment’
he said. Reluctantly, I clipped my SMQV onto the inside of his belt.”
“Once
the crew was safely on the vehicles,” Dunn added, “the female lioness Olivia
was released and immediately launched herself onto Kevin—knocking him right off
his feet. For 5 minutes, they ‘played’—with the 300 pound lioness rolling onto
him and knocking him about like a ragdoll. The audio was solid throughout the
interaction. Then Kevin said that the vehicles were too much of a distraction
for the lions. He wanted to go further into the bush to get away from us. We
mounted a few GoPro camera’s onto him and off he went. I estimate he went a
third of a mile away but, with the use of the SNA600 antenna, my signal was
rock solid.”
Before
turning his attention back to business, Dunn offered these comments on his
Lectrosonics experience. “Living in South Africa, I’m pretty far from
Lectrosonics. With that said, the company’s support services have been very
responsive. I’ve always been very pleased with the company’s service. I’ve been
a loyal supporter of Lectrosonics for the last 20 years and, due to their
products’ robustness and durability in the field, I will continue to remain
one. I’ve had a great experience.”
For
information about Sebastian Dunn, visit him online at www.dunnaudio.com.
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