The U.S. Navy used wireless Lectrosonics gear to capture the sounds of Navy SEALs emerging from the water, jets taking off from aircraft carriers and dialog for Air Support, a new presentation currently in production for use at Navy air shows as well as recruitment efforts and other promotional activities.
Los Angeles-based Farr Out Productions was contracted to provide location sound services for Air Support. According to Scott Jason Farr, sound mixer, director of photography and the owner of Farr Out Productions, “Production actually took place aboard several different aircraft carriers off the Baja, CA, coast. In addition to working in a highly congested RF environment aboard an aircraft carrier — with all its radar, radio and other equipment — there was also seawater, JP4 jet fuel and exhaust and countless other conditions that made this project very difficult.”
Farr chose the water-resistant Lectrosonics MM400C miniature transmitters paired with Lectrosonics UCR411A receivers for the job. “I’ve always found the UCR411As to be very capable at identifying open, available frequencies,” he said, “so with all the electronics aboard the various ships in the battle group, including the aircraft carriers, AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) and submarines, I knew they were right for this job.”
“I don’t believe any other transmitter would have been able to handle that type of working environment,” Farr said. “When we were on the aircraft carriers, there was a tremendous amount of ocean spray from the high seas and wind as well as RF from the radar systems. Between the water and the RF conditions, the Lectrosonics gear handled this really well and enabled me to capture a wide variety of sounds. In addition to the Voice Technologies VT506 lavaliere mics I used with the transmitters, I also used custom cables that enabled me tap into the Navy’s communications system. All of this was recorded to an Aaton CantarX2 field recorder.”
Air Support is slated to begin airing this September at U.S. Navy air shows.
For more information, visit www.lectrosonics.com.
