(Photo: Courtesy of HBO)
In total, Crowley uses six different DPA mics on set. For lavaliers, he uses DPA
d:screet™ 4063 Miniature Omnidirectional with Lo-Sens & DC and
d:screet™ 4080 Miniature Lavalier Cardioid Microphones. On boom, Crowley uses
d:dicate™ 4011A and
4011C Cardioid and
d:dicate™ 4017B and
4017C Shotgun Microphones.
“My favorite mic is the 4011C on the boom for interiors,” continues Crowley. “After years of use, it still amazes me how much detail is captured, even when pushed out by lighting or some other extraneous force. In the most recent episode, Jon Snow pledged his allegiance to Dany, a scene where every word is important. Jon had no shirt on, which meant no lavs could be used, and the ‘morning sun’ lighting on top of the small four poster bed gave me mere centimeters above Jon and Dany’s heads. I could barely squeeze the 4011’s on poles over the actors, but even with limited space the results were astounding. This scene was mostly whispered but with my DPA’s the viewers didn’t miss a word.”
Game of Thrones Season 7 was shot across various regions and in a wide range of temperatures. “We shot on location in a few different countries and landscapes,” adds Crowley. “DPA’s are used in temperatures from -4 degrees to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. The fact that we can rely on the DPA’s to perform just as well after traveling all over different countries and in any temperature, speaks to the mics’ robustness and reliability. All scenes demand the same attentiveness to the dialogue and my DPA’s deliver every time.”