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How do I follow myself with the mic properly?

If I want to record something like say, a summersault... I have to follow myself with the mic while doing it. If I set the mic up on a mic stand or something, then it cannot follow me as I do it and not the whole thing comes out sounding as directional as it should. Any suggestions for recording something where the mic has to follow the sound, but cannot move the mic, and move myself at the same time, without the mic receiving shock? Thanks.
 
If I want to record something like say, a summersault... I have to follow myself with the mic while doing it.

Back to the original question: any reason why you can't ADR that?

The obvious answer is, as has been mentioned, a boom op. It's going to be far easier to get accurate timing/sync of each of the individual impacts which comprise the somersault sound FX if you record the actual somersault than if you try to ADR it later. On the other hand, the real somersault recording may not provide the focus or dramatic impact required, so it may need some layering/designing or even a complete re-manufacture during audio post. But whichever turns out to be the case, having the production sound somersault recording in the can is highly advisable, even if it ends up only being useful as a guide.

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Okay, listen up...

In the first place, Foley usually is recorded in a properly set up Foley stage. Several mics may be used to capture it. Yes, I'm aware that you don't have a Foley stage to work in; neither do I.

When you are working at the low/no/mini/micro budget level you have to think differently. A sound like your "somersault" is a linear event, not a snapshot. In cases like this you need to break it down into smaller pieces; yes, a tenth of a second at a time or even smaller if you need to. As we have mentioned MANY times, you do not have to use the actual sound, you create sounds that fit the emotional impact of what you are seeing on the screen. So, let's see... You have the forward motion, the hands impacting the floor, the back impacting the floor, the butt impacting the floor, the feet impacting the floor, the back rolling up, the body standing back up. You record each of these pieces individually and then edit them together to match the picture. That's why it is called SOUND EDITING.

This is also why you need to do your auditioning and editing in at least the semblance of an editing room with decent speakers; you have to be sure that your edited sounds will translate correctly.

BTW, a real Foley artist will not do an actual somersault, they will perform a motion that sounds like a somersault.
 
Okay thanks. I'm just trying to kill two birds with one stone, by recording the whole thing at once. But I can cut in between different sounds. I tried recording the sound of a person being stabbed, but wasn't satisfied with any of them, so i combined a few.
 
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Oh I used a big knife in a watermelon actually, not a hammer. I was satisfied with the sound but it does not sound as harsh as the hammer. I would like to foley the scene, but i guess i cannot actually do the whole thing at once, and have to create all the sounds, but i've been working on one sound for example for three weeks, so not being able to foley the movie while watching it, is very time consuming.
 
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