CHAPTER 15 Audio for Television "Audio is 70 percent of the visual experience, yet often is relegated to a second thought in field production. This not only weakens the overall production, but also makes a strong statement about the professionalism of the overall production." Douglas Spotted Eagle, Producer Shotgun Microphone The shotgun microphone (hyper-cardioid) consists of a slotted tube containing an electret micro- phone at one end. This microphone is designed to pick up sound within quite a narrow angle, while remaining much less sensitive to sounds from other directions. It is great at isolating a subject within a crowd or excluding nearby noises (Figure 15.12). Unfortunately, the shotgun microphone is not good at maintaining these directional proper- ties throughout the audio range. At lower frequencies, it loses its ability to discriminate. The narrow forward-pointing pickup pattern then becomes increasingly broader. When shooting in very "live" (reverberant) surroundings, a shotgun microphone has advan- tages, as it will pick up the subject's sound successfully while reducing unwanted reflec- tions, although how effectively it does so depends on the pitch or coloration of the reflected sounds. The shotgun microphone is quite adaptable, and is regularly used as: