Age limit for radio mics.

[Ynot]

Here's one for discussion.

 

I had a meeting today with a new group coming to us next year and one question they asked was did we have a minimum age limit for wearing radio mics...?

 

After I did a double take and asked her to clarify, that's precisiely what one venue has told them in the past. This venue (which I know at least one BR member used to work at) which I won't name for now, had a policy of ONLY allowing radio mics to be fitted under the child protection measures they enforced. ie - that the mic wrangler obviously has to manage the fitting of mic packs often inside skimpy costumes and 'risky' places, so removal of that task seems to have been their answer to the RA problem there.

 

Now, whilst I can imagine this to be laudable in theory, it strikes me as highly impractical and not really necessary, even in these litigious times.

 

I can only imagine this being applied to professional performances of, say, Oliver, or Sound of Music etc...

 

Anyone else come across this rather OTT policy??

[S&L]

I'm trying to understand what the question is here? are you saying that those in contact with children had to be crb checked or that no one was allowed in contact with children?

[Bobbsy]

I've never come across a minimum age but certainly have had to work within child protection guidelines in terms of who was allowed to fit the packs and mics on the children. With various groups this has been interpreted as either having the chaperones supervise the fitting or, in one case, having the chaperones themselves fit the packs (while the mic wranglers placed the capsules in the hairline/over the ear or wherever.

 

I believe there was also some kind of waiver/disclaimer that parents/guardians had to sign but the was part of the group's policy rather than anything to do with the venue.

[paulears]

Like most things child protection wise, I'd never thought about it at all - but I guess few audio people have a CRB check on their CV, but maybe soon .........

[timtheenchanteruk]

I do have a crb, but for the dance school and such, I usually train a chaperone to deal with radio mics (theres usually changes mid show anyway)

[Gareth A]

On all of the shows that I have dealt with involving children, then actually none of the touring staff would fit the mic as such.

 

The Sound technician fit the mic into position on their head

The Chaperone would the feed the cable through the clothing and have it tidied around the ear / head by the technician

The Sound technician would then connect the mic and the pack

The Chaperone would then put it in the mic belt

 

 

Basically the same as Bobbsy, but this removed and chance of a misunderstanding or anything. If the pack went wrong and there was no chaperone with them directly - I.e they had gone round to the opposite side of the stage to await their exit and it failed, then it became a little more tricky!

[ramdram]

We got round the issue by doing a demo on an adult for the benefit of the chaperones/dressers and let them get on with the fitting of the body pack/cable bit, with the emphasis on not stretching/stressing the cable/connector. All we techs do, when the nippers are dressed and onstage prior to the sound checks, is to tweak the headsets so the dressers can apply the sticky tape as necessary.

 

If you have ever tried to fit a "Britney" onto a skull the size of a coconut you will know it can be a bit tricky what with the adjusting of the clamps..and getting the headset to then stay put, especially if they are bouncing about all over the stage.

 

Perhaps we are fortunate too that a lot of the older girls, in the cast/chorus, can change the batteries/adjust the booms/make sure the tx pack are on/unmuted very quickly and appreciate we trust them with the responsibility. We introduced a buddy system, sort of, where the ladies of all ages check each other's kit to ensure the packs are on and unmuted.

 

(Perhaps we are even more fortunate in that these same older girls volunteer for tech anyway...in the said mic running and fitting, driving the lighting desk when we are focusing and stuff like follow spot ops. Those who hope to go on to higher education in the drama line are all too aware of needing to have as much experience of all things theatrical should the question ever arise in an interview.)

[Ynot]

I'm trying to understand what the question is here? are you saying that those in contact with children had to be crb checked or that no one was allowed in contact with children?

As far as I'm aware, the venue in question will not permit radio mic packs to be used on anyone under 18. That could be misinterpreted as it is 2nd hand, but there is apparently a definite policy.

 

Our own policy is that where necessary we work WITH the chaperones for mic fitting. That said several of our (amateur) crew have been CRB'd anyway.

But I wouldn't expect anywhere to outright limit the use to over 18s...

[paulears]

I'm (I think) the only male on a forum for people with kids who want to be on stage, or films, and I posted this on there this morning, to gauge their perspective on this. link here They are far more pragmatic about it. They have few concerns over people fitting their kids with personal mics as long as it's done appropriately, and not in private - so all this stuff about using so many people and having specific jobs to do just aren't required. Most mic changes need speed and simplicity.

 

I suspect these venues with such heavy handed rules have no real idea what really goes on, and how the system actually works with responsible people.

[S&L]

Mrs S&L is involved with a large (50 strong) youth musical theatre group. the general rule for them is chaperones on site back stage at all times, ALL back stage crew are their own people, ALL crb checked. mic fitting and swaps are usually done by their own stage manager or more usually their own assistant stage manager. the mics are usually hired directly by the company themselves. the sound and lighting engineers vary and are often provided by the theatre but sometimes by the company - the company works in the same theatre every year so their staff know their way around back stage as well as anyone. It's rare that there is a particularly sensitive positioning but that would usually be done by one of the chaperones.

[IRW]

Well the venue I used to work at (ahem) never had a straight up "no under 18's to be fitted with RMs". As others have hinted at, if they were really little (say panto kids) it generally was arranged for the chaperone to supervise/arrange the fitting up of the microphone, or if they were old enough to look after it themselves (for example, a reliable 16-18 y/o) then it would be handed to them, they would run their own cable, and in either case, the 'rf tech' (be that duty tech/show rf tech/sound #2) would ensure the correct positioning of the capsule- a policy I personally work to.

 

Back to the venue in question, generally for incoming companies, the company would hire the radio mics as a set, and do with them what they wish, house staff would leave them to it, although it was advised that (amdram) companies have a dedicated 'RF tech'(read, someone to look after mic swaps), in the interests of making sure the kit didn't get damaged. From what Tony is saying, my guess would be that either the policy either hasn't been clearly explained, has been badly understood, or a combination of both!

[chrisw92]

I find this topic rather interesting, I have never even thought about it before.

 

 

Running the sound for a very small children's drama group there has been no age limit enforced or even mentioned, if there was then nobody performing on the stage would get a microphone.

 

I can see why it would look a bit odd for people. I usually place the microphones where they are needed and depending on the age of the performers I handle the rest of the placement in two ways. If they are young then I usually fit the boys packs (down their top and into their pocket, we have no 'fancy' belt packs), if its a girl then I usually get one of the chaperones to do the rest with my supervision. If the children are older then once I have the microphone placement set then they can do the rest by themselves. Since I mic up backstage, after they come out of the dressing rooms, the stage managers and volunteers are present everything that happens backstage is supervised.

 

 

I think an age limit is a daft idea but chaperones should be there at all times.

[Gareth A]

I think that a direct no is definitely wrong - however I always believe that whatever is

 

a) Satisfactory to the venue

b) Satisfactory to the persons in questions

c) Satisfactory to the chaperones / caring parents

d) Satisfactory to the job required

 

is always the best. There is no such thing as a daft idea when a) it comes to the protection of young children and b) the risk of a young person going he / she did . . . especially if the chaperone was distracted.

[jamesperrett]

Has someone possibly suggested that RF emissions could be a health hazard to young people? This was a common argument against placing mobile phone masts near schools (despite the fact that many children had their own phones which produced a much stronger field close to them than the phone masts would).

 

James.

[Ynot]

Most RF 'risks; that have been touted in the past few years have revolved around the fact that devices like mobiles are by definition close to the brain.

I can't remember the last time I strapped a mic TX anywhere near the head, so I'd seriously doubt that there would likely be any appreciable risks associated...