Veteran production sound mixer Tony Johnson from New Zealand has relied on DPA Microphones for over 15 years, using lavaliers, boom mics, and miniature shotguns on high-profile film productions.
His work spans The Piano, The Hobbit trilogy, Crazy Rich Asians, and the Avatar sequels, earning multiple BAFTA and Academy Award nominations. Johnson highlights DPA’s reliability, sound quality, and flexibility as key to achieving consistent results under demanding conditions.
Lavaliers on Challenging Productions
On Avatar: The Way of Water and Avatar: Fire and Ash, Johnson used the DPA 6061 Subminiature Lavalier to capture dialogue through oxygen masks and complex costumes. “The mics were small, easy to hide, and provided clean dialogue without obstructing visual effects,” he notes. For characters like Spider, the mic was discreetly placed inside wigs, keeping it stable during movement and stunts.
Boom and Plant Microphones
Johnson’s primary boom mic is the DPA 4017 Shotgun, praised for low self-noise, off-axis transparency, and RF immunity. For The Wrecking Crew, he deployed DPA 4097 Miniature Shotguns as plant mics inside a car, demonstrating versatility with mounting options on visors, seats, and instruments. On A Minecraft Movie, the DPA 4063 Omnidirectional Lavalier captured Jack Black’s vocals without distortion, even at high SPL.
Reliability and Flexibility
Johnson emphasizes that sound quality alone is insufficient on film sets. He values DPA for ease of rigging, adaptability to costumes or wigs, and stable performance in challenging environments, including outdoor and high-movement scenes.
Looking Ahead
Johnson is also eager to adopt DPA’s new CORE+ technology, which promises minimal distortion. His philosophy remains consistent: anticipate challenges, trust reliable equipment, and maintain audience immersion. “DPA helps me make sure it’s the half no one ever forgets,” he concludes.
