Miking D-Day: how one sound mixer captured dialogue and battlefield chaos for Pressure

Two extremes, one production

The production had to handle everything from quiet, intimate dialogue to high-SPL battlefield action. Brendan Fraser plays Supreme Allied Commander Dwight Eisenhower and Andrew Scott plays British meteorologist James Stagg, whose conflicting weather predictions shape one of the most consequential decisions of World War II. The film also includes the Utah Beach landings, with scenes involving shouting, gunfire and explosions.

Hiding the mic

For lavaliers, Richardson turned to DPA 6060 and 6061 Subminiature Lavaliers, which provided the discreet size and superior sound quality the production needed. “The 6000 Series microphones are very good at hiding in very small places, without any visibility; they’re perfect for that,” she says.

For scenes involving shouting or explosive action, Richardson added DPA 4061 Loud SPL Omnidirectional Miniature Microphones and 4062 Extreme SPL Omnidirectional Miniature Microphones to her kit, which “offered additional headroom and clean handling of high‑SPL moments.”

Booms and plants

For interior scenes in the forecast and operations rooms, and for other booming applications, Richardson deployed DPA 4017 Shotgun Microphones. “The DPA shotguns sound lovely and mix incredibly well with the radio mics,” she says. “The mics also provided the clarity and consistency needed to capture the film’s dense meteorological discussions and the energetic hubbub of the operations room.”

For plant miking, Richardson relied heavily on DPA 4018 Supercardioid Microphones with active cables, hidden inside telephones and around maps and military equipment. She chose the 4018s for their compact size, durability and diffused, mix-friendly sound. “We planted the mics into vehicles, and they dealt with vibrations and humidity incredibly well,” she says. “The 4018s are very durable; you can place them wherever you need to, and they work great.”

Beyond dialogue

Richardson used both DPA and Wisycom gear to capture extensive on-set sound effects, from teleprinters and telephones to motorbikes, landing craft and military vehicles. “We had original military trucks, Jeeps and amphibious landing crafts, and we miked everything we could,” she explains. “We deployed a 4062 with an MTP61 on a vehicle, and off it went. The mic placements specifically provided excellent flexibility.”

Keeping the signal clean

To support the DPA microphones, Richardson used Wisycom MTP61 Miniature Bodypack Transmitters across the cast, MTP40 Bodypack and MTB40s Plug-on Transmitters for plant mics and MTP60 Miniature transmitters on booms, with an MRK16 Modular Wireless Microphone Receiver System and LFA Wideband Active Antennas for multizone coverage.

The MTP61’s compact size was a standout advantage, and its Bluetooth control module proved invaluable on set. “We could connect to the device without having to touch the transmitters, and the actors absolutely love that,” Richardson says.

For scenes involving shouting, gunfire or explosions, like the Utah Beach landings, she relied on Wisycom’s 32-bit float recording capability. “You’re not going to get any clipping. It can deal with high sound pressure levels incredibly well,” she says.

“I was really happy with the sound we were able to obtain,” Richardson says. “This included stable operation, good range, no intermodulation and incredibly usable dialogue and effects. The post team said everything we recorded was an absolute joy to use.”

Pressure is currently playing in select UK and European cinemas and is available for streaming in the U.S. and other territories.