DIY for placing a lav
You have two issues. Laving non-professional talent requires some sensitivity.
I introduce myself with a handshake and eye contact as the sound guy and explain that I need to put the lav and transmitter on her. We sometimes step away from the set to a more discreet location.
Sometimes I enlist the help of a female friend to drop the lav through the blouse and, perhaps to attach it, IF she knows what to do.
I usually drop the connector end of the mic down through her blouse and ask her to find it at her waist and get it for me after she pulls her blouse out of her slacks or skirt. The I run the cable around her waist, through belt loops if they are there and the wire won't be seen. If there are no belt loops, I tuck the wire inside her waistband to keep it out of sight.
I hang the transmitter on the back of her waistband, or sometimes put it in a jacket or pants pocket.
Each neckline is different. Turtlenecks are relatively easy, more open blouses may be more tricky. The material has a lot to do with it. Silk and a lot of synthetics can be problematic. They buildup and discharge static and you can hear that. Some necklaces are problematic. If they hit the mic they just have to go.
I usually try to use one or two loops in the lav wire for strain relief and to damp the noise created when the lav wire is rubbed during normal motion. Some cables are a lot worse than others. Usually the more flexible the cable, the less noise it conducts.
Make sure when they tuck the blouse back in that they don't yank the cable! When de-laving, first detach the mic from the transmitter, free it from belt loops, waist bands or tape, then gently pull the mic cable back up through the blouse.
If the talent needs to go to the bathroom during a shoot. It is advisable to disconnect the transmitter and take it off of them. If you don't, you will be reminded that I suggested this when the talent returns with a soggy, non-working transmitter. When they return ALWAYS visually check to see if they have pulled the mic loose when tucking back in.
