Netflix’s “Physical: 100” Used the Deity W.Lav Pro

March 10, 2023

Sound recording is an important aspect of any production, and it is no different with the South Korean Netflix Show ‘Physical: 100’. The show involves 100 participants competing in an arena-like contest where only one person is left standing. The final winner walks away with $240,000.  

Equipment Used

The ‘Physical: 100’ sound team used 100 Deity W.Lav Pro waterproof lavaliers plugged into Tentacle Sync Track E pocket recorders for 32-bit sound recording. To protect the recorders from water damage, they used Aquapack pouches. All of this equipment was chosen because it has waterproof ratings, which is necessary for the show’s arena setting. The Deity W.Lav Pro lavaliers are known for their high-quality sound and IP57 waterproof rating and were ideal for capturing the participants’ audio. The Tentacle Sync Track E pocket recorders were used to record the audio along with timecode, ensuring that all of the audio clips would synchronize correctly.

Each briefcase holds 20 pocket recorders and W.Lav Pro necklaces.

Show Prep

“I believe W.Lav Pro is a professional-level lavalier with outstanding performance, including water resistance, at very reasonable price. I hope it can be utilized in far more content like this in the future”, said Lee Shin Hak, who helped the sound team test and demo different options during prep. Mr. Hak and the AVX Corporation supplied the audio gear for Season 1.

“I am very satisfied that it can be used with any wireless or recorder thanks to its microdot type.”

Recording Process

The sound recording process for ‘Physical: 100’ was challenging due to the show’s setting. The arena environment was noisy, and there were many obstacles to overcome. The production team used microphone necklaces on each contestant to ensure high-quality audio. A microphone necklace is subtle and can be worn without affecting the contestant’s appearance too much. It also will position the lavalier capsule consistently and can capture various sounds, including the contestant’s voice and surrounding noises. 

Physical: 100 contestants are seen wearing W.Lav Pro microphone necklaces.

Another added benefit of using microphone necklaces was reduced daily prep time. No need for individually mounting and hiding lavaliers on all 100 contestants. Now the sound team just had to slip a necklace over their neck. This meant the team could mic up everyone in minutes rather than hours.

You can see W.Lav Pro lavalier wires running down the back of each contestant to their pocket recorder tucked in their shorts.

Sound recording is a critical part of any production, and it was no different with ‘Physical: 100’. The use of 100 Deity W.Lav Pro waterproof lavaliers plugged into 100 Tentacle Sync Track E pocket recorders ensured that the audio was of high quality and synchronized correctly. The post-production process ensured that the final product was a clear and balanced audio track that captured the excitement and energy of the show.

Watch Physical: 100 right now on Netflix https://www.netflix.com/title/81587446