$10,000 budget for complete set of shooting equipment

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Ultimate_PIMP

Hello everyone!

Ok so i just got the awesome privilege of making a list of things that a company will need to get great quality video content for the web.
The budget isn't really defined... so this is basically a dream. (round $10,000 is the vibe i got)

Anyways, here is a list of things that i currently have. Lighting is something i'm gonna pick out myself, but please critiuqe what iv'e got so far.

About 90% of the content we will make is interview style. Kinda like a Vsauce video but a lot more attractive :cool:

So here's the list I've got so far:

Blackmagic cinema camera: $2,000
2 Camera ssd's (500gb): $760
Konova slider: $350
Manfrotto pro fluid mini head: $160
Manfrotto pro tripod legs: $200

Canon 50mm f/1.2 $1,200
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 ii $2,000

Now remember were going high quality as eff.
So go crazy. Also, what do you guys think of the black magic cinema camera?
 
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Ultimate_PIMP, you're new here... Alcove Audio is a very respected member here with over 5000+ posts. He's one of the audio gurus on this forum, and has helped hundreds (including myself) with his audio advice. Some of his posts can be blunt and very to-the-point, however his goal is always to help and advise...

If you slate him again, you're going to offend people here. It's also against the rules and can get you banned.
 
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Ultimate_PIMP said:
You never said that you had that experience.
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Did you bother to find out?

Ultimate_PIMP said:
Do you not agree that different mikes have a different sound?
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99% of non-audio professionals will never hear most differences. In fact, when it comes to production sound, most audio professionals cannot hear the difference unless the mic is skillfully used. Poor boom skills, poor lav placement, etc. will negate the advantages of any quality mic.

Let's hope that your suddenly acquired boom-op has the required skills.

Ultimate_PIMP said:
You suggested a lav mic, or a headset mic, and that is definitely a good option. But the sound of those mic's are very flat. Not much of any lows, not much of any highs, it sounds like, to me at least, that they're mainly capturing mid frequencies.
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That's because professional production sound folks replace the stock lavs with something a lot better (which I mentioned in post #22 of this thread). In fact, when I work with properly placed quality lavs I usually need to roll off some low end.


The NTG-3 is a really nice mic. However, I would recommend a hypercardioid like the Audio Technica AT4053b as you will be shooting indoors. This will somewhat, but no completely, mitigate the "hollow" "roomy" sound of an (improperly used) shotgun mic.

I also recommended the Marantz PMD-661 as your recorder. Cheap recorders have cheap preamps. Cheap preamps lack of transparency and add noise, usually in the form of hiss and AD/DA aliasing.


The whole point of production sound is clean and accurate - no noise and no coloration.


If you want a different recommendation than mine go to JWSoundGroup.net for expert advice. It is a production sound forum for professionals, hosted and moderated by Jeff Wexler. He's done over 75 films, including "42," "We Bought a Zoo" "The Last Samurai," "Fight Club," "Jerry Maguire" and "Independence Day." Here's his IMDB:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0923306/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

The rest of the folks on JWSoundGroup.net are of equal caliber. However, if you ask questions there be VERY prepared and give LOTS of detail, because, if you are not prepared, they'll rip you apart more thoroughly than a great white shark during a feeding frenzy.



And excuse me for being passionate about my work. I hear the common production sound mistakes every single day, so I very forcefully put forth my case regarding proper skills, techniques and equipment. So sorry if that offends you.
 
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OP seems to have little knowledge about audio, and gear in general.

OP: I would listen to all of the advice Alcove and others are giving you. You seem to be unsure about what you are talking about and what you are doing. Don't fight it, listen to what others have to say, especially those with more knowledge in the subject you are talking about.
 
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Alcove you're getting yourself into the same situation I sometimes find myself in on this forum.

The OP says he wants to achieve high quality but never will! He doesn't know (and obviously doesn't care) much about sound, so in all likelihood he'll never even realise that he hasn't achieved high quality because he'll be oblivious to his mediocre (or worse) sound quality. Maybe his clients will be satisfied with poor/mediocre sound, it is only for the web after all, and then he can pat himself on the back for the quality of his camera-work/editing. If the client isn't happy then he'll have learned the hard way, which from reading his comments so far seems the only way the OP is capable of learning about the importance of sound quality!

G
 
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AudioPostExpert said:
Alcove you're getting yourself into the same situation I sometimes find myself in on this forum.

The OP says he wants to achieve high quality but never will! He doesn't know (and obviously doesn't care) much about sound, so in all likelihood he'll never even realise that he hasn't achieved high quality because he'll be oblivious to his mediocre (or worse) sound quality. Maybe his clients will be satisfied with poor/mediocre sound, it is only for the web after all, and then he can pat himself on the back for the quality of his camera-work/editing. If the client isn't happy then he'll have learned the hard way, which from reading his comments so far seems the only way the OP is capable of learning about the importance of sound quality!

G
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Yah, the ntg-3 is shit.
 
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AudioPostExpert is 100% correct.

Ultimate_PIMP, why come to a forum and ask for advice but not listen to it, and be hostile about it???

Anyway, Alcove Audio already very wisely recommended you pick a AT4053b over the Ntg-3.

Alcove Audio said:
The NTG-3 is a really nice mic. However, I would recommend a hypercardioid like the Audio Technica AT4053b as you will be shooting indoors. This will somewhat, but no completely, mitigate the "hollow" "roomy" sound of an (improperly used) shotgun mic.
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Yet, you're sticking to the Ntg-3...

To be honest, I wish no one had advised you given the way you are acting.
 
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Hello,
I got myself in this same situation: I want to get a "shotgun audio" from my interviews, but I don't have a boom operator. It is that hard to get a good sound from a shotgun in a stand?

My option would be the Rode NTG-3, and a recorder like Tascam dr-40. But reading this topic I'm a little afraid, cause I work alone in my sets. Set and point the Rode for the interviewed and monitor with headphones is not a good idea?

I really don't want to invest my $1500 in a lavalier. I have other projects to shoot where the shotgun is the way to go, like short films. But my money comes from these kind of jobs with documentary interviews.

I appreciate any tips.
 
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FernandoAndre said:
Hello,
I got myself in this same situation: I want to get a "shotgun audio" from my interviews, but I don't have a boom operator. It is that hard to get a good sound from a shotgun in a stand?

My option would be the Rode NTG-3, and a recorder like Tascam dr-40. But reading this topic I'm a little afraid, cause I work alone in my sets. Set and point the Rode for the interviewed and monitor with headphones is not a good idea?

I really don't want to invest my $1500 in a lavalier. I have other projects to shoot where the shotgun is the way to go, like short films. But my money comes from these kind of jobs with documentary interviews.

I appreciate any tips.
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The issue is your concentration. Can you interview, pay attention to the minute visual details and pay attention to the minute audio details all at the same time? Although audio is not "set-it-and-forget-it" I try to make it as painless as possible with simple - although not always - inexpensive solutions.

A shotgun mic has a very narrow pick-up (polar) pattern, so must be aimed very carefully. The problem here is that if the subject moves even just a little bit to the side or turns their head slightly you radically change what the mic is picking up. So if the subject is seated in a chair and leans to their left you are now recording whatever is over their right shoulder. Or if the subject turns their head to the side you are recording whatever is coming out of their ear. Yes, you will still pick up the dialog from ambient reflections, but it will sound very, very different than if the mic is aimed properly.


lobar1.jpg

If they are strictly sit-down interviews you don't need a wireless system; a hard-wired omni lav into the mixer/recorder will do just fine. There are many really nice relatively affordable lavs if you don't mind seeing the lav.

mic-lav1.jpg

​

I don't know why so many object to seeing the lav, but if you do, you need to spend A LOT of time on proper placement, and should probably spend the extra money for lavs that are made for that purpose - like the CountryMan B6.

countryman_b6.jpg

Very tiny, the B6 is easy to hide.

This system would plug directly into any unit with an XLR input.

countryman_b6a.jpg

Probably about US$500.
 
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I have to apologize for Pimp, it seems he's from Florida. We're not exactly the state with the best reputation . . .

And to Pimp, you really should start listening to the advice here. It's been pretty solid and your disdain really shows your lack of experience and unwillingness to learn anything.

So quick rundown:
• The Senn G3 doesn't make the sound, the lavalier does. If you don't like the ME2, buy a different lav.
• Never use a shotgun inside, even the NTG-3. Just because you don't understand why, doesn't make the mic shit.
• If you care to, please explain to us how to properly boom. If you can, then boom. If you cannot, then get a lavalier. Not to mention, it's cheaper to wire someone up.
• Lastly, stop being a reactive ass. Honestly, it do you a lot of good to just play dumb and innocent than to be the smartass who obviously doesn't know anything. I mean, a H4n, really?

If you're wanting to do web-videos, the most honest advice you can get is to scrap this "budget" and start looking at what you REALLY need. On a white wall, it doesn't matter what you're DoF is. It's going to be white.

If you're wanting quick turn around, buy an all in one camera. For instance, any 1/3 chip cameras with proper XLR. If you really want a large chip, go the C100 or FS100 route. You're posting to the web, and I know I'll be flamed for saying this, but film level sound isn't going to matter. But then again, neither is film quality images either . . . It's all about being realistic.

If you insist on going the BMCC route, invest in 2 good zooms. a 24-70 on the BMCC will act like a 48-140, which is great for interviews, but terrible for wides. So invest in a good wide lens as well, preferably something designed for an ASP-C sensor so you can go wider.

Audio: it's been well said already what you need here; a good recorder and/or mixer and a good lavalier. You don't have to go wireless, but the very least get a good lav. Then get a hyper cardioid, such as the AT mentioned. My preference is to always use both, and of course, learn how to properly boom (I'll give you a hint, if you think simply pointing it at the mouth is correct, then you should do a bit more research.)

Lighting, sounds like you're covered/not covered. A decent set of fresnels won't cost you more than 2 grand, of if you're wanting to go a cooler route, get some Kino's. As for mixing LED and Tungsten . . . eh. It'll depend on what the color temps of the LED's are, and frankly, if you have to ask if you can mix the two, I'd suggest avoiding just that.

Again, if as you say, this is all on white:

Canon XA-10 or XF 100 (or similar)
Arri 4-light (2x650 & 2x300) with 2 medium chimera's.
Rode Lavalier or Countryman B6 or B3 lavalier (XLR)
AT4053b with a proper stand
Sound Devices MixPre-D (optional, but recommended given you'll have the budget.)

The best part is: it'll cost you less than 5-6k total, which means you could get a second cam for that slider you want. Or just pocket the savings as a "consultation fee". :)
 
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