Audio Equipment

[Enaver]

Hey everyone,

At the moment for my films i have just been using a Rhode Videomic Pro pluged into my canon 550d. However as most of you know this doesnt really change the sound that much at all. Still getting problems like not hearing my characters well and also wind always seems to be a problem.

I've been told to invest into a video recorder and a boom pole to put my mic on. However i have no idea which ones are good and how this all works. I assume once im in the editing process i have to sync the sound to the video but im not sure how you would get it perfect.

Any advice would be great thanks!

 

[IndieBudget]

You must have the mic 18" or less from the speaker's mouth or you will get crappy sound. DSLRs have crappy sound systems, so you need to record external, Need a knowledgeable person to operate the boom. Lav mics work well. I use cheap digital recorders and hide the mic on the talent. Best way to get good dialog is to use proper technique.

Great option

Hire a sound person who knows what they are doing, cheaper than the eqt.

ohh and make note of those who regularly post on this board who are sound people then follow their posts.

 

[Alcove Audio]

IB briefly covered it all.

You must have the mic 18" or less from the speaker's mouth

It must also be in front of the speakers mouth; it doesn't do much good if it's eight inches away and pointed at the back of the actors head.

What you need is someone who has some idea of how to swing a boom. The mic on the end of the boom should be above the actor, and the mic should be pointed where the neck meets the chest. The angle of the mic should change every time the actor move his/her head, or a different actor speaks. This is not easy; imagine having to aim your camera without any visual references - this is what a professional boom-op does successfully every day.

For right now you can get a really cheap audio recorder ($100 to $200) and make a DIY boom-pole ($40). That's enough to get you started, and provided you have someone to swing the boom for you (as instructed above), you should notice an improvement in your sound. You can worry about getting better gear when you have something resembling an audio budget ($500 to $1,500).

You can check out my blog for a little prep course on production sound, at least you will figure out the questions you should be asking.

http://www.myspace.com/alcoveaudio/blog

You can also check out my numerous posts here on IndieTalk.

Solid production sound is all about preproduction and technique. That gets you a third of the way there. The rest is audio post, but that's another topic.

As always your best bet is to hire a professional. Next is to hook up with an ambitious up-and-comer. After that you have to rely on inexperienced friends or PAs.

 

[Enaver]

Thanks both of you.

I have around £250 which i guess is around $350-400 if i am right. Films i am doing are just for my own fun and learning, they are bit all over the place with when we do it so hiring a sound guy isnt something i would do. Which i understand means i wont get the best results but im happy with that.

Just looking for better sound quality than what i have already.

What audio recorders would you recommend with my budget?

 

[Alcove Audio]

As I mentioned there are a number of inexpensive audio recorders that will do the job with the Rode VMP. The Tascam DR series and the Zoom H series will do okay. They run from about $70 to $200. I personally prefer Tascam; I like the build a little better. If I had to pick one for under $200 it would be the DR-40 - at least it will take XLR mics if I need it to.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821259-REG/Tascam_DR_40_DR_40_4_Track_Handheld_Digital.html

As I said you can DIY a boom-pole. Rode makes one for about $150.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/392860-REG/Rode_BOOMPOLE_Boompole_for_Rode_NTG_1.html

Extra wind protection is made by Rode and Rycote.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/802236-REG/Rode_DEADCAT_VMP_Dead_Cat_Wind_Muff.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/770020-REG/Rycote_55409_Rycote_Mini_Windjammer_for.html

You'll need an extension cable:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...sive_MPS_MJS_10ST_Stereo_Mini_3_5mm_Male.html


So...

DR-40 - $200

Rode Boom - $150

Rycote WJ - $45

Cable - $5

TOTAL - $400

 

[Chrisk]

Enaver, have you installed Magic Lantern on your 550? If not give that a go first, turning the AGC off will make quite a difference and it's free. As I understand it you are just shooting for yourself to get ideas down and experiment but can't hack the terrible audio. If that is what you are after you may well be satisfied with getting a cheap boom, extension cable and running that rode into your 550 without AGC. Cost's nothing to try a test shot with the mic hand held or camera mounted with the camera in close (only really worried about the audio here so don't worry about your shot).
Magic lantern is very easy to install and you only have to flash the camera once. And if you want to revert to normal you just use an SD card without the software on.

If that does not deliver the quality you are after then Alcove's suggestion will be another great step forward but you have to spend for that.

to give you an idea the following clip was shot with a camera mounted mic going straight to cam.

http://vimeo.com/20993192

Technically my mic (me66) is better than the rode but the Rode is better matched to the 550 inputs so may actually give better results. Was shot with a 50mm lens to give you an idea of how far away the mic is positioned (one full pavement's width away, much further than a boomed mic should be).
It's not great but if you find it acceptable then you only need to spend on boom, mount and cable (my hookup is balanced but yours probably won't be). Of course being cabled up to the camera is not ideal and if you do have the money get the recorders Alcove mentioned, they are a much better way of doing things.

If you are taking separate audio give pluraleyes or dualeyes a look, will save you hours and if you are a student you can get them half price.
As for doing it by hand always make sure you take guide audio on cam (also essential for pluraleyes to work) use a clapper if you can and line up the transients. You will hear the two soundtracks phasing against each other once you are close and just slip the audio frame by frame until the phasing stops. It's time consuming but not a terribly difficult job.

Just noticed you also mentioned wind noise. Whatever approach you use you will need some good wind protection for your mic. Rycote do a nice kit with slip on blimp, furry cover and shock mount for on cam or boomed. The wind protection is not as good as a full on blimp and I have had problems in a stiff wind (riverside) but been fine in normal breezes. Not sure if they do one for the rode tho

 

[rocksure]

I think when it comes to getting a portable recorder, whatever brand you choose, try to get one with XLR inputs. These lock the connector in place which is better than mini jack type inputs.
Rode make a boom pole that is relatively inexpensive you could look into that too.

 

[Enaver]

Cheers Chrisk.

After submitting this topic I went and did some research around as well and reviewed my budget.

I got myself a Tascam DR-100, Rode 3M Boom pole, Extension leads for the pole and a Rycote mini windjammer. Looked into it and will be interesting to learn all about it over time, will also get some family/friends to help with filming and the audio recording.

As regards to Magic Lantern i have looked into it before but i was told it could mess up your camera if you installed it wrong. Of course me being new to this made me scared to try it and didnt do it in case i messed up. I will go looked that up now.


Thanks again.

 

[Chrisk]

It is true that if connection is lost while flashing the camera you are the proud owner of a camera shaped paperweight. In reality though the process takes about a second and as long as your battery indicator is not flashing (always fully recharge for safety's sake) and you don't touch camera, computer or cable you will be fine. Upgrading your firmware is exactly the same procedure and carries the same risks.
Only other problem can be caused by not preparing the card properly (making it bootable but forgetting to copy across the correct system file), this can cause overheating if you do not realise what you have done after a minute or so.
Updating to newer versions is as simple as copying files to your disks.
Adds a lot of useful features such as wider range of ISOs (choosing multiples of 160 is recommended for the cinestyle profile) exposure zebras, automated focus pulls and intervalometer for timelapse shooting. It also offers focus peaking but, to be honest, it's not very good.