is this a good equipt set up?

kgasser2

kgasser2

I've been making short films with crappy equipt for a while and am ready to invest in some good stuff. I was just wondering what people think about this stuff, what of it is good, something better for a similar price, what accesories are unnecessary, etc.

my computer and software that i already have:
mac book pro mac os x vers. 10.5.6
2.4 ghz intel core 2 duo
4 gb 667 mhz ddr2 sdram
adobe cs4 master collection

i'm pretty much already set on a Canon XH A1 ($3000)
canon wide angle converter lense ($350)
hoya uv filter, polarizer, warming filter ($110)
pro vista airlift tripod with dolly ($200)
some hard case ($150)
sony dvm-63hd tapes
impact tungsten 3 pice light set ($205)
audio technica atr55 mic ($80)

i know the camera is good, but i havent even messed with the software that i have, so i was wondering is there proper color correction and stuff like that on there so i can get a nice picture?

and would anyone recommend a contrast filter?

also if anyone wants to check out the script i wrote (first draft) i can email you the pdf of it

thanks a lot

koryg
 
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kgasser2 said:
adobe cs4 master collection... i havent even messed with the software that i have, so i was wondering is there proper color correction and stuff like that on there so i can get a nice picture?
Click to expand...

I have CS3. Yah, all kinds of things you can do for colour-correction as well as a host of other things to spruce up the picture. You need a lot of RAM, though, if you want to bridge the footage over to AEFX from Premiere. I currently only have 2gig ram, and it gets as slow as molasses when doing that. It gets the job done - but it ain't fun. Maybe Macs handle memory differently, or something, but it bogs down (for me) eventually on Windows.

The big downside of CS3 (and pretty sure CS4, as well) is lack of OMF support. If you're going to do your own audio, it's no biggie to load up Soundbooth and do your thing... even though it's not terribly intuitive. You can get by.

Every project that I've needed someone else to work on sound, they've wanted OMF. I've never been able to give them it, with Adobe software. :(

It's a good set of software you've bought, mind you.
 
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thanks for that.

anyone have an opinion on the microphone, lights, wide angle lense, or filters?

also, i know it probably depends on the situation, but in general would you recommend attaching the mic to the camera or using a boom pole?
 
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I've never used a wide angle lens - I don't like the look. But
if that's a look you like then this is necessary. You could save
money to buy either more lights, grip equipment (like flags,
c-stands) or a better mic and a boom.
kgasser2 said:
also, i know it probably depends on the situation, but in general would you recommend attaching the mic to the camera or using a boom pole?
Click to expand...
I don't believe it depends on the situation. The farther away the
mic is the more noise and less signal you get. The goal it to have
a high signal to noise ratio - more dialogue, less ambience. To get
that you need the mic as close to the actors as you can get.

Thus the need for a boom.

Other than that, it looks like a nice set up.
 
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thanks for the info

whats a better mic that you could recommend? i dont really want to spend more than $200 or $300

and is there a substantial benefit to having 2 microphones?
 
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Your going to need one for outside and inside. Look at a condenser mic for inside and a shotgun for outside. You can find decent mic's for both of these in your price range $200 - $300. (Each)
 
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kgasser2 said:
anyone have an opinion on the microphone...
...would you recommend attaching the mic to the camera or using a boom pole?
Click to expand...

The best option is to retain a professional production sound crew. Yeah, it's perceived as expensive, but will save you a lot of time/money in the long run and greatly increase the quality of your project.

If you are set on DIY there are lots of "affordable" mic & boompole kits out there. Just remember that when you buy cheap it's going to sound cheap. But even more important than the gear is the person(s) operating the sound gear, most especially the boom-op. A great boom-op is worth his/her weight in gold.

Check out my previous posts here, you can contact me off list and check out my blog.

http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendId=111888913
 
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i'm trying to learn so much in such a short time so dispite my efforts, i dont know as much as i should about audio and microphones. i there any specifice mic's someone can recommend? finding the right one is half the battle i think, once i have something to work with i can learn how to use it properly.
 
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I wonder if hiring a professional sound crew is always the best
option. I know when I was in my 20’s and making short films I was
still in the learning and experimenting stage. I was buying
equipment like mics and cameras and lights, but I wasn’t ready to
hire pros. But, of course, each filmmaker is different.

My assumption here is kgasser is attempting to invest in some of
his own equipment to continue making his short films without
hiring a professional audio crew.

It’s only been within the last few months that I have been hearing
it’s better to have two mics - a condenser for indoors and a
shotgun for outdoors. I always thought “condenser” meant an
externally powered mic. My shotgun (long barreled) mis is a
condenser mic. At least that was my understanding.

And I’ve owned only one mic - the Sennheiser ME-66 - that I have
used both indoors and outdoors for 20 years. I’ve never felt the
need for an “indoor” mic. Though I see that several people here
recommend owning two mics.

kgasser, since you want to only spend $200 - $300 then the mic you
have decided on seems fine. My suggestion was to drop the wide
angle converter and spend more on a mic. But that was based on my
own personal opinion - not liking the look of a wide angle lens.
 
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thanks for the help directorik. i know what you mean about the way wide angles lenses look. i was only considering it because the project i'm working on with be filmed in the little 2 bedroom apartment and the bathroom, where i though having the lense would help with seeing more in such a small room. but i notice in a lot of tests the it bends the picture near the frame, which i'm not a fan of. the me-66 seems like a reasonable mic, do you have any clips where this mic was used? i'd like a link.

thanks to everyone else for the info as well
 
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I don't have any clips that only use the production audio. All
the clips I have are finished products. But if I have time I could
upload a clip or two from one of my movies. Frankly any clip using
a Senheisser won't make much of a difference. You (or anyone)
could use it badly or could use it well. Clear audio is clear audio.
The atr55 is fine. Just cheaper, won't last as long and will take
longer to get the clearist audio.

I shoot a lot in small, practical locations like apartments and bathrooms
and never use a wide angle lens. For the very reason you mention.
Sure, you can see more, but it distorts the picture. As a director and
camera operator, you need to decide what's more important to the
movie.
 
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Alcove Audio said:
The best option is to retain a professional production sound crew. Yeah, it's perceived as expensive, but will save you a lot of time/money in the long run and greatly increase the quality of your project.
Click to expand...
directorik said:
I wonder if hiring a professional sound crew is always the best option.
Click to expand...
At the very least you should have one person on the set whose entire job is to handle the sound duties, hopefully someone with at least some experience with audio.
kgasser2 said:
i'm trying to learn so much in such a short time so dispite my efforts, i dont know as much as i should about audio and microphones. i there any specific mic's someone can recommend? finding the right one is half the battle i think, once i have something to work with i can learn how to use it properly.
Click to expand...
You're absolutely right, there is a lot to learn when it comes to audio. You can PM me if you want.

As an sound editor/sound designer 90%+ of the projects that come into my studio involve attempting to clean up poor production sound. Unless you have a huge audio post budget there is only so much that can be done to fix noisy production audio tracks; that's why I carp so much about capturing solid production sound.

As far as what mic you should get in the $200 to $300 range the Audio-Technica AT875 and the Rode NTG-2 shotgun mics are both very popular. They can be run on battery power or phantom power, are fairly well built and have reasonable specs. However, you will need a few additional accessories such as a shockmount, a boom-pole, cables and wind protection. This will run up your budget a bit. Kits that include all of the above run about $575. (BTW, the Rode NTG-3 has gotten quite a bit of nice press lately and been favorably compared to mics at two to three times the price. I'm considering one for myself.)

One thing to remember about your audio gear; with proper care it will usually far outlast you camera. I have mics that I've been using for 25+ years; they are just about the only things that I've had for that long. In fact, some mics from the 30's and 40's are still used to this day. So pure economics dictate that buying a quality mic is a good investment. Let's say you buy the Canon XH A1 for $3k. Figure that you'll use it for about three (3) years, that's $1k per year. Now let's say you buy a Schoeps CMIT5U shotgun mic for $2k. It will last you at least 20 years; that's only $100 a year. If you buy a Rode NTG-3 ($700) and it lasts you 20 years that's $35 a year. That's a pretty good investment and it will hold it's resale value unlike a camera that will become technologically irrelevant in a few years.
 
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do you really think a camera like that will be obsolete in 3 years? well whatever, hopefully i'll be making more money by then anyways.

directorik says the atr55 is good enough, you say i need a $600 kit.
i dont really know your backgrounds but i guess considering your a pro audio tech i would take ur advice.

how much better with the sound be spending $600 on that kit, rather than getting the atr55 and a sweet mogami cable? I mean i want my project to sound good, i want to enter it into as many festivals as i can find, but i'm not really counting on it getting picked up by some major distributor you know? I know the better one would be a better long term investment, but if the atr55 would suffice, then i'm content with that.

if i do go with the atr55, what other accesories would you recommend? i hear mogami cables are sweet, and you said i should get a shock mount and stuff.
 
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actually forget my last post, i recalculated my budget without the wide angle lense and i can afford that rode kit. i found it on b and h for $570. pluggin that straight into my cam, is that going to get me a good sound? (assuming i use everything properly)
 
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