Recording at a live event with multiple microphones and video cameras

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ppsarah

New member
Hi

I would appreciate some advice on this as this, as the first event where we are thinking of using multiple mics and video cameras. Usually we just have one video camera and the sound is taken from the speaker (sound system). Naturally this means that the sound quality is not very good.

So the goal is to have professional and clear audio.

For this event we will have 5 microphones and two videocameras.

What is the best way to record this event? Do I need to get a set of 5 lapel mics or can I get a set of 5 wireless handheld mics with two receivers? I'm assuming each videocamera has one receiver which is connected to 5 microphones?

Any other tips?

Many thanks in advance!
 
ppsarah said:
Hi

I would appreciate some advice on this as this, as the first event where we are thinking of using multiple mics and video cameras. Usually we just have one video camera and the sound is taken from the speaker (sound system). Naturally this means that the sound quality is not very good.

So the goal is to have professional and clear audio.

For this event we will have 5 microphones and two videocameras.

What is the best way to record this event? Do I need to get a set of 5 lapel mics or can I get a set of 5 wireless handheld mics with two receivers? I'm assuming each videocamera has one receiver which is connected to 5 microphones?

Any other tips?

Many thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

What kind of event? Some sort of music? Talking?
 
Nowhere near enough details, but if you mean there are 5 speakers, and you wish to personal mic them - and feed that to the PA and the cameras you have loads of choices. 5 radio systems to the PA operator is simple everyday stuff, and if the PA person is competent, and most importantly instructed that video feed is part of the job, he can record the audio for you, and for confidence, give one of your cameras a feed, while the other records room sound (for sync).

If the operator is NOT told video is part of the deal, they will concentrate 100% on the audience, and your feeds may, or may not be good.

Alternatively, you could always duplicate the receivers and bring your own mixer, and operator who can put the headphones on, shut out the room sound and give you a perfect mix, which can go to one or both cameras as you wish. Mixing live sound, even from people just speaking in presentations is NOT as simple as it sounds - because unused mics need muting, but unmoving before they speak - which needs concentration and dexterity. Open mics colour the overall sound and are bad news.

Lavs v handhelds is a good one. Handhelds can be great in the hands of experienced users, but so many people hold them at waist level, and vaguely aim them at the mouth while another speaker will stick the grill on their lips, again making a real sound guy/gal vital. For speaking users, properly applied radio mics with omni lavs are the standard - but be aware that even with your own people managing sound, the PA operator can still produce feedback trying to get volume for the people in the audience.

Each transmitter pack has a receiver - so that is five for five mics, and hence why you need a mixer. Your separate idea means hiring in 5 packs and ten receivers, as opposed to getting the PA operator to wire in the five receivers and do a mix for you.

If you give us a good idea of what the event is, we may be able to help further?
 
Yup. We need a LOT more information about what you'll be recording.

However, I can clear one thing up. When you use radio microphones you need one receiver per mic channel...so five mics would be five receivers.

We can talk about how you'll record the sound later...but you probably won't feed the full mix live to every camera...
 
With the vague information I suggest.

You record and video the event as 2 separate things. You need to get a good live audio recording by 1) multi-tracking each channel of audio from the stage, 2) setting up a stereo pair of mics in front of the act (above the sound engineers head), 3) taking a live mix from the PA, depending on how much on stage is miced up. The choice here is whats the budget.

Then film from all the cameras, using 1 fixed camera with a front stage shot and have the other roaming.

The you cut the video to the audio afterwards.

Alan
 
Hi

Thank you for all your responses, I really appreciate it. Sorry about not being specific about the type of event, I didn't realise this affects so many things. Reading the replies, now I can see why I need to be A LOT more specific. So I'll start by clarifying the type of event.

Our event is a “workshop” type of event at a hotel, where there will be people sitting theatre style, and there’s a mini stage where the speaker stands. Occasionally we have a panel interview, so there’s the speaker and 3 other panelists on the stage. During the panel interview, everyone will be sitting down. When there’s just the speaker on the stage, the speaker is standing up. There’s no podium on the stage, so it’s just the speaker with a handheld/lapel mic. There’s no background music during the event.

We’d like to record the event to use as a promotional tool for future events, so it’s very important that the quality of audio and video is excellent (ie. speakers are clear, there’s no random background noise, clear images etc). Currently there’s an open budget in terms of recording the event. We’ve already spent about 1k on a quality video camera and lapel, but the end result is still a bit amateurish.

At the moment we don’t have a PA operator, just PA person at the hotel who is able to set things up before the event. At the hotel there’s a basic PA system provided.

Considering the setup of up to 5 microphones and 2 cameras, do you think it’s best if we get a PA operator or event recording specialist to handle this side of things or is it still feasible for my non technical team to grasp the equipment needs and training so we can produce the event recording to look professional?

Any other recommendations? Thank you!
 
Why don't you take the signal from the PA mixer and feed it into one camera to record the sound. When you edit the footage you can use the recording from the one camera buy fly in the video from the second camera?

Alan.
 
Well, my point of view on a few things...

First, your $1000 would have been better spent on rentals rather than purchases. You probably have some kind of broadcast/AV hire place near you (or at least at the closest major city) and that thousand would have rented pro quality gear for the day.

Speaking as one who has done both the PA mixing and TV Mobile mixing, I wouldn't get one person to do both jobs. It'll mean neither is done perfectly because there will be compromises.

The standing guy on the stage cries out for a lapel or headset mic so they can't forget where to hold the mic. If the panel is at a desk you can get away with fixed desk mics, otherwise lapels/headsets for them as well.

If you're going to use this video "as live" then Witzendoz's idea of doing the master recording on a camera--probably one doing a constant wide shot of the stage--is a good one. However, if there's likely to be a lot of editing then I'd use a multitrack recorder to keep each mic separate. Renting pro gear would allow the cameras and audio recording to be linked with time code but, failing that, roll all the cameras and have somebody on stage hit a clapper board (or even just clap his hands obviously) just before you start.

As hinted at above, having one of the cameras doing a constant wide shot of the stage is your "get out of jail free' card.
 
Since I do hotel audio video, I would suggest using the house AV team to provide you with the wireless mics and sound system. They can give you an audio feed from an aux send to feed to one of the cameras. If you use them, you have someone to yell at if it goes wrong, but it probably won't. If you do it yourself, you will be a victim of your own learning curve and end up with something half-assed.

All that said, there isn't much to it. You get all the wireless mics you need, feed them into the mixer, send an aux send from the mixer to a camera input to record. The main outs of the mixer go to the PA.

If you use lavs, you will need a 31 band EQ to ring out the system, to control the feedback. Handhelds don't feed back nearly as much.

As a backup, you can also record the audio to something else as well as the camera. If you have two cameras going, the mic on the second camera can also record audio, just in case everything else gets messed up.

Like I said, it really isn't difficult. But since you are asking the question, it makes me think that you don't quite know enough to pull this off.
 
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