What equipment is used for movie audio? I am looking to do sound for a documentary where we have to walk around. A computer seems like a horrible idea. Actually, anything that needs to be plugged in seems like it could be a problem. I was watching things like Metallica's Some Kind of Monster and CourtTV shows. They seem to use boom mics that go into some pouch wore around the waist of the guy holding the mic. I don't really know.
What's Needed For Movie Audio?
- Thread starter sjaguar13
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bigwillz24
New member
Shotguns, Lavaliers and a bunch of post production.... 
SouthSIDE Glen
independentrecording.net
Often times the "pouch" haning around the waist is a portable DAT recorder.
The key, however, when recording audio and video to seperate media is synching then together when you go to marry them back in the studio. If you don't have proper timecode synchronization (master/slave or external "house black") in the studio, you're better off recording your audio right on the video and not to a seperate audio recorder.
G.
The key, however, when recording audio and video to seperate media is synching then together when you go to marry them back in the studio. If you don't have proper timecode synchronization (master/slave or external "house black") in the studio, you're better off recording your audio right on the video and not to a seperate audio recorder.
G.
northsiderap
New member
Recording to a camera
A decent digital video camera is like a DAT. A good ol' analog camera can be as good as a reel-to-reel if it is decent quality.
Usually cameras have external mic jacks somewhere on them. You could get/make a battery phantom supply and use stereo pair of pencil condensers...
A stereo pair of anything with decent sensitivity would do. The modern cameras have two miniature electret capsules in an XY configuration which are often as good as measurement mics. You just can't move them where you want to.
It's usually better to break the mics out, and get them closer to the source.
If it was me, I'd break into the camera and remove the mic preamp part of the camera. Then I'd make a big fat battery box or get a battery operated discrete stereo mic pre. I'd probably run some pencil condensers, shotguns, or ribbon mics on a boom overhead.
If you want a reeealy big boom, you must make a heavy stand on wheels. Then you hinge a giant pole to the stand and use weights on the short side as counterweights. Add weights until the pole almost balances itself. Make sure the mics are shockmounted to prevent the introduction of mechanical noise from the boom.
A decent digital video camera is like a DAT. A good ol' analog camera can be as good as a reel-to-reel if it is decent quality.
Usually cameras have external mic jacks somewhere on them. You could get/make a battery phantom supply and use stereo pair of pencil condensers...
A stereo pair of anything with decent sensitivity would do. The modern cameras have two miniature electret capsules in an XY configuration which are often as good as measurement mics. You just can't move them where you want to.
It's usually better to break the mics out, and get them closer to the source.
If it was me, I'd break into the camera and remove the mic preamp part of the camera. Then I'd make a big fat battery box or get a battery operated discrete stereo mic pre. I'd probably run some pencil condensers, shotguns, or ribbon mics on a boom overhead.
If you want a reeealy big boom, you must make a heavy stand on wheels. Then you hinge a giant pole to the stand and use weights on the short side as counterweights. Add weights until the pole almost balances itself. Make sure the mics are shockmounted to prevent the introduction of mechanical noise from the boom.
giraffe
i love negative rep
the audio chain, even in 3000$ cameras is crap in my experience.
even useing your own pre's and going line in to a camera adds mucho noise.
plus, in a big budjet movie almost every second of sound (even dialogue) is replaced in the studio. the location audio is used mostly as a guide track.
even useing your own pre's and going line in to a camera adds mucho noise.
plus, in a big budjet movie almost every second of sound (even dialogue) is replaced in the studio. the location audio is used mostly as a guide track.
northsiderap
New member
The Budget...
What IS the budget?
A camera would sound like crap if you had a breakout mic pre and didn't "unwire" the existing mic pre. Two mic preamps in-line make for a lot of noise.
What IS the budget?
A camera would sound like crap if you had a breakout mic pre and didn't "unwire" the existing mic pre. Two mic preamps in-line make for a lot of noise.
bigwillz24
New member
As I said before most of the audio is done in a studio in POST production....
rory
New member
What kind of documentary are you doing? If its being done like a movie with scripts and actors, I would recommend doing the sound post. BUT, if you're really doing a documentary, with on site interviews and you're going for that "in the moment" vibe, I'd get one or two shotguns and one or two boom operators and some sort of portable recorder and dump that into your editing source when done. I did a few documentaries in college at film school and we always did our sound on site. Its also helpful to have at least one more mic for ambient noise too, which could even be done on a different day, but I'd do it at the same time you'd do your shooting, with the same conditions. With proper editing software, you can do wonders with on site recorded material.
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
Here are two recorders to give you some idea of what you want.
Keep in mind that most movie soundtracks are recorded after the fact, ADR/Foley editing is employed. But for what you are looking for, these will do the trick:
http://www.fostex.com/index.php?file=products/pfr/pfr
Keep in mind that most movie soundtracks are recorded after the fact, ADR/Foley editing is employed. But for what you are looking for, these will do the trick:
http://www.fostex.com/index.php?file=products/pfr/pfr
northsiderap
New member
What's the budget?
Hmmm I still don't know what the budget is.
It can range from:
1) LOW budget. Standard camera. On-camera mics. Post editing consists of audio and video mixers.
2) Medium budget. Quality breakout mics. Non-linear post, preferrably.
3) Good budget: Digital Beta or analog camera. One or more independant audio sources. Nice overheads or strategically placed mics. Non-linear full post effects, or tape splicer. (does anyone still use those?) Foley studio with an array of mics and sounds. Non-linear multi-track audio/video edits.
I directed for a few years...
Hmmm I still don't know what the budget is.
It can range from:
1) LOW budget. Standard camera. On-camera mics. Post editing consists of audio and video mixers.
2) Medium budget. Quality breakout mics. Non-linear post, preferrably.
3) Good budget: Digital Beta or analog camera. One or more independant audio sources. Nice overheads or strategically placed mics. Non-linear full post effects, or tape splicer. (does anyone still use those?) Foley studio with an array of mics and sounds. Non-linear multi-track audio/video edits.
I directed for a few years...
The budget isn't too grand. We are looking at a Canon GL1, the best would be an XL1. The Fostex FR-2 seems too be a little too high for us. Is there anything like that (portable), but cheaper?
bigwillz24
New member
Mini DV cameras (Like the Canon GL1, & GL2) A shotgun mic on a boom attached to the base of the camera with one of those adapters that let you plug up the XLR jacks to the camera (I forgot what they are called 
) and Final Cut Pro. At least thats what we used in class.
) and Final Cut Pro. At least thats what we used in class.
Rokket
Trailing Behind Again
Yeah, they run around $1200...giraffe said:
But the other suggestions for a good DV camera and a shotgun mic are pretty spot on. However, like I said before, most movie soundtracks are redone extensively in the studio.
Foley artists redo the sound effects, all the way down to a guy taking change out of his pocket.
And the dialog is redone using ADR... they keep a lot of it, but if the wind was too strong, or the background noise (the director "directing") is too much, it gets redone.
Hope you find what you're looking for...