audio at weddings.

[jsvideoworx]

I have been watching a few wedding videos on line and was wondering what people are using for audio during the receptions. I have sony wireless mics, but no shotgun. Would it be better to link my wireless mic in to the DJ's gear or buy a shotgun mic and run that. Basically is all I want is the great sounding audio without any of the crowd noise.

 

[Rippie]

Being very general to answer your question..

Which ever mic you can get the closest to the source you want to pick up would be the correct solution for your needs.

If those things are all equal then as a general rule a boom mic (being operated on a pole not just on the camera)
will sound better than a lav mic, but if you are running all around the room a lav on someone
(or running a wireless system into the DJ system as you mentioned, of course you are now at the mercy of the quality of their feed, gear, etc)will
be a much more consistent sound.

Another option for you to explore if your camera will do 2 inputs is put a lav on a DJ at the reception on 1 channel on the camera
and the other channel on the camera be a boom mic that moves around the room with the camera as you pick other things up.

 

[manglerBMX]

most of my work is in either production sound or shooting weddings(but i DO NOT edit them). so most editors are usually pretty happy with my shooting as the audio is pretty good. what i usually do is this: during ceremony i put a wireless lav on the pastor/officiant(even if the house is using one, i want my own, under my control) and on the groom. if there's a speech going on i'll also have that covered with a wireless or wired link. i use *GASP* real video cameras to capture my audio, although majority of the time they are unmanned as i'm shooting on a dslr. but i do make sure to frequently check on the audio with those guys. but i also use a pocket recorder, tascam dr-07, and i'll usually attach that to the location's board for the ceremony. for reception, i'll usually use the pocket recorder out of the dj mixer, or a wireless to camera hop. but in my wedding kit, my wireless are sennheiser g2's. and sometimes i'll drag out the production sound bag which has lectrosonics wireless in it.

but about the only time an on camera shotgun mic comes in to play is to A.) get sync reference or B.) for quick MOS style interviews. so its good to have one on the camera but i don't see it as a priority. but thats based around the style of wedding i shoot for. others may need something different.

 

[Sam Mallery]

A popular solution during a reception is to have a good quality stereo mic mounted on the camera. Because there is so much going on in a reception (loud DJ or band at one end of the room, people milling around, etc) a shotgun doesn't make sense. A shotgun is directional, so as you turn and move the sound will be very uneven. If you have a lav on someone, you're going to mostly hear the audio around them, which is great if that is where you're pointing the camera, not so good if you want to shoot anything else. A good stereo mic will give you a nice even, not-to-directional sound. It's a big improvement over the built-in mics. Plus it's relatively simple (you don't have to worry about wireless). Put a portable digital recorder on the band or DJ and you're good. If anyone starts talking to the camera, just get in there close so the mic picks them up.