Audio for documentary...

Alex DePew said:
Are you shooting with only one camera? Trust me that it would make your life a whole lot better, albeit more expensive, to shoot with two cams. Plus you have 4 audio channels right there.
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yeah just one.... the two would be good, but im gonna be the one stuck at my mac for a million years logging and editing so on and so forth... plus it would be hard to find somebady... and i really don thave the extra $$$.
 
ok.... due to the discussion that has been going on in this forum.... i realize the only thing i can really do.... besides shoot myself in the face... is just go with the on cam mic... nothing else will be practical.... what on cam mic would take this project on the best?
 
haha... oh and guys... i just learned its during monsune (no idea how to spell that) season.... which means LOTS of rain... this is gonna be a pain... now i have to rainproof all my equipment... which i've never done.... any suggestions?
 
Don't shoot yourself. Get help. I assure you there is _no_ shortage of highly qualified film people in India. Not just Bollywood pros, there is a vibrant independant scene as well. Where are you going to be shooting?

Monsoon does not mean constant rain, don't be afraid. It may well be clear during the day and raining during the night. It often means dramatic, wonderful light. Humidity is high, of course, but manageble. Just make shure you have enough time to get anywhere, especially when going somewhere remote. Roads tend to be unreliable during monsoon.

And consider this: shooting documentaries without a proper permit is technically illegal in India. Many people still do, so don't worry too much about it. But think about luggage, customs, etc. and the possibility to keep a low profile when necessary. 5 wireless mics and pro-looking blimps is not what you want to be controlled with at the airport anyway.

For your budget and project I'd suggest: Take one shotgun that works on camera as well as on a boom (once you find help) incl. sufficient wind protection and a shock mount. Add one wireless (e.g. Senny G2). Not ideal. But many prize-winning documentaries were made with less. A good fried of mine relied on a single TinyMic for his last project and still made it to Sundance last year.
 
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Hydrophone??? where would i find this? oh.... and do you know what the best raincover for shooting while it's raining is?
and Xaxa.... have you known anyone who's gotten this permit? cuz were in the middle of our pitch to FOX right now... so i want things to be ligit.... and thanks a ton for the suggestions!!!
 
johny_pablo said:
.... have you known anyone who's gotten this permit? cuz were in the middle of our pitch to FOX right now...
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No, actually not. Everybody I know has avoided it. Its the kind of bureaucracy that nobody really wants to get involved with. Once the dog is awake it won't let you go...
see http://www.cgisf.org/visa/filming_doc_in_india.pdf for the application form, etc.

But if your thing is getting bigger and going FOX then they'd know for sure what to do. But I doubt they would let you do it alone.
 
yeah.... thats the hope.... and why this has been helpful in the event that i DO get some funding... and some proffessional support.
 
xaxa said:
Monsoon does not mean constant rain, don't be afraid. It may well be clear during the day and raining during the night.
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LOL.... have you ever lived in a monsoon area? It means lots of rain! Night time day time, anytime. It can be sunny and 100 degrees one minute and pour down an inch of rain in the next 30 minutes. Then be sunny and hot again.
Get a Kata or Petrol rain cover for the HVX. The Petrol is a pretty tight fit whereas the Kata has a little more room to move.
 
johny_pablo said:
yeah.... thats the hope.... and why this has been helpful in the event that i DO get some funding... and some proffessional support.
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dont shoot your self , if you belive in your project -race founds to make it happend - bad product is about like trash what you have now .
about 5 people recording - no camera mic would bring you something usifull
hydraphone - was ajoke , it used for under water recordings .
shooting in the rain , you can make hoag hair softie which would sit over your mic .

soundman with gear 9 at least something that you can live with could be found for less then 200us per day in india , if you think you can rase the money , i can give you email of one of the friends there so he can hook you to some one .

movies is just like another buisness -yoou have to invest get profits -every one can buy a camera it doesnt say they can make something with .
 
Johny if you can get pro sound guys in India for $200 a day this is a no brainer. You can spend a thousand to buy some equipment, shoot it yourself, and have crap audio or spend a thousand a week to get great audio.

Good luck
 
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