Audio setup for live tv show

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pootify

Member
Through a series of strange circumstances, I got put up as the sound guy for a live taping of a comedy show being filmed in a club. I know a moderate bit about sound, but I've never recorded anything like this before, so if any of you guys could help out I'd very much appreciate it.

The current setup is as so:
Comedian and MC into House Mixer
House Mixer -> PA system
House Mixer -> our field mixer
Our field mixer -> directly into two of the cameras (Z1U's)

We'll have one roving Z1U and XL2, each with an AT 4053 to pick up ambient/audience noise. So, three questions I guess:

1. Is there anything crucial that the current setup is lacking? I know of compressors but I'm not sure if they're useful for this application.

2. We're going straight into the cameras so we can use the timecode, we axed the DAT recording option because sync-up in post would be a nightmare. How is sound usually recorded and synced up on these sort of live events?

3. Besides levels, what else do you tend to "ride" on the field mixer before it outputs into the camera? Bass, mid, treble are functions I'm aware of, but I just leave them in the middle.

Thanks again for your advice!
 
1.try if you can pull the preamp outputs from the house mixer directly to your field mixer .
this comming to prevent eq which might be add for pa system .
2. the xl-2 is mike level balance input camera , the z-1 could bee fit line level.
remember to remove , the high pas filter function on z-1(wind) and shot down the noise reduction(nr), limiters off
+4 dbu ref tone on your mixer =-20dbfs on the camera
keep the picks around -10dbfs
if you intend feed the xl2 , pad the output with 50db attenuator if you don't have mike outs .

there is no problem run dat and synchronize the hall show later , if you run tc dat you can use free run on both cameras and dat ,later synchronize the everything automatically on nle
be carfull since cameras use to /drift/loose tc sync when the battery changes or cassette change.
you can use tc reader which hooked to the dat and shoot the slate after the battery/cassette change , usually the cameras and dat would keep the sync at least 3 hours .
try not to eq the mikes , you will do much better job in the editing
have fun
 
Thank you so much! So I don't really need a compressor?
Also, could you clarify this line for me? I'm not familiar with any of the terms you used:
"+4 dbu ref tone on your mixer =-20dbfs on the camera keep the picks around -10dbfs"
 
no - but it would better you have limiters on your mixer out ( +15-,18dbu)
lets say if you can arange the( sound devices) sd 442 as your spread mixer it would be the easiest way for you .
you not only can rule the signal but also be able monitor the both cameras
(which is the most important i forget to tell you before :-)

0vu on your miter while you sending your 1kh tone for calibration , -20dbfs( db full scale)) (the 10th dot on your camera from the top) each dot is 2 db , so keep the everedge picks on the 5th dot ( there is no harm if it goes higher from time to time)
 
Exile's #1 is right on.
He's saying that you need to avoid the faders on the house board. The house guy will make changes to the sound for the benifit of the house. That can be to the detriment of your mix. Two different animals.
If there is no pre-fade output on the board, take y-cables and split the feeds from the mics directly to your mixer.
 
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