Couple of questions about looping/adr

ProfessorChaos

ProfessorChaos

Active member
i ran a search and came up with a thread regarding vegas but I'm not really familiar with vegas(but it should be around the same with any NLE right?) so..here i am asking for some help...

I'm using FCP 4.5/Premiere Pro here so I read Spot's article using Vegas and all the requirements...

Question 1:

If there is ambient noise in the background(a few cars drive by) with the original dialog, how can I recreate the ambient noise? Do I just record ambient audio at the location that I'm shooting(it's a busy street)?

Question 2:

This is using a G5 inside a computer lab environment with many other students...when I record the VO in fcp there is quite a bit of ambient noise(fans, talking)...is there any way other than using a sound proof room or telling the others to be quiet and turning all other pc's off to make it sound clean?

Question 3:

Is using Premiere Pro 1.5 to re-record audio in post as easy as FCP/Vegas? Because I'm trying with PPro and I find it to be kind of time consuming.

The mic is a cheap Sony handheld that I picked up for $15. It is connected through the Mic In of a DV cam and then the firewire port of the cam is connected into the PC via firewire.
 
1) Yes. It's much easier to create background noise than get rid of it. Recording ambient noise/room tone/natural sound should be a part of recording every scene. When you're done shooting the scene, record about a minute of noise with everyone on the set quiet. Failing this, then yes, go back to the same location and record some ambient noise.

2) ADR is a pain in the butt. As you've discovered, there's probably no way that this will work in this environment. Your best bet will probably be to write the scene out to tape (ideally DV, but even VHS will work), then take that tape to a quiet room. Play the tape on a TV while you do the VO to your camera/disc recorder. Do multiple takes of each line that needs re-recording. You may have to take bits of one and other bits from another. Add a little reverb if necessary, add room tone, and it's still second best to recording it right the first time, but sometimes necessary.

3) Don't use PP. Sorry, can't help on that one.
 
alright thanks Joe Kras...

I have a few more questions then, if it was to be done right on location then how can I use the same audio source for a multiple camera shot? Because I want to use two shots for a scene...an establishing shot and then cut to close up of the actors facial expression and cut again to another close up from a different angle, etc....now how can I keep the audio going? does this have to be done by ADR?

Lastly, would a sony shotgun mic attached to the camera's work well for that purpose on a $0 budget for fun project...? If not, what can I do?

Script for the short was finished earlier today. Just scouting some locations and using friends as actors(i know...they aren't good but for free...what else can i get?)

Thanks
 
Whenever I come up against budgetary concerns (EVERYBODY has budgetary concerns, even the big guys-they just have different ones than we do) I try to design my shoot around them.

It looks like you're already trying to do this. Because you have non-actors acting that can't be relied upon to remember their lines exactly and hit the same marks (be in the same place) during a scene, you're planning on shooting two cams to get your wide and CU shots both during a take. While this will alleviate this problem, it doesn't help your audio (as you've also figured out).

What I would recommend (given the constraint of two cams, one on cam mike, no boom pole) is the following:


1) If you can devote ANY money to the project, get a painter's pole from Home Depot, 25' of audio cable, and put the shotgun on the pole. This will enable you to still use 2 cams for medium shots and CU's, while still getting halfway decent audio. You'll still have to shoot the establishing shots separately.

2) If #1 is not possible, then design the shoot such that there is little talking in the establishing shot, and what dialogue there is doesn't show the speaker's mouth clearly (makes ADR easier later). Now convert to a much more conventional style of shooting, but with a twist:

-Shoot with one cam. Do all of your medium shots and CU's first. While you're shooting with this cam, have someone holding the 2nd cam pointing that gun at the actors just out of frame (essentially booming the mike by holding the cam-you're just using this second cam as an audio recording device at this point). If you've got a script (and aren't just ad libbing the whole thing) then even amateur actors can do a portion of the short scene, freeze, back up and do it again while you shoot it again from a different angle. You now have "double system" sound. Your picture is on one cam, and the second cam is just used for audio.

Once you've finished this, go back and shoot those establishing and long range shots without that second cam in use.

Try to pay attention to major things (actors relation to one another, etc.) and audiences will forgive minor changes when going from wide to medium shots (I was watching a Jackie Chan movie last night and noticed that he climbed out of the water in one shot and had a dry T-shirt on immediately after).

Maybe others have other "no-budget" tips, but that's mine for today.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top