I have two questions...

[Johbule]

1. I have saved up about 500 dollars....maybe 600 by the time i use it. I want to use this money purely on sound. I shoot on a dvx100a, and as of now i have no sound equipment. What would you recomend? I want the most profesional/ Hollywood sound possible.

I will be using this for Narrative work.

2. I know booming is a nessacary...but i've always wondered how people get good sound in either : A. a moving shot and B. A shot where the Actors are a fair amount of distance from the camera.

-Thanks,

Matt

 

[simbolo]

All your answers are in the stickies...

http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/showthread.php?t=51526

The second post will give you a good start on what to buy. I'd also suggest reading all of the stickies at the top of the audio forum as they answer a ton (and may help answer both of your questions).

 

[SMuir]

...a moving shot

Follow the actors. When actors are on the move, it can be trickey to keep the boom mic consistantly placed ahead of them, while all the while keeping out of the shot. Also, pay attention to the background noise, which may change noticeably when the mic is re-positioned. Wireless lavs can also help here.

...A shot where the Actors are a fair amount of distance from the camera.

Three basic techniques for this:

1) Get the mic in as close as you can to what you're recording, and closer to the desired sound than to background noise sources. This is a key principle, and the reason why boom sound always sounds better than on-camera mics (unless something goes horribly wrong with the boom mic). To that end, the boom mic is usually placed above the frame, in close to the dialogue. Lav mics are an even more dramatic example of this principle, since they're typically placed even closer to the talent's mouths. Plant mics (mics hidden in fixed locations in the scene) are another option.

2) Use directional microphones, keeping dialogue on-axis and everything else off-axis. Cardioid, hyper-cardioid and shotgun mics each have varying degrees of directionality. Generally speaking, shotguns are used for most exterior dialogue, while some interiors benefit from less directional mics. Even among shotgun mics, certain models are more directional than others. For example, although I use a Sennheiser MKH416 for most of my exterior dialogue, I often swap it out for an MKH816 for particularly wide shots.

3) Record ADR or outtakes. If you find yourself in a situation where you expect to have trouble recording clean dialogue (eg. a wide shot in a noisey location), it may be prudent to take the time to record a few wild takes in a quieter nearby location while the performance is still fresh with the actors. Also, you may wish to record a couple of rehearsals (without rolling camera) with the boom in shot, which may give you a useable wild take. During post-production, the dialogue editor may be able to replace compromised synch sound with wild takes and outtakes (including closer shots of the same scene). Preparation and documentation are key, since detailed sound notes will tell the dialogue editor where they can find all the material they need. As a last resort, you can book time in an ADR recording studio, where you can re-record the actors in synch with the picture. This can be an extrememly expensive opperation, in part because an ADR'd scene will generally require foley to restore all the subtle sounds that will now be missing.

 

[wabbit]

Excellent and complete answer Smuir.

You will find bargin kits in the stickies. They are good for a very basic, better then amatuer home movies sound but those kits will not get you the "Hollywood sound" without a ton of post ADR and/or a ton of planning and luck.

OTOH, the type of money you have will allow you to rent a pretty good kit for several weeks. That's enough for most feature lengths but won't allow your sound guy (or gal) time to practice. To that end you should look for a student who has done some student films before and has a basic understand of how to do it.

Don't expect miracles but with enough time, preparation, and creativity (& dash o luck) you can get acceptable results.

Good luck

 

[simbolo]

... with enough time, preparation, and creativity (& dash o luck) you can get acceptable results.

The more prep you do for the shoot the easier it will go, having practice time with the equipment will help out a great deal. If the cinematographer and the sound operator have practiced together the shoot will go smoother (ie: knowing when the boom is in the shot or not, etc)