I own thepanny gh2 - looking for sound kit for narrative films for under a grand?

K

kevin baggott

Well-known member
Hello good people,

I own the Pan GH2 - I need to buy/learn a sound kit by the end of the week. I have under two thousand dollars to puchase a mic and the tascam dr100. I ususally pour over threads here to gather info before purchasing anything. But as i said this project got thrown at me at the last minute. It's for a short narrative out of the country. Nothing too professional - more of a favor for a friend.

The film is about half exteriors and half interiors. So do i buy a thousand dollar shot gun like the sennheiser mkh-416 or the equivalent lavs in that ball figure or the rode nt3? Am I missing something, Im sure that I am, in that the mic and that tascam will enable me to record seperate decent audio?

Any suggestions would be most appreciated. Thank you ahead of time.
 
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78 views - and no response - hmmmm - ok what am i doing wrong?

78 views - and no response - hmmmm - ok what am i doing wrong?

78 views - and no response - hmmmm - ok what am i doing wrong?
 
You are not reading the stickies that answer your question. Thousands have come here and asked the exact same question. "What do I get? I have no money!"
Tip:
Shotguns are for outdoor dialogue.
Hypers are for indoor dialogue.

1,000.00 is too little for an audio kit destined to do narrative film. What you should get, as a "beginner" kit that doesn't suck, with mics that are the best bang for your buck, would be the following IMO:

Shot: Rode NTG-3 600.00 (a dead-on 416 equivalent with a bit wider pickup pattern at half the price)
Hyper: AT4053b 500.00
Preamp: Sound Drvices MixPre-D 750.00
Tascam DR-100 300.00

For narrative a mixer/preamp like the MixPre-D is important because you don't want to ride the recording levels of your recorder. You ride the levels at the mixer, so the noise-floor isn't constantly going up and down. And the MixPre has 2 stages of limiters that will make you virtually unclippable when you properly use the tone generator to calibrate to the recorder. Preaamp = big deal.

You should have a hyper for indoor dialogue. Read the stickies to learn why.

Compromise mics:
NTG-2 shotgun
NT3 Cardioid for indoor. But this is a bright mic that is quite heavy.
 
Hey Chad,
Most appreciated - really. I watched all yer videos before hand - and spent the last 2 days on here and youtube watching and reading everything i could. I'm a writer/director - not a sound guy - obviously. I had pages and pages of notes and model brands - I was starting to see cross-eyed. So I appreciate the light you've thrown on in the woods in my old noggin.
I owe ya a house by the sea - let me know how many rooms ya need and what ocean ya want to face.
Peace,
Kevin
 
Glad to help Kevin. 4 bedrooms, Pacific ocean please....

I don't know what other suggestions you could get. Anything you substitute will not be of equal quality, and the stuff I suggested is considered to be on the lower end of the spectrum (without being Azden level stuff). 2150.00 isn't a big, or even a medium sized budget for audio when compared to what one spends on camera gear. And audio is more than half of the story IMO. And if you use the "compromise" mics I suggested the price is 1,350.00 - which is within the number you mentioned in your first post (not the title of the thread). You could always skip the MixPre-D too, but man, a preamp/mixer with great limiters really makes narrative film do-able. Remember that re-shooting on another day is expensive too! Same with ADR. If you could just stretch a little and get that budget to 2,150.00 you'd be set for the time being(next few years) and can use the same gear for the next film and the next. You only have to buy good audio gear once. Beg, borrow or steal that extra little bit of cash. Otherwise you'll be bottle-necking the quality of absolutely everything you record for your film with sub-par gear. If you can get a parent, uncle, partner to come up with 400.00 - 500.00 you'll be so happy. Or just be patient, and eat top ramen for 2 months. Or sell old gear you don't use on Craig's list

Do what all successful directors do - MAKE IT HAPPEN.
 
Hey Chad,

I think i have the perfect house for ya - what about the floors? carpet, marble, slate, etc.

Yeah my posts got screwed up. Especially the title of the thread - was trying to edit the damn thing and say "2 grand" - alas couldn't figure out how to change. And then my last post was meant to be something else - content wise - and I just left as is. Couldn''t figure out how to delete the damn thing - anyway - this is why im a writer/director and hire tech people.

yes i agree with all you say about buying better gear. I got so fed up with this double system sound issue and the gh2 - that i've been now thinking of buying the sony nex fs 100uk camera and the new sennheiser mkh8060. I'll just use that mic for outdoors and indoors. I thought I buy a really good mic and seeing that it just came out I might be able to re-sell if I need to. Or just keep it.

You've been great - I've actually been able to look up at the sky for minutes today instead of reading the threads sweating. I had so little time to figure this all out. So I really appreciate it. Really.....
Kevin
 
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Hey Chad,
Lastly - instead of the new Sennheiser mkh 8060 which is 1249 at b&H - and just using that one mic for my dialogue would you still suggest getting the rode 3 - (700 bucks now at B&h since yer endorsement) and the at 4053b (600 bucks now at B&h since yer enforesement) :) Yer good reviews are killing my pockets champ. Kidding of course. What ya think? Thanks again Chad.
Kevin
 
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I see you changed the name from Brad - who is not me, to Chad, who is me!

"Lastly - instead of the new Sennheiser mkh 8060 which is 1249 at b&H - and just using that one mic for my dialogue would you still suggest getting the rode 3 - (700 bucks now at B&h since yer endorsement) and the at 4053b (600 bucks now at B&h since yer enforesement) "

Yes I would. Sorry both mics got hiked 100.00 each very recently! When I got the AT4053b it was listed as 500.00, and went to 430.00 when you added it to a cart. And the NTG-3 was 700.00 but came with a Rode Blimp, and then if you bought it from Guy Cochrin he threw in a 225.00 K-tek boom pole. Anyway, I hear that the 8060 is really nice sounding, but it's a shotgun - designed for outdoor use. I personally would want to have a nice mic dedicated to indoor shooting like the AT4053b. So that's what I would do. I bet you'll be totally happy. The NTG-3 is no slouch and sounds EXACTLY like the MKH-416.

 
Yes I apologize about calling you Brad - don't take it personally - i was calling my wife Alfonso after spending the last 2 days reading all the threads for a bunch of work flows i was new to. I write/direct/act. So was a little brain dead to say the least. Yes - I'm listening to yer advice and buying what you suggested. Most appreciated. I need you to sign yer new lease. The yellow canary porche in the driveway is a special gift from my wife. If ya don't like the color....... Thanks again Chad. :)
Kevin
 
My Pleasure Kev! I thin you'll be happy. Again, that 8060 mic is probably much sweeter than the NTG-3, BUT I think it's important to have tools to cover every area. I am quite happy with my NTG-3. Next you need some wireless!
 
No Chad, the Porche giver needs wind protection first. Half of his film is being shot outdoors. The film is doomed without a blimp.
 
Sam Mallery said:
No Chad, the Porche giver needs wind protection first. Half of his film is being shot outdoors. The film is doomed without a blimp.
Click to expand...

Doh! That is true! You need a blimp. Right now I have the Rode blimp, and find it to be nice. I am also getting the Rycote S-Series, and will be making somewhat of a comparison vid in the next weeks. But this guy took a good look at it already.

 
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