Major Sound Mix Question and Workflow Help

Willman, these are valid points. You will need to purchase a Rycote BBG and INV7 to make use of the Oktava. Of course, all together these come to just the price of an AT4053, the next ideal budget option. And with the mod, the sound imaging is just fantastic... just a step away from an MKH50 (bit higher noisefloor). Having a hypercardioid at your disposal would be the wisest move... avoiding NTG bathroom interiors and ADR down the line. Invest in a quality mic upfront to use it in your career till you know it backwards; like lenses, these are timeless.

You have a lot of discovery ahead of you. But it will be fun, an adventure of learning through doing, so to speak. Allot as much post time as possible.
 
Sorry I went off for a while, I actually went to some stores today and spoke to different audioquipment salesmen, but the stores I went to just seemed to have the typical rode mics that every youtube videographer uses. I would like a decent indie film audio set-up.

So what about this as a set-up for shooting dialogue. Mkh-416+Zoom H4n+SD MP-1, do you think that would deliver the best on set dialog. What is the best interior dialogue mic on a budget and what is the best exterior dialogue mic on a budget? I still have a bit of money to spend but I'd appreciate people not suggesting mics that go over 1K because I know there are great mics for less and for a strapped down filmmaker. Please let me know.
 
Instead of the Mkh 416, get an NTG 3 and a Sony PCM M10. The two combined will be cheaper than the 416 alone, and give a superior result (given the Sound Devices MP-1 line in to the M10). You can sell your NTG-2 and H4n. For the interior mic - Joly modded MK012 (hyper capsule) with INV7 mount and Rycote BBG.

That's a dialog set up that will rival the very best.
 
Again, renting for a project can be much cheaper than buying for a project; you get much better gear for a pittance rather than getting lesser gear that you're stuck with.

That said, if you absolutely insist on purchasing a bare-bones kit, the MM-1 is a better feature set than the MP-1, but the MixPre-D is going to give you the most forward compatibility and long-term benefit for future projects.
 
I would vote for the 4053 for interiors. It's affordable, very hot (which often eliminates the problem of weak preamps) and has stellar sound. If your boom op is inexperienced, engage the low cut switch and the dialogue is still crystal clear, but handling noise is a non issue (assuming a good shock mount). I just shot a feature with it (and a 4073 for outdoors) and screened the movie in a church sanctuary with a high end sound system. I was blown away with the clarity of the dialogue, couldn't be happier with the results.
 
just hire a good production sound person. it is their job to know this stuff and be able to deal with it. If you aren't an expert in something, hire somebody do to it. If you can't afford it, then you will need to live with the results you get. If you are this early in the game, you can't expect perfect results, and you really need to look at your projects as learning experiences.
 
If you want to go really inexpensive on the hypercardioid the Avantone CK-1 is an option; for a $100 less than the AT4053b the Audix SCX1HC is a passable choice.

I'll second (third? fourth? fifth?) hiring someone experienced with production sound and audio post. Not only will you get better sound you will receive a crash course in sound for picture; look at it as an educational experience/investment. Such a large percentage of indie filmmakers are so visually oriented they come close to completely forgetting about production sound altogether once they are on the set, and the problems which creep up in audio post seem almost insurmountable when you have little or no experience.

BTW, sound is not just a technical exercise, it is an integral part of the storytelling process. You should be thinking about sound in depth beginning with preproduction.


Your project will only look as good as it sounds, because "Sound is half of the experience."
 
unclebob6958 said:
BTW, sound is not just a technical exercise, it is an integral part of the storytelling process. You should be thinking about sound in depth beginning with preproduction.
Your project will only look as good as it sounds, because "Sound is half of the experience."
Click to expand...
I second that!
Sound, just like visuals in many movies (think of L.A. in Michael Mann's movies) are almost "characters" in themselves. Sound can be close to that too. What you don't see can tell something too. If the sound is immersive as you watch the movie, then you just double the viewer's attention.
There's a lot to be involved in "the experience" but sound is an important part. Blade Runner with crappy sound wouldn't have been as great as it is.
 
+3 to the above.
In addition, a minor sound problem thrust upon the inexperienced could:
- stop a shoot
- delay a shoot
- render the audio unusable
- require ADR
- require re-shoot
All are likely much more expensive than hiring a qualified sound pro in the first place.
 
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