GH1 Me and GH1 Nightmare Scenario... Audio Question... corporate event...

EditPhish

EditPhish

Well-known member
I'm so annoyed right now because at nearly 5pm tonight my boss tells me that I have to come in and shoot video of an all-day class tomorrow at my job. Mind you, I'm not a videographer and have only shot two other quick 10 minute corporate videos prior, so no idea why they are making /me/ do this. I have to take photos too, but I'll use my k5 for that.

It's in a large class room setting.
I have a power chord so that wont be an issue. I'll be using a tripod.
I have one 32gb and two 16gb cards I think will be enough (shooting 720p). I am also bringing two extra 8gb cards.

I will not have a boom/shotgun mic... All I have is a cheapo Audio Technica lapel mic with a 30' chord. It'll have to do. I'm going to tape it to the table where the presenters sit.

This is my biggest problem... The audio. I'm not at all sure how long the battery will last in the mic. It's a small watch-type battery and I don't think I'll have time to stop at CVS in the morning and get another. Do you think one battery will last all day? 6-8 hours?

Anyone know?

I did already tell my boss to prepare for terrible results...
 
Well I'd also be concerned for the camera batteries unless you've rigged something up to accept AC power.... As long as you've given them a disclaimer to that effect then you've covered your booty....
 
Right on.... LIke the name, BTW... Well then I'd say to pick up some extra batteries and give it a whirl..... The thing is that it doesn't sound like a super pro setup for the audio but it's better than the on camera mike.... Another option would be to put a zoom or another kind of flash recorder closer to your subject or maybe use a computer interface to capture the audio.
 
Dont have a zoom.... I figured that lapel mic was better than nothing, but not if the batteries on it die... LOL! Not sure ill be able to stop for batteries in the morning... Any idea how long the one in the Audio Technica will last? I mean is something like this so low power that they tend to last forever, or do they tend to eat throgh batteries like there's not tomorrow?
 
Dude c'mon- you can take 5 extra minutes to get batteries at any 24 hour Walgreen's or CVS. Are you asking how to make batteries not die? How about prayer I guess....

Noah
 
Unless you are going to be way away from the presenters, don't completely count out the mic on the GH1. It's no Sennheisrer, but it's not a complete piece of crap either. If that lapel mic is plugged in and it dies. The onboard mic won't be able to take over as its signal will be blocked.

I would get there early, set up and do a test of both your lapel and then the onboard and see if the lapel where you are going to place it is significantly better.

This was shot with the onboard mic and we were way off from the stage and from the speakers too.

To test the two do short clips and then dump the files to a laptop or desktop to view and listen.
 
Well pray for me... I'm at the event now. CVS was out of batteries. According to amazon reviews the battery life is supposed to be exceptional, so I'll pray for that... Lol
 
EditPhish said:
Well pray for me... I'm at the event now. CVS was out of batteries. According to amazon reviews the battery life is supposed to be exceptional, so I'll pray for that... Lol
Click to expand...

Praying for your success, Amy. I'm sure it will turn out great.
 
brunerww said:
Praying for your success, Amy. I'm sure it will turn out great.
Click to expand...

Bahahaha... nope, it didn't. What could have gone wrong, did. My battery was fine, but the presenter didn't want to wear the lapel mic and walked way too far away from where I had it set up. I thought it would be a podium setup, but it was more a huge round-table setup and the presenter walked all over the room. At one point he went to do a demo with a couple of volunteers and it was clear across the room, like 40 ft. from the mic.

I stopped recording 1/2 way through (at lunch) and told my superiors this was a waste of time. We have to plan for this next time - like more than 12 hours notice. I've got to figure out how to mic the room and get my husband's GH1 (and my husband) to be a second camera for close-ups and cut-away shots. Had we continued and attempted to use the footage it would have been the most boring collection of DVDs ever... with horrible audio.

My boss was not happy. I think he's mad at me. Oh well. I can't wave my magic wand and produce gold from crap. I tried my best... and this time that wasn't enough ;)

Thanks for the help guys...

So now, onto the research for a multi-microphone solution...
 
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EditPhish said:
Bahahaha... nope, it didn't. What could have gone wrong, did. My battery was fine, but the presenter didn't want to wear the lapel mic and walked way too far away from where I had it set up. I thought it would be a podium setup, but it was more a huge round-table setup and the presenter walked all over the room. At one point he went to do a demo with a couple of volunteers and it was clear across the room, like 40 ft. from the mic.

I stopped recording 1/2 way through (at lunch) and told my superiors this was a waste of time. We have to plan for this next time - like more than 12 hours notice. I've got to figure out how to mic the room and get my husband's GH1 (and my husband) to be a second camera for close-ups and cut-away shots. Had we continued and attempted to use the footage it would have been the most boring collection of DVDs ever... with horrible audio.

My boss was not happy. I think he's mad at me. Oh well. I can't wave my magic wand and produce gold from crap. I tried my best... and this time that wasn't enough ;)

So now, onto the research for a multi-microphone solution...
Click to expand...

I use to do a lot of those meeting videos. Not anymore. I know several shooters that love that crap. I just refer out that work.
I use to think "who is watching this crap?" As it turns out not very many people. I actually had a few shoots like that where the presenter
refused to wear the wireless mic. So I just packed up and left and billed the client for 1/2 day. Never got paid but I did not expect too.
Tell your boss to record it with his iPhone next time.
 
Just try to be pro about it. If the boss really wants to get something of quality they need to budget the time/money to do the job right. Otherwise it's just crap. Go on you that you actually stopped recording in protest. Hopefully that will make some impact in their thinking. If it's a large conference table sort of setup next time, I'd recommend something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/389916-REG/Audio_Technica_U841A_U841A_Unipoint_Microphone.html

Or if there's a presenter moving around- you have to get them to wear the lapel mic or carry a handheld mic. Best suggestion is hire a sound recordist with their own gear who knows what they're doing. Just because you don't see the crews behind professional looking and sounding projects doesn't mean they don't exist. These things don't happen by magic. And If the presenter and 'the boss' are not on the same page about the necessity of good sound- you're out of luck. What's your real job description supposed to be again??? :)

Noah
 
HVXguy said:
I use to do a lot of those meeting videos. Not anymore. I know several shooters that love that crap. I just refer out that work.
I use to think "who is watching this crap?" As it turns out not very many people. I actually had a few shoots like that where the presenter
refused to wear the wireless mic. So I just packed up and left and billed the client for 1/2 day. Never got paid but I did not expect too.
Tell your boss to record it with his iPhone next time.
Click to expand...

It's the kind of work we used to pay people to do for us, but since times have been tough, they want us to accomplish it in-house. "Us" means the marketing department... consisting of my boss who is always in meetings, me, the art director with no staff and doing all the production, and our "assistant" who deals with all our vendors/printers/etc. I've done some 10 minute talking-head stuff for them and it's been fine, but this is a whole different thing (which they don't seem to want to understand). Can you imagine 8 hours of this crap? I don't think even our most dedicated of dealers would have watched it. It's a B2B piece on "how to sell". Trust me, I'm trying to explain all that to them and am making headway, but only in teeny-tiny steps.

And I'll say this... I don't mind doing it because at least it's something new... and just something else I can put on my resume if I get good at it ;)

NoahK said:
Just try to be pro about it. If the boss really wants to get something of quality they need to budget the time/money to do the job right. Otherwise it's just crap. Go on you that you actually stopped recording in protest. Hopefully that will make some impact in their thinking. If it's a large conference table sort of setup next time, I'd recommend something like this:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/389916-REG/Audio_Technica_U841A_U841A_Unipoint_Microphone.html

Or if there's a presenter moving around- you have to get them to wear the lapel mic or carry a handheld mic. Best suggestion is hire a sound recordist with their own gear who knows what they're doing. Just because you don't see the crews behind professional looking and sounding projects doesn't mean they don't exist. These things don't happen by magic. And If the presenter and 'the boss' are not on the same page about the necessity of good sound- you're out of luck. What's your real job description supposed to be again??? :)

Noah
Click to expand...

Thanks... I think I first need to figure out how to get multiple mics into the GH1. Via mixer, I'm sure. I've also been looking at Lavalier systems, since some of them seem to have a mixer built-in. Here's the catch (and there always is one)... I KNOW they won't spring for more than a couple of hundred bucks -- at the most. I can't go to them with a $200 per mic + mixer solution. Hubby also already has the Beachtek 5Da to use if needed too. Inexpensive but reliable, with 3 or 4 mics... that's what I'm looking to find.

My real job description: wearer of many hats. LOL! Technically: Art Director :P
 
It's a B2B piece on "how to sell". Trust me, I'm trying to explain all that to them and am making headway, but only in teeny-tiny steps.

How very ironic....
Maybe they need to watch the video "how to record a meeting that you can sell".
 
Typical of the times. Video is cheap and easy so it can be done in-house without any extra cost. Of course the paid staff have to provide their own equipment and risk a reprimand if they screw up, right.

For next time I suggest find an old VHS cam that can record SLP 8 hours on a t-160 tape. http://www.dvxuser.com/V6/images/smilies/grin.gif I wouldn't even consider the hassle of a second camera, transcoding editing etc. unless you really have nothing else to do at work.
 
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