Need A Cheap Field Mixer

"w/ a P.A. booming"

Is this PA knowledgeable in audio?
If yes, then you can expect okay sounds. The limiters on your camera is crap compared to a professional mixer when one actor is whispering and another screaming. You're going to have headaches when editing your materials. You also need to know beforehand whether this PA can hold something above their head for a long period of time. If not, you better wish that you have a high-pass filter option on your camera. Even though the AT4073a has a LF roll-off, it's still not going to cut it if this PA is shaking continuously.

If no, then your audio is in great danger. With or without a mixer, you won't get good sound at all. Whoever is holding that boom must have basic knowledge of audio.

When you begin to add some kind of gear into your bag, you better consider and budget accessories for it, such as a bag for your mixer. I notice that you have 2x G2's and a shotgun mic. Sure you'll get audio for both of your characters wirelessly, but after adding the boom mix into your chain you'll eventually get phase problems during editing if and only if you're combining both wireless and boom channels together.

The cheapest mixer that you'll have is your camera's mixer.
 
Sounds complex. I was hoping my lavs would do their job for most of the dialogue and if and when they peak, the shotgun would be there (turned lower) for back up. Is there a better workflow with the tools I have?

1 HVX

2 G2's w/Countryman EMW's

1 AT4073 w/softie

1 Boompole

1 Marantz Digital Audio Recorder

I've mastered the camera... now I'm focusing on the sound. What's the best route for me to go?
 
Doesn't look too complicated.

There are many options, but this is what I would suggest:


2 characters framing: CU's and POV's
AT4073a into HVX.
2x G2 into Marantz
Note: If wide shot and XLR cable has no reach to HVX, alternative option:
AT4073a into Marantz
2x G2 into HVX

1 character framing, 1 off-screen: CU's and POV's
At4073a on character in frame -> HVX
1x G2 on character in frame -> HVX
1x G2 on character off-screen - Marantz
 
Jesus Phil,
I don't know who EVS is, but they don't know squat about audio. You're in LA. Go to Coffey Sound and let them tell you what to do.

If done right, and that's not saying you could do it, there's a tremendous difference between using a mixer and not using a mixer. If there weren't, there wouldn't be three man teams and a whole cart full of gear for feature films.

Hollywood producers are not dumb. If they could get away without a three person crews (and a mixer) they would. Are films made with less than a three person crew? Yes they are. I've done them. I'm booming and mixing and wrangling my own cables. It's hard work. You have to know what you're doing to do that.

Do yoursself a favor and go back and read my reasons why you need a mixer.

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
Hey Ty, I was VERY careful with my words. Lots of movies are made without mixers - note that I didn't say they were good movies. My point was that too often we are asked to give advice in a vacuum. If this is poster is someone in high school, s/he can probably get away without a mixer, for example. And, it really also depends on the budget, right? I would strongly recommend going without a mixer if all someone can afford is the Azden's. :-)

And, the type of mixer really depends on the way that they are going to shoot. Is it run and gun, or will they have access to power? If so, I would strongly recommend a mixer like one of the Mackies at ~$200-400 before looking at the Rolls portables.

Just my $.02.

Phil
 
Ty, are you actually suggesting to apply EQ on location? That surprises me. I know that it is done, but I've rarely seen anyone recommend it to a novice user. :-)

Phil
 
ptalsky said:
Hey Ty, I was VERY careful with my words. Lots of movies are made without mixers - note that I didn't say they were good movies. My point was that too often we are asked to give advice in a vacuum. If this is poster is someone in high school, s/he can probably get away without a mixer, for example. And, it really also depends on the budget, right? I would strongly recommend going without a mixer if all someone can afford is the Azden's. :-)

And, the type of mixer really depends on the way that they are going to shoot. Is it run and gun, or will they have access to power? If so, I would strongly recommend a mixer like one of the Mackies at ~$200-400 before looking at the Rolls portables.

Just my $.02.Phil
Click to expand...

:) Well OK then :)

Yes budget, for sure makes a difference.
And yes, I never saw an Azden I liked. (Sorry Azden).
I like battery powered mixers because AC powered mixers immediately raise the potential for ground loops that cause hum and buzzes. Not every hum or buzz is a ground loop, but if the camera is plugged into AC here, and the mixer over there, you can very easily get a ground loop that'll buzz.

I run my 442 mixer from a $200 rechargeable 14,400 mAh Lithium Ion battery that fits in the mixer bag. If I'm not powering phantom mics, I can run for days.

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
ptalsky said:
Ty, are you actually suggesting to apply EQ on location? That surprises me. I know that it is done, but I've rarely seen anyone recommend it to a novice user. :-) Phil
Click to expand...

I'm saying sometime you have to. Two situations.

1. Huge HVAC noise like we encountered in the Wash DC Elections Board Bldg basement where they told us we'd be shooting. (Not my choice!)

I had to roll off some of the bottom to reduce the HVAC noise, using the low cut on my Sound Devices 442. If you don't know what you're doing you can roll off too much.

2. Studio shoot in the Wash DC Federal Courts Bldg. One guy at a lecturn, three panelsits. Everyone on hard wired lavs. Noisey big screen TV monitor piece of eye candy not more than two feet from the guy at the lecturn.

The guy at the lecturn had a piercing voice. One of the panelists had a really woofy voice.

I rolled off some of the bottom of every mic to reduce HVAC and noisy big screen monitor fan. Then I EQ'd the piercing voice to match the two guys with normal voices and EQ'd the woofy guy by pulling out some 125HZ (doesn't work on everyone. I had to find that frequency first and then remove it) plus brighten him up a bit.

This was a live-to-tape recording. No post production. I had to know how to fix it so it would sound right . I also employed the console's comp/limiter on the two-mix (main stereo out) so I could run hotter levels without getting overs. Not much; 2-4 dB gain reduction at about 8:1 ratio. That way everything was a little louder and I didn't have to sweat the occasional outburst.

That's why you need eq and a good limitter.

That's why you need a mixer.

Regards,

Ty Ford
 
Thanks for the clarification Ty! My point in asking about EQ was mainly to point out (as you did in your post) that if you don't know what you're doing, then don't touch the EQ on your mixer, whatever brand it may be. You obviously know what you're doing (which I already knew before your post, you know. :-)

Phil
 
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