Newbie Query: How To Record Auto Engne Audio

N

norm1153

New member
Greetings:
In the near future I want to do a video of a 70 mile stretch of a unique road in Utah. One continuous clip. I figure to use 2 action cams with suction cups on the auto.
Does anyone remember an 8 minute film made in the early 70's in Paris called Rendezvous? Incredible trip across Paris made on an early Sunday morning with a Formula One driver. The audio was engine noise, with tire squeal added when appropriate. I can't duplicate all that, but perhaps I could get close. I own 2 different Zoom models. The car here will be a Lincoln MKZ.
Would someone have a suggestion on placement, or failing that, a different approach?

Thanks,
Norm
 
Hmm interesting project. I watched 'Rendezvous' on Vimeo -- very cool, he even gets the girl in the end :) Doubt he could get away with filming this in the streets of Paris (or any other city) today... I am curious how you solve this problem. A friend of mine races and he wants me to put together a highlight film of his racing (on a closed track). All of the footage was shot on GoPros and the audio was just the onboard GP mic... My major concerns would be mic type/placement and clipping/vibration. You would definitely need to do a few short test runs to get proper levels set on your recorder. The other option is just adding the sound via SFX. Would love to hear from someone who has recorded audio in a similar situation...
 
Having done a ton of car spots I would not try to get all of the sound while shooting. I would to a sound session after you shoot so you can get tire sounds, squeals etc., which will probably require you to do things that won't look good with a camera attached.

I would however also record while you shoot because it will match picture, sort of (your not going to be recording what the camera is seeing so...), and why not.

The "full" coverage would have a mic or two under the hood (generally one with a more balanced sound and one close to the air intake) One near the exhaust (you will want a dynamic with lots of foam and have it to the side or above but NOT directly in the path of the exhaust), Front wheel well (try to keep it out of the path of flying dirt and rocks), and one or more in the inside.

Even in a minimal set up you really want to get engine, exhaust, and tires. But for the sync shoot you could get by with out the tires and do them on a sound pass.

I would also suggest that you go and record sounds for the things the camera "sees". Assuming it's not just moonscape. So if you pass a garage say, go back on another day and record some of that sound so you can "pass" it in the film.

And a note on car recordings. The speed of the car has nothing to do with the perceived "speed". If the car is in reality going fast you don't want to duplicate that for sound. For one thing lenses distort the visual perception of speed VS screen time, so a fast car by can be on the screen a LOT longer that the audio you would get at that same speed. And second because it's the RPM's and the strain on the engine that sounds like "speed". Classically for something like a high speed chase you will record the cars at maybe 30MPH driving up an incline in a low gear. Same for skids and tire "chirps". Skidding at high speed is VERY dangerous. But you can get a nice controlled skidd going down hill at 20-30 MPH or even less depending on the hill using the emergency brake (doesn't lock up the steering wheels and bypasses ABS).

If you really want to be safe rig up a Formula D car and record some practice runs, you will have screeches for days.
 
Just watched the film. Interesting and well done.
My guess is that it was actually shot driving a motorcycle and not at extreme speeds. It was a bit of a publicity stunt film and it's possible it was a car but the camera tilt on turns and such feel more like a bike, and certainly it was a very thin car if it was a car. And the headlights don't look right for a car. I also suspect slower speeds because of things as they go by. A LOT of the speed comes from sound. And the claim of the director about his speeds are really far fetched. I would absolutely not try to film this as it appears, because it would be incredibly dangerous and irresponsible. And also because I seriously don't think it was shot anything like it looks.
However after you shoot a controlled and safe film and make it sound and look incredibly dangerous, do what he did and lie your head off. Spread rumors of your arrest, and how you just narrowly missed something. And make your crew swear to not reveal the magic of cinema. Think of just OK this film would be if you actually knew he filmed it on a vespa at 30 mph. That is the beauty of filmmaking you can create a "reality" that only a fool would live.

If you want to see something kind of similar slide through to the BMW ad in this link. It's maybe five or six in.
http://www.askincstudios.com/reels/Reels%20Page/reelspage.htm

All the sounds for that ad were recorded on city streets and a county road at street legal speeds (and not around people). Though the shoot was done on a track at probably fairly high speeds, though I doubt they hit 90.
 
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