Self-taped audition audio $18 lav, $200+ Rode Videomic Pro, or other?

LeoLeo

LeoLeo

Member
Hi folks,

I'm primarily an actor, although I'll also be looking to film some of my own content starting later this year. For that, I'll probably be having friends with their own equipment help out, our I'll rent equipment. So right now, I *think* I should just focus on equipment & technique for the purpose of self-taped auditions. (Open to hearing alternative suggestions, however).
I'm currently filming on a tripod-mounted iPhone 6s+, using the built-in mic and using the lights that are in the room (desk lamp & overhead/room light). The results are low light levels with shadows on my face, and audio that feels a little thin, reverberant, and has a bit of hiss (due to auto-gain, I guess).

A couple of self-taped audition considerations: the quicker we submit, the better (usually), and the less distracted by setting up gear/workflow, the more focus can be put on performance.

SOUND: I have been recommended this $18 lav. I've also been recommended the $200+ Rode Videomic Pro, and the Rode SmartLav+ as an in-between of the two. I'm not really sure which is most appropriate for my setup. Casting Directors definitely notice the difference in crappy quality submissions and good quality submissions, but I also don't want to needlessly over-kill the situation. One thing I'm confused about is with the Videomic Pro, would I need the SC4 or the SC7 adapter? I'd think less connections is better (so, SC7), but I can't tell if the cable that comes with the Videomic Pro is detachable (making the SC4 the only choice). As far as the auto-gain-control situation with iPhones, I was thinking of shooting on Filmic Pro, which I think has the ability to disable auto-gain. And conveniently means I'm not shooting sync sound, which should help speed up the workflow. (Although, I've yet to use Filmic, and am unsure if I can save out a movie to my camera roll directly. Currently, I've been using the built-in camera app, then importing in iMovie to trim start/end and add fade-in/fade-out, which then allows easy/direct upload to YouTube for sharing with CDs).
 
Camera mounted mics sound awful unless your in very close proximity to it. (12-18" and on-axis) You would be better off with a lav. The quality of the $18 mic would be questionable, but probably anything going into a 'phone' won't sound very good, at least w/o a quality front end. (preamp, A/D converter) Why don't you jut rent some decent gear, or better yet, hire experienced folks w/ gear. Avoid auto-gain.. period.
 
Hi Rick, thanks for your reply!

I will be around ~2-3ft proximity from the camera. Reason behind not renting or not hiring people is that the purpose of this setup is for self-taped auditions: so there would be many of these each month, which would end up costing a ton if renting gear and/or hiring people, and is something I need to be able to do at very short notice—the faster the better (like receive audition request, learn lines, record, submit, all within a few hours).
 
LeoLeo said:
I'm currently filming on a tripod-mounted iPhone 6s+, using the built-in mic and using the lights that are in the room (desk lamp & overhead/room light). The results are low light levels with shadows on my face, and audio that feels a little thin, reverberant, and has a bit of hiss (due to auto-gain, I guess).
Click to expand...

If you really want to use an iPhone for this, have at it. The thing is, it's not designed for this use really, no matter what the ads say. Real cameras use fixed frame rates, and real audio comes from a good mic, in the right place, through a good preamp (with the correct power for the mic). But I can understand why you want to force this choice; it lets you finish and email it quickly. I get that.

For audio, consider something like the IK Multimedia iRig. Couple that with a big-bang-for-the-buck lav like the Oscar SoundTech 801 (for hiding under clothes, the 802 is mostly used on top of clothes where it can be seen, news anchor style). Call and talk to the OST people to make sure you get all the parts you need the first time.

This might give you acceptable sound from an iPhone. Will it let you record video at the same time? I have no idea. Call IK and ask.

The other thing you need is decent lighting. Depending on how far you want to go, you might be able to get away with a simple color corrected compact fluorescent in a table lamp with a plain white shade. Place it in the plane of the camera, but up higher so that looks down at you from about 45 degrees. This will give you the same basic lighting as many TV newsdesks have.

This is about as cheap as I'd be willing to go. Cheaping out on a mic is just the path toward anger and frustration. Don't go there. Unless you really like that cycle of buying a cheap mic, loosing a job because of it, throwing it out, and buying yet another really cheap mic. Rinse and repeat.
 
A $20 microphone in the right place would sound better than a $2000 microphone too far away.
A microphone mounted ON the camera will sound like cheap, amateur home movies, no matter how much it costs.
A decent location for a camera (even a cell phone) is almost NEVER a decent location for a microphone.
Unless you are doing an ECU (Extreme Close-Up) "selfie". And that probably won't be very impressive to casting people.

And you could do at least SOMETHING a bit better than generally lousy "available light".

These things could be used to provide some dramatic improvement to "found illumination".
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Duo-LED-Lantern/dp/B00CHHNKQK or
http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Quad-LED-Lantern/dp/B00E09BERU

We must assume that the higher the production level of your submission, the better you will look.
 
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ugafan said:
what about this?

Click to expand...


Interesting... it has tipped the balance for me to get a Rode VideoMe Mic for my iPhone also to have a look at the filmicpro app which should take LeoLeo's stuff up to the next level for less than 100 USD. Get a small table top tripod/camera grip as well and he can carry it all around in his pocket and do reasonable "better than the average" stuff almost anywhere/anytime.

BTW one point not mentioned in the video (I think) is that the VideoMe Mic has a headphone socket in the back so you can monitor the audio as it is recorded.


The OP could spend a LOT more on gear and only get a marginal improvement. He is not making a high end film but as long as his show reels are better than the majority of the competition he is on to a winner.
 
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