Setup for film shoot (boom/rec/mix)

D

darkaydix

Member
This Summer I am going to be taking care of the sound for a feature film. I will need to be the boom operator, as well as record the sound and keep track of it during the shoot. I'll also be gathering Foley and FX and room tone etc for the post work. Basically, I'll be the one-woman-band for sound.

What I'd love are some suggestions from you all about a setup.
I'll need a recorder, a shotgun, a hyper (which can be mounted on a boom pole), a boom pole-- I don't believe I have the ability to record and boom AND mix... I'd love to get some discussion going on that.
Sadly, the budget is around $1,500 for sound. It's slightly flexible, but that's the general area.

The majority of the film will be shot outdoors. And problematically all over North Carolina; waterfalls, oceans, forests, open fields, etc. There will be horse chases, gun fights, bluegrass musicians, and some intense dialogue. The indoor stuff includes a house (all rooms), a bar, and an office. So lots to work with. Upside? Great experience :)

Thoughts?
I've been sifting through the forum here and have found some commons:
Rode NTG-2/NT3/NTG-3
Senn 416 (you guys said they dropped the price recently??)
AT 4053b
KTEK 110 Wired pole
Fostex FR2-LE
Tascam DR-100
T744
Marantz 661

I won't need to worry about cables in my cost, we have plenty of those. We also have a Senn MD46 I believe..

I'm not too sure about how many channels I'd be running at a one time. I can only hold one boom :), and I'm wondering about lav mics? Should I attempt this? There will be a few wide shots but most of the dialogue is close or medium. And from what I can tell from the script and meetings, I should be able to boom most of it no problem; only a few scenes where there are more than 3 people.


I am still quite the sound amateur, and I'm slowly trying to improve that.
Looking forward to the development of this thread (and my knowledge)!
 
Be aware (if anyone mentions using lavs) that attaching lavs to actors presents ALL kinds of challenges, not the least of which are the noises generated by clothing movement, actors touching the lavs, taking the time to attach lavs, run cable, and hide the pack somewhere on the actors.

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if it's a feature, involve lots of talking, wireless lavs are a must, of course, you can boom the subject all the time, but sometimes, if the cameraman or the director decides to shoot with a long long long shot, with a fisheye lens on it( just kidding on the fisheye lens) , you would find very confident with your audio set up. ( with the wireless lavs)

good luck

Hiro
 
Well, first off good luck!

As for booming and mixing it can be done (look at reality tv). For your situation you'll want to focus on booming, but you need to make sure that your audio doesn't peak and distort. A mixer will greatly help you see the levels and adjust on the fly.

As for your gear I'd go with the NTG-2 or NTG-3. The AT4053b for INT, and look at a two or three channel sound devices if you want a mixer (it will really help you).

Recorders I'd say FR2-LE or H4n. FR2-LE has better preamps and I'd go with this option without the mixer. If you have a mixer, I'd go with the H4n. The preamps aren't great but with a mixer that doesn't matter, and the built in mics are nice for capturing stereo ambiance and FX.

Don't forget a good pair of headphones, a shock mount, wind protection, and a blimp as well!

As for wireless, I'd say you don't have the budget, and to often lavs are used in place of getting good audio. Yes, they can save the day, but in my opinion they ruin more shots than they save (especially if you haven't spent a lot of time working with them). If you must Senn G3 is a good place to start.

As for general advice:

  1. I'd say be prepared for anything at anytime, even if it isn't in you department. Having cold medicine and cough suppressant will not only help in the quest for the crew to be silent, it also earns you some good will. Which means people will be more willing to work with you when you have issues.
  2. Bring a folding chair! And pile it with stuff when not in use, so no one else sits in it. After booming for awhile you'll want to sit down, and production doesn't always bring enough chairs (if any). It also helps to keep your equipment out of the dirt on location. I like the cheap ones at target that fold up and have a shoulder strap.
  3. Make sure the people in other departments like you!!! I can't stress this enough. They can be your best asset or your biggest obstacle.
  4. Last, remember to relax and have fun. A feature is a very time consuming process that takes a lot out of you and can easily become overwhelming. However, it is a great experience and you will learn a lot.
Good Luck!
 
1. buy the dvd, $65
2. buy location sound package #4 from dvestore, $1000(do dvxusers still get discounts?)
http://www.dvcreators.net/rode-ntg-3-shotgun-mic/
3. buy sony 7506 headphones, $100
http://www.dvcreators.net/sony-professional-7506-headphones/
4. buy oktava mk012a(hyper mic for interiors), $250
http://oktava.com/inc/sdetail/474
5. buy zoom h4n, $300

thats slightly over your budget at $1710(not including shipping and taxes)

i'd strongly suggest buying a mixer, something like the sound devices mix pre($650'sh). it will make it much easier to ride levels, good mic power and have great limiters.

also you're going to need a bag to hang around your shoulders/neck. portabrace and petrol make great bags and harnesses. i'm more of a petrol user.

or, you can save a lot of money and rent a kit. i'm local to NC and depending on your shoot you could just rent my kit. PM me if you're interested in that.
 
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