Shoot a Play w/DVX

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Keifer1970

New member
Hello collective, I am novice with working with the DVX100. I just completed a film workshop were we worked with the DVX100A. I decided to ordered the 100B and it should be here next week.

My question is, I've already have some jobs lined up and the most recent seems to be a problem. I've been contracted out to film a play by a local theater group. I accepted the job only to later discover that they are not using mic's (SHOCKED). The owner informed me that they use voice projection and the theater is very small. I informed them the sounds would be EXTREMELY poor and maybe not acceptable at all. They explained they shot a play using a consumer grade camera it wasn't a problem. I decide not to argue with the client and agree.

So when I ordered my DVX I also order a Rodes NTG-2 directional mic. Will this suffice under these circumstances?
 
Sometimes when the client says that the audio was "fine" they mean that they could make out what was being said. But they don't really grasp just how much better good audio will make a video seem.


I shot a concert video a little while back and was really constrained on where I could place the cameras. I was also starting out so the cinematography was...well...not great... But the final product appeared to come out fine because I spent some money to rent out quality audio gear and the sound was awesome.


The audio pros probably have more useful and correct stuff to say (I'm really kind of a newb at all of this), but I think, depending on the venue and the play, that the Rode may have too narrow of a pickup pattern. If you can afford it, you should consider renting another mic and have each mic responsible for picking up one side of the stage. (Side benefit: stereo sound).

I have also found that my NTG-2 doesn't perform too well indoors. You may want to use a hyper-cardiod instead of the shotgun. But it's a theatre, so you may not have the same kind of problems with reflections.

Mic placement is key. Don't use an on camera mic for this kind of thing. Since you're in a theatre, maybe hang a mic (or 2 or 3) from the rigging above the stage? Or have some kind of boom setup that doesn't get in the way and the audience can't see?
 
Hmm, I agree with weary. The client probably just doesn't understand the difference between "good" audio and "acceptable" audio. I say go with what you've got and just to prove your point, show him a version mixed with the audio picked up from the built in camera side by side with the external mics, if you're given the time and opportunity to do so so that the client will not only like you for making their thing seem much more professional, but hopefully come back to you time and time again making you a regular. Or at the least, they won't be making the mistake of wanting acceptable audio anymore.

Hmm, a boom setup should work well since they're extremely precise, but the only problem is that you'd need another person operating it completely if you wanted it to be precise in its direction because they are very sensitive. If you do decide to go with that though and don't want to pay over $500, get a Senn K series shotgun, they should do the job.

And...I don't think a boom set up is the best idea at a concert unless all you want to hear is one distinct person with the rest of the band as background audio :P
 
HumanLarva said:
And...I don't think a boom set up is the best idea at a concert unless all you want to hear is one distinct person with the rest of the band as background audio :P
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Heh, I've seen some concerts where I wish I could've tuned out the rest of the band... :)


Seriously, though, I totally agree...to clarify, if you're going with a boom setup, i.e. if you mount a boom on a stand, you should ideally use multiple mics, with a wider pickup pattern (I think...please correct me if I'm wrong).

You should see if the theatre has any hanging microphones (for examples: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/shop/8547/Hanging.html) you can use. We used them all the time in my band geek days...
 
If you're going to end up using multiple mics, have them logically placed along the set, to ur left and right. If you're going for a 5.1 mix, you obviously have more to wokr with, but i'm assuming you're working with stereo, so you'd get a left and right channel.

Place them wherever "you" feel they sound best, and wear headphones to get the true audio. Since it's a play, a boom setup might be ideal because theoretically, there would be only 1 to 2 people talking simultaneously (correct me if i'm wrong). Chances are that you'd want a wireless set up to so taht you don't have cables running around, although I can't offer any insight on that because i've never worked with a wireless mic system with the exception of lav mics in a live production.

And a wider pickup pattern (I believe that's called cardoid?) would work if you kind of want to cover all your bases without having to worry about anything, but you won't get the same precise audio as you would from a shotgun.
 
Okay so keep in mind, im so new to this and this is my first independent project since a class project. The theater is a very small community theater. I will be placed in the far back as to not obstuct the view of the audience. I dont believe I would be able to have cables ran the length of the camera to the stage. I have thought about the wireless option and suggested that to the client. They claim they cant afford it. I truly understand the importance of good audio sound but I almost feel like my hands are tied on this. The only option is to rent or purchase my on wireless mics and charge them to use but if they wont pay for purchasing ANYTHING addtional how would I sell that idea. I looked online and I see wireless mic are a pretty penny :)
 
Well, that's fair. If your budget allows, I would definitely rent. Not sure what the rental market is like in Chicago, but audio rentals aren't that expensive (at least here in Toronto). And if you don't want to run a long cable, then run the mic into an external recorder and sync in post.

But that's definitely an unfortunate position you're in.
 
i shot a play but luckly for me only two ppl talked and it was behind the curtain they were just narrators while the actors mimed what they said, so i just put my wirless handheld on a boommic and got audio that way. but you guys are right the client i worked with did not know the difference between good audio or audio where you can make out the words to. also the thing i had a problem was i wanted to do close ups but they were like no you cant do that, i tried to explain the blocking for theater is much different for tv or film. im guessing you will also have this problem. well good luck with the shoot.
 
Also, I have another question. In shooting this play I'm wondering about settings recommendations for shot type like 30p or 60i?
 
I'd be worried about light, so shoot 30p. It's also a stylistic thing. Personally I hate the 60i "video" look when it comes to fiction (whether it be a play or a film).
 
I ask what you edit with only cuz in avid they have this dmn transfer plug in that if you shoot in 30 with this effect it helps take away some of that 30 look.
 
Keifer1970 said:
Okay so keep in mind, im so new to this and this is my first independent project since a class project. The theater is a very small community theater. I will be placed in the far back as to not obstuct the view of the audience. I dont believe I would be able to have cables ran the length of the camera to the stage.
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Could you put an audio recorder just off stage? You'd need to find a way to slate it, of course.

As far as mics go, you want something as close as possible to the actors, and with a wide pickup. You might even look at a PZM, which can be made to be pretty unobtrusive.

You will not get movie quality sound out of this, because you can't have someone standing there with a boom pole. (Unless that's part of the play, of course.) But you can get decent sound, which is probably good enough for the client.
 
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