Using an Audio Guy for shoot...

[DVX100Shooter]

I just want to make sure of the set up for using an audio guy/gal.

The shotgun mic plugs into the input of their portable mixer that they carry around with them and then I would run a cable out of the output of the mixer to the input of my DVX correct? The audio that I will be recording will be mixed audio. How long of an XLR cable should I use from the mixer to the camera? Having a wireless set up won't work will it? I am sure I am better off using a hard line cable though.

 

[Barry_Green]

Re: Using an Audio Guy for shoot...

You will always be better off using a cable.

Yes, the basic setup is right -- mic's run to the field mixer, who controls levels etc., and then pipes the output to the camera.

You want to have some room, when you're tethered to the mixer there it can be awfully inconvenient if the cables are too short, and cause problems with your feet if they're too long. 6' to 10'.

Calibrate the mixer to the DVX, have the mixer send -20db tone and set your DVX to LINE IN, and spin the pots to where you're at 4 dots below red (which corresponds to -20). Turn the DVX ALC off. Let the audio mixer ride levels without any "interference" from the DVX's limiter... 2 sets of headphones, one on the camera and one for the mixer. The vital set is the one on the camera, of course, because it doesn't matter how good it sounds in the mixer if it's not getting to the camera.

And yes, you could use wireless if you wanted to. But wired will usually result in less hassles and better quality.