Your Suggestions On My Options

Woodson

Woodson

Well-known member
Hey Friends,

I'm preparing for a short shoot in July.

The place I'm renting the equipment has these kinds of equip for lighting and sound... what are your suggestions

For lighting kits... 3 options

a 4-light Dido Max kit with dimmers, and two Omni/Pro Tota Lowel kits with Chimera light banks, and one red head.

For Sound...

the basic SHURE FP33 3-channel mixer with boom pole, Mic, rycote, etc. ($90 per day)

Or

a 4 channel PSC mixer with boom, 415 Sennheiser, and rycote and one Wireless unit is $175/day (transmitter and receiver), and another 55/day for every extra wireless package.
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

If you are not familar with equipment you are renting, you might be in for some fast learning.

Will they show you how to hook it all up or do you all ready know how?

First package, Well the FP33 mixer is nice but you don't need it if you have a dvx100 and what kind of mic will they give you? You didn't specify.

The 415 Sennheiser is a good one. But again you really don't need the PSC mixer if you have a DVX100. The wireless unit hmmm not enough info.

If you don't have a DVX stop.... take back all this stuff and rent a DVX instead... ;D

One thing I hate, is renting something I don't know how to use, slows me down. Time is money. I usually like to rent it for an extra day and try to figure it all out beforehand. (budget permitting!)

I will say I never recommend using a wireless unless there is no other way around it. For one you need lots of batteries, second - interference, third sometimes but not all the time they don't sound as good are thier wired counterparts. But if it is a nice expensive wireless, they sound awesome! Like my Audio Technica 3000 series Lav. Stay away from VHF wireless, ONLY use UHF. The VHF band is way too limited in frequency response and sounds like Sh!T. Talk with your nose pinched and that is the sound I am talking about.

Anyway sorry about that Ranting..... But at least you will know a little about wireless products.

Mics are very very important, If it looks good but sound like sh!t usually the audience thinks it is Sh.t.

Any one give him some help with his lights. I use cheap JTL and Britek lights and stands. Very cheap but gets the job done. So I can't give advice on lights. Sound I know a thing or two.
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

Thank you Hartstudio,

the equip comes with a dvxA... I'll be renting the dvx with it, from friday to monday, will be shooting saturday and sunday.

I have no clue about those sound and lighting equip they have.. but thats all they have, so I was asking here maybe you know if some of these would go good with the dvx.

There are film groups here where the sound and lighting equip are much much cheaper because I'm a member but I have no clue if they would go with the dvx.

here is a pdf link to what one place has

http://www.winnipegfilmgroup.mb.ca/rentalrates/rate-member.pdf

the other place has these ...

Lighting Kits |

Strand light kit: $5.50

Lowell Light Kit: $5.50

Inkie Light Kit: $5.50

Individual Lights: $2.20


| Microphones |

Sennheiser Dynamic 421, 441, 461: $3

Shure SM58: $3

AKG Shotgun CK9, Cardiod CK5, CK22: $3

C1000S, Crown Lav GLM 200, LAV CK567E: $3

Realistic PZM: $3

Sennheiser 416T shotgun w/ windscreen and pistol grip: $10

Neuman TLM103: $15

Shure FP31 field mixer: $2.20


Not sure if these are capable with the dvx?
Maybe they are and I can save tons of money.
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

The cool thing about the dvx is that all expensive and cheap mics will work with. (As long as they are low impedance XLR) If they are high impedance you will need a Hi to Low adaptor. Stay away from high impedance. Usually the mics have a cord built in to the microphone and will be a 1/4 inch jack on them. (guitar plug) High Impedance in short means the microphone has a high resistance and will be supceptable to electromagnetic interference, therefor you need to keep the cord as short as possible and away from motors or power supplies. XLR is low impedance and can be run long distance (keep em at or under 100 feet) The DVX has XLR inputs (2 of them) on the side with 48 volt phatom power (switchable On/off) for the Condensors. That would be the Akg c1000s, the Neuman, the Sennheisers. The way you will know that it needs phantom power is leave it off, if the mic doesn't produce sound turn it on. Then the mic will start functioning. I would go to each manufacturors web site and look up the mics they have for rent. You will get a discription of what they were designed for and what their frequency response is.

Indoor - I have had excellent results with the c1000s. Unless in a restraunt use shotgun.
Outdoor - I would go with a shotgun for the ultimate in side to side rejection of noise.(Use the Rycote) Unless you are doing a nature spot and want to record all the noise all around you use an omnidirectional or figure 8.(Still use the Rycote/ wind rejection!)

On the Dvx you will want to record your sound around 2 to 3 red bars to be safe. Turn it down a little on the cam if it gets up to 4 or peaks out. Monitor the sound with some headphones. 1/8 plug in the back of the cam. What you hear is what you will get. It will not lie like the LCD. Volume adjust for the headphones is on top of the camera.

;D :D ;D :D : ;D
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

[quote author=HartStudio link=board=Offtopic;num=1083645796;start=0#4 date=05/07/04 at 05:16:07]What you hear is what you will get. It will not lie like the LCD. Volume adjust for the headphones is on top of the camera.[/quote]

Well, unless you're on the dvx100a and you get the dreaded noisefloor hiss in the headphones. Don't worry, it's not what you will get, as it doesn't get laid to tape. But it's annoying.
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

I don't have that in my dvx100a. I can hear the opamps distorting when you turn the volume too loud. Usually around 3 to 4 bars on the volume control. But I hear that is because that added another amplification stage to make the phones louder, because of complaints on the dvx100. Personally I think they made them too loud. But I use Sennheiser sealed headphones. They give a few db of soundproofing to the outside world. :P
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

I'm getting alot of advice to use the Sennheiser 416T shotgun people are saying its great with the dvx. I dunno, have any of you used it?

This is going to be first short about 12-17 mins in lenght, most of the action will take place in a big room/hall in a buidling, so most of the action will take place indoors, the outdoors shots will include a person walking at picking something off the street, this will be a short scene, and will be the only outside shot.

I am not a professional, but I want to learn and see what I need, this is my first short which I will be directing and mostly doing the crew work. (there will be some people helping out) But I will be doing the camera stuff, lighting, sound and directing.

There are 9 characters, most of the action in the room is by them sitting in front a desk. There will be some shots on a staircase in the building. The room has lights and is pretty well lit cause it has lots of lights on the ceiling. There are alot of gory and special/make up effects done to the characters of some of the scenes.

From reading this book on shorts, I heard that the Lowell light kit is a great lighting tool.
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

Don't mean to jump in, but DO NOT underestimate your lighting needs, and/or setup. Sounds like you are unsure about the lighting. I would look at the ARRI kit at least. If possible, get your lighting early and work with it. I am sure you know this- just keep this at the forefront of ALL decisions. :)Good luck with the shoot-hope to see some here, soon.
 
Re: Your Suggestions On My Options

To be honest I'm just starting out... I have no clue about what sound and lighting to use... but I'm trying to find out if those options that I listed if anyone has used them with the dvx because those are my only sources for equip and I'm trying to use the best one possible, and find out which lighting and sound equip to use with the dvx but before my shoot I would like to learn about the product that I'll be using.

I will be taking a Workshop on lighting at one of rental houses in town, also I just got the book by John Jackman on lighting so hopefully I will gain some knowledge about this issue.

Thank you all again for the support and advice.
 
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