Generator near by...... at DVinfo.net

SiuChung Leung · November 5th, 2007, 03:10 PM

We are going to shoot a night scene in a open space(park). There will be a generator for lighting. I guess with the noise from the generator, I need to do the whole scene in post, however the dialogue in that scene is quite important and I am not sure those actors do well in ADR....

The other way I can think of is rent a van and put the generator in the van, park the van around the coner, run a long cable and HOPE no one call police say there is a noisy van down the road...... but I bet I still get the noise anyway....

and suggest?

Andy Wilkinson · November 5th, 2007, 03:29 PM

Hi,

If you put the generator in a van I'm pretty sure it will act like a huge vibrating soundbox and actually be even louder.....

Best way to diminish noise is distance and mass between it and where you are...i.e., if you can get the generator round a corner and behind a substantial building (from the shoot) and that should help deflect/reduce the noise somewhat....that's until the building's occupants come out and bother you mid-way through a critical scene! I guess (obviously) you will use shotgun or close mics/boom etc. to ensure you get at good a dialogue as possible whilst rejecting the environmental noise in the near distance behind the shoot. Also, if there is a choice/you're lucky, position the generator downwind of the shoot and that might help as well.

I've no experience of this scenario (I'm meerly a keen amature!) but that's my tuppence worth.

Andy W

Chris Soucy · November 5th, 2007, 03:38 PM

If you can beg, borrow or steal one of those refrigerated delivery trucks (a van size rather than truck will do), plop the generator in the middle of the floor on a large beanbag type chair and point the door opening to the fridge compartment directly away from the shoot, it should just about kill all the noise. Just make sure the door opening isn't pointed at anything which will bounce the sound back again.

The thermal insulation on those vans is exceedingly efficient with sound as well.

Where are you, BTW?

CS

SiuChung Leung · November 5th, 2007, 08:06 PM

Thx guy, I will think about those......

I've got another idea, instead of rent a generator, van or truck, I could use the money to pay the building occupants to use their power, then won't be any noise....

Chris, I am located at Auckland. Where you about?

Seth Bloombaum · November 5th, 2007, 08:27 PM

Gennies prepped for film/video use are extremely quiet, and fairly expensive.

The Honda eu1000i, eu2000i, eu3000is are all pretty darn quiet for a consumer use gen - getting your lighting people to use a quiet generator really helps. Then, you should be good with 100' between the generator and lighting power distro.

If you can get power from a building it's probably less expensive.

Chris Hocking · November 5th, 2007, 08:46 PM

Seth's right - those Honda generators are very quiet!

The 3000W Honda EU30is measures around 51db (A). With enough extension leads and SOMETHING in between the generator and the set (also keeping in mind wind direction as others have mentioned), you should be fine!

I own a much, much louder Honda Industrial Generator (probably more like 74db), and I've used it in similar situations without too much trouble. I normally do kinda what Chris suggested, and put it in the back of your average 3-tonne truck with fireproof drapes on all sides of the walls. Obviously the back of the truck needs to be open to get air in and out. Normally does the trick! However, for a city park scene, we just put the generator on the ground, behind a small brick wall a fair distance away, and because of the ambient noise of the city anyway, the generator just faded into the distance...

However, if you can get your hands on local power, then that's the way to go! It's normally pretty easy to get power from SOMEWHERE! Seeing as you're filming at a park, I'd imagine there will be toilets near by with power. Speak to your local council and chances are they'll be more than willing to help you out.

How much lighting are we talking? How big a generator?

Sometimes you're better off hiring two smaller Honda EU30is's and running them in parallel, than hiring one bigger/louder single unit.

Also, where's the location? Is it in a city? If so, you're going to be getting background noise anyway (cars, etc.). The generator noise won't be noticeable. If it's in the middle of nowhere, with no real ambiance noise, then that's a completely different story!

Happy Filming!

Chris!

Chris Soucy · November 5th, 2007, 11:27 PM

Just how, exactly, does one pronounce that, BTW?

That last question of yours has got to go down on record as one of the dumbest in recorded history. It's plastered right under my name in every single post, but no big deal.

Glad to have you on board DVinfo.

Noticed a few Kiwis appearing out of the woodwork lately, great to see.

In fact, it has been notable that a number of Antipodean members have appeared of late, which is even better.

One question tho' - why so many have absolutely no indication of where they are? SiuChung is 1800 Kilometres from here (1125 miles) so not exactly next door.

The USA bods may think they live in a big country - but heck, if you take Oz and LWC - land together, it makes the States look like a side issue to the South Pacific (in distance, if not population).

This is BIG territory guys, a location really does make a difference.

I strongly believe better labelling is in order, all things taken into consideration.

CS

PS: LWC = Land of the Long White Cloud, Ancient Maori term for NZ.

(Possibly taken from the plumes of smoke from the tyres of renegade boy racers doing burn out's on the freeways of Auckland, but I could be entirely wrong about that)

Andy Wilkinson · November 6th, 2007, 09:37 AM

I know this will sound obvious to many but just a word of warning about using a generator in a van. This bit about leaving the doors open that Chris mentioned is critical. 3 people died here in the UK last winter because they more or less closed the doors (of a shipping container) that a generator was in...carbon monoxide is a swift and silent killer. Enough said.

November 5th, 2007, 03:10 PM	#1
SiuChung Leung Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 231	Generator near by...... We are going to shoot a night scene in a open space(park). There will be a generator for lighting. I guess with the noise from the generator, I need to do the whole scene in post, however the dialogue in that scene is quite important and I am not sure those actors do well in ADR.... The other way I can think of is rent a van and put the generator in the van, park the van around the coner, run a long cable and HOPE no one call police say there is a noisy van down the road...... but I bet I still get the noise anyway.... and suggest?

November 5th, 2007, 03:38 PM	#3
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,682 Images: 18	Hi SiuChung............. If you can beg, borrow or steal one of those refrigerated delivery trucks (a van size rather than truck will do), plop the generator in the middle of the floor on a large beanbag type chair and point the door opening to the fridge compartment directly away from the shoot, it should just about kill all the noise. Just make sure the door opening isn't pointed at anything which will bounce the sound back again. The thermal insulation on those vans is exceedingly efficient with sound as well. Where are you, BTW? CS

November 5th, 2007, 11:27 PM	#7
Chris Soucy Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fairfield, Dunedin, New Zealand Posts: 3,682 Images: 18	Hi SiuChung............. Just how, exactly, does one pronounce that, BTW? That last question of yours has got to go down on record as one of the dumbest in recorded history. It's plastered right under my name in every single post, but no big deal. Glad to have you on board DVinfo. Noticed a few Kiwis appearing out of the woodwork lately, great to see. In fact, it has been notable that a number of Antipodean members have appeared of late, which is even better. One question tho' - why so many have absolutely no indication of where they are? SiuChung is 1800 Kilometres from here (1125 miles) so not exactly next door. The USA bods may think they live in a big country - but heck, if you take Oz and LWC - land together, it makes the States look like a side issue to the South Pacific (in distance, if not population). This is BIG territory guys, a location really does make a difference. I strongly believe better labelling is in order, all things taken into consideration. CS PS: LWC = Land of the Long White Cloud, Ancient Maori term for NZ. (Possibly taken from the plumes of smoke from the tyres of renegade boy racers doing burn out's on the freeways of Auckland, but I could be entirely wrong about that)

November 5th, 2007, 03:29 PM	#2
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	Hi, If you put the generator in a van I'm pretty sure it will act like a huge vibrating soundbox and actually be even louder..... Best way to diminish noise is distance and mass between it and where you are...i.e., if you can get the generator round a corner and behind a substantial building (from the shoot) and that should help deflect/reduce the noise somewhat....that's until the building's occupants come out and bother you mid-way through a critical scene! I guess (obviously) you will use shotgun or close mics/boom etc. to ensure you get at good a dialogue as possible whilst rejecting the environmental noise in the near distance behind the shoot. Also, if there is a choice/you're lucky, position the generator downwind of the shoot and that might help as well. I've no experience of this scenario (I'm meerly a keen amature!) but that's my tuppence worth. Andy W

November 5th, 2007, 08:06 PM	#4
SiuChung Leung Major Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: New Zealand Posts: 231	Thx guy, I will think about those...... I've got another idea, instead of rent a generator, van or truck, I could use the money to pay the building occupants to use their power, then won't be any noise.... Chris, I am located at Auckland. Where you about?

November 5th, 2007, 08:27 PM	#5
Seth Bloombaum Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 3,420	Gennies prepped for film/video use are extremely quiet, and fairly expensive. The Honda eu1000i, eu2000i, eu3000is are all pretty darn quiet for a consumer use gen - getting your lighting people to use a quiet generator really helps. Then, you should be good with 100' between the generator and lighting power distro. If you can get power from a building it's probably less expensive.

November 5th, 2007, 08:46 PM	#6
Chris Hocking Major Player Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 595	Seth's right - those Honda generators are very quiet! The 3000W Honda EU30is measures around 51db (A). With enough extension leads and SOMETHING in between the generator and the set (also keeping in mind wind direction as others have mentioned), you should be fine! I own a much, much louder Honda Industrial Generator (probably more like 74db), and I've used it in similar situations without too much trouble. I normally do kinda what Chris suggested, and put it in the back of your average 3-tonne truck with fireproof drapes on all sides of the walls. Obviously the back of the truck needs to be open to get air in and out. Normally does the trick! However, for a city park scene, we just put the generator on the ground, behind a small brick wall a fair distance away, and because of the ambient noise of the city anyway, the generator just faded into the distance... However, if you can get your hands on local power, then that's the way to go! It's normally pretty easy to get power from SOMEWHERE! Seeing as you're filming at a park, I'd imagine there will be toilets near by with power. Speak to your local council and chances are they'll be more than willing to help you out. How much lighting are we talking? How big a generator? Sometimes you're better off hiring two smaller Honda EU30is's and running them in parallel, than hiring one bigger/louder single unit. Also, where's the location? Is it in a city? If so, you're going to be getting background noise anyway (cars, etc.). The generator noise won't be noticeable. If it's in the middle of nowhere, with no real ambiance noise, then that's a completely different story! Happy Filming! Chris!

November 6th, 2007, 09:37 AM	#8
Andy Wilkinson Inner Circle Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Cambridge UK Posts: 2,853	I know this will sound obvious to many but just a word of warning about using a generator in a van. This bit about leaving the doors open that Chris mentioned is critical. 3 people died here in the UK last winter because they more or less closed the doors (of a shipping container) that a generator was in...carbon monoxide is a swift and silent killer. Enough said.