Doing first Video Shoot with 5D Mk2 - Need Help!!
 

I have mainly switched to doing photography only, but I was contacted to do a small video project....

The project consists of a Son interviewing his Father basically... the Father will be the only one on camera, but the son will be asking questions and have some interaction off camera.

The requirements are that it be filmed in HD, good quality audio and good lighting.

Here is what I have available:

Canon 5D Mark II
24-105 F4L
85mm F1.8
135L F2.0
70-200 F2.8 IS

Audio Technica AT-897 Shotgun Microphone
Sennheiser G2 wireless microphones
Lowel Video lighting kit

So I think I'm covered for the video and the lighting, I am really worried about the audio though.

What would your suggestions be? When I quoted on this (3 weeks ago), I was hoping to have some notice to perhaps buy some more equipment, but they just responded today and want to do the shoot on thursday!!

Ideally I'd love to record two channels, wireless on the father and shotgun on the son asking the questions, but I don't think there is anyway I can do that with the equipment I have.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

audio for interview
 

I think your best bet may be to use whatever VIDEO camera you may have around or can get your hands on to record the interview as a second camera, and run the audio into that.
Convert your Canon video to 29.97 with MPEG Streamclip (free), then use PluralEyes (demo) to sync the tracks (if you're editing in FCP). Or have the subject clap sync at the beginning of the interview.
You can't depend on the Canon audio, it may work, then again it may not.

I do have a Sony PD-170 available that I can use.... I thought about doing what you suggested, but the requirements were to basically copy the raw footage over to DVD and be done.

Not sure I want to have to work with the video afterwards for what I quoted, but I guess it's an option.

I second the extra camera to record audio option. You have to bring it into you NLE and render out to MPEG anyway, right? You're only out the time it takes to capture the tape and sync, which is quite quick if you use a tool like Plural Eyes.

The thing is you just can't know if the audio is recorded properly unless you are monitoring it. Even if you playback each clip after it was recorded something may go wrong while it is recording and you can have up to 12 minutes of bad audio.

In my humble opinion, the peace of mind of knowing it was done right would be worth the extra time.

The other option is to get a juicedLink preamp and run Magic Lantern firmware. To see and hear the results, check out my six-part video series on 5D2 audio. Note that most offer uncompressed wave files, if you want to do critical listening.

Note that Magic Lantern also offers zebras. If you set the zebras to 0xb000 and expose skin tones at that level, you'll end up with very consistent levels, shot to shot. Histograms are fine for ensuring that scenes aren't clipping or crushed, but won't ensure consistent levels for faces, which is the key to clip-to-clip consistency.


Part 2: Camera Mounted Mic - vimeo.com/5388476
Part 3: Wireless Lavalier - vimeo.com/5443143
Part 4: Foley - vimeo.com/5453690
Part 5: Noise - vimeo.com/5474562
Part 6: Conclusions - vimeo.com/5903379

So I'm going to record the audio using my Sony PD-170.... I use Vegas Video 8 for editing, what would be the best way to sync up the audio from the Sony to the HD clips from the 5D? I assume something has to be converted since the Sony is recording 29.97 FPS and the Canon is 30 FPS, I want to make sure that this matches up 100%

See my reply to thread you started. NeoScene converts 5D to 29.97.

I would rent an H4N from lensrentals.com

I'd shoot it with the 135L and try to get my hands on even the most basic light kit, you won't need much light but you'll want to shape the scene. You really only need 2 but a 3rd would really help.. and they can be very very low powered. you only probably need 2 50w's and a 25w for something simple with a 5D, with a lens that has an aperture under 2.8.

Seriously? It sticks out that far?
 

Jon - Thanks for making those audio for the 5D videos. I wanted to ask, though - is that really how far juice box sticks out of the back? That's crazy. Can you turn the camera around or something so it fits better? Or is not being to get your face up the view finder just the price you pay for that box? What if you rotate the camera 90 degrees?...just wondering.

The JL was developed for small video cameras, so it's longer than it is wide. Just yesterday, I received a couple of Bogen 357 adapters and plates. They're awesome with the JL! I mount the camera to a plate, the JL to a plate, and an adapter on the top of the JL. Now I can quickly put the camera on the tripod or shoulder rig with or without the JL. And I can slide the camera as far forward or back as I want on the JL.

But, to be honest, I've never been bothered by the JL sticking out in the back. I don't use the viewfinder for video, so I don't need to stick my face up to the camera. I have a Hoodloupe, and this sticks out well behind the JL.

The only problem that I've found is that the JL can be a bit springy fore/aft with a heavy, long lens, like the 200/2.8L. By adding the Bogen adapters, all traces of springiness are gone.