On-location shooting for documentaries at DVinfo.net

Nick Medrano · October 25th, 2003, 06:39 PM

Hi all,
I will be shooting a low budget documentary for a local museum in South Texas and will be dealing with some heavy winds in the coastal/beach areas. I'd like to sit some of my talking heads on a few sand dunes and hopefully get some good speaking audio (no wind).

Also, I'd like to use this mic for indoor shooting, as well.

Can someone recommend me a good mic that I can use for my DVX100 that is in the $500 range?

Nick Medrano · October 27th, 2003, 09:24 AM

Would the Sennheisser Me66 be a good all-purpose mic? Is this a good starting point???

Rob Wilson · October 27th, 2003, 11:41 AM

Nick,

The ME 66 w K6 power module and a quality windscreen may well put you over the $500 and is probably not the best mic for your app. You may be better off with a good lav/windscreen hardwired. Hanging a shotgun out in a lot of wind usually will get you quite a bit of wind noise regardless of the wind screen used.

Nick Medrano · October 27th, 2003, 12:31 PM

Hi Rob,
Wow, just checked to see if I had any replies and then got an email notice that you replied. Thanks!

Since I will probably be on boats, beaches, and other coastal things, I was thinking that a good mic with a windscreen may not be enough.

Question, are lavs strictly for interviews/talking heads? Or, do people sometimes use them also for ambient sound? I ask because I still dont' have a quality mic (unless u count the one on the DVX) to pick up ambient sound such as the roar of an engine from a boat or offroad vehicle.

So, what would you do with a $500 budget strictly for audio?

Thanks.

Mike Rehmus · October 27th, 2003, 01:17 PM

I use an AT835B shotgun in a Light Wave Systems Mini Screen. The only time that doesn't work in the high winds here is when the wind is strong enough that the wind whistles around the microphone cable up on the boom pole.

To solve this problem I went two ways. I got the SuperMount and SuperScreen from Light wave.

You use the SuperMount inside the SuperScreen and the Screen kills all the wind sound.

But a hand-held SuperMount with the Mini Screen works just as well. Much easier to point and handle. The boom handling noises don't show up either. I frequently use students in an Acting for Video class as the sound operators so it may be their first time at the task.

AT835B is about $235. MiniScreen is $155. SuperMount is $170.

You could just handhold the microphone directly as long as the person holding the microphone doesn't slide their hands around on the microphone barrel. Or have them hold the microphone sandwitched in a wrap of foam. Or a dishwashing sponge. They can wrap the cable around their arms to stop cable-generated noise.

October 25th, 2003, 06:39 PM	#1
Nick Medrano Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 331	On-location shooting for documentaries Hi all, I will be shooting a low budget documentary for a local museum in South Texas and will be dealing with some heavy winds in the coastal/beach areas. I'd like to sit some of my talking heads on a few sand dunes and hopefully get some good speaking audio (no wind). Also, I'd like to use this mic for indoor shooting, as well. Can someone recommend me a good mic that I can use for my DVX100 that is in the $500 range?

October 27th, 2003, 01:17 PM	#5
Mike Rehmus Wrangler Join Date: May 2002 Location: Vallejo, California Posts: 4,049	I use an AT835B shotgun in a Light Wave Systems Mini Screen. The only time that doesn't work in the high winds here is when the wind is strong enough that the wind whistles around the microphone cable up on the boom pole. To solve this problem I went two ways. I got the SuperMount and SuperScreen from Light wave. You use the SuperMount inside the SuperScreen and the Screen kills all the wind sound. But a hand-held SuperMount with the Mini Screen works just as well. Much easier to point and handle. The boom handling noises don't show up either. I frequently use students in an Acting for Video class as the sound operators so it may be their first time at the task. AT835B is about $235. MiniScreen is $155. SuperMount is $170. You could just handhold the microphone directly as long as the person holding the microphone doesn't slide their hands around on the microphone barrel. Or have them hold the microphone sandwitched in a wrap of foam. Or a dishwashing sponge. They can wrap the cable around their arms to stop cable-generated noise. __________________ Mike Rehmus Hey, I can see the carrot at the end of the tunnel!

October 27th, 2003, 09:24 AM	#2
Nick Medrano Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 331	Would the Sennheisser Me66 be a good all-purpose mic? Is this a good starting point???

October 27th, 2003, 11:41 AM	#3
Rob Wilson Major Player Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Flagstaff, AZ Posts: 473	Nick, The ME 66 w K6 power module and a quality windscreen may well put you over the $500 and is probably not the best mic for your app. You may be better off with a good lav/windscreen hardwired. Hanging a shotgun out in a lot of wind usually will get you quite a bit of wind noise regardless of the wind screen used.

October 27th, 2003, 12:31 PM	#4
Nick Medrano Major Player Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 331	Hi Rob, Wow, just checked to see if I had any replies and then got an email notice that you replied. Thanks! Since I will probably be on boats, beaches, and other coastal things, I was thinking that a good mic with a windscreen may not be enough. Question, are lavs strictly for interviews/talking heads? Or, do people sometimes use them also for ambient sound? I ask because I still dont' have a quality mic (unless u count the one on the DVX) to pick up ambient sound such as the roar of an engine from a boat or offroad vehicle. So, what would you do with a $500 budget strictly for audio? Thanks.