music video playback suggestions
 

hi, i have a question about using playback during the recording of a music video. i am used to budgeted film and DAT sync productions (back when i did film production) that i was doing ten years ago. things have changed significantly since then and i wondered how people are doing it these days since i recently purchased (here) a canon xl-1s. looking for low cost alternatives to DAT. can you use CD recordings or do they drift too much? laptop playing MP3's? let me know. (looking forward to getting back on the horse!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thanks
marc

24 bit wavs
 

If you have a laptop, and the masters the cd came from, then play back the original wav files on the laptop. It's what you will eventually sync the video with, so why not use the same file throughout. winamp, windows media, and quicktime will all play back 24 bit wavs.

(just to be sure, you are talking about an audio feed for the actors to synch what they're doing right???)

Hope this helps.

If you have access, get a clap source on the wav, and run the cameras internal mics, to make budget sync simple.

This would be the dirt cheap way of doing all of this. :)

thanks. i'll run some tests to make certain my laptop plays back accurately. also, that is a good idea to insert a clapper sound on the playback and then record scratch sound. that way i'll have something to sync to on both the video and original audio. thanks.... any thoughts on boosting the sound loud enough to hear whle the band is playing. (i remember having to crank the sound pretty loud for the band/singer when i was doing film and DAT work...)

yup, get or rent a keyboard or bass amp, like a roland kc-300

plenty of juice for anything you need, and you can probably find something for under 300.00, which will go a long way for you if you'll be doing this more than once....

my experience is that laptop speakers are uniformally nasty.

you could also use some sort of boombox with aux ins... but I think getting the bass response off the tracks is too important, especially if you have any sort of choreography, and most portable stereos just don't put out enough.

JMHO