View Full Version : I need a good mic for a horror film


Ray Jones
November 12th, 2009, 01:30 PM
I need a good mic for a horror film.
Any ideas?

Mike Peter Reed
November 12th, 2009, 02:04 PM
Sennheiser 416. Classic sound. Virtually indestructible and very resilient to adverse weather.

Or maybe the Røde NTG-3 which has very similar characteristics.

Usual disclaimers apply - what's your budget, and what will you actually be recording?

Battle Vaughan
November 12th, 2009, 02:18 PM
Darn, got it backwards, I had a horrible mike for a good film once....seriously, you're asking "how long is a piece of rope?"

The answer varies with your situation --- are you doing inside, outside, wireless or wired, stage or location, etc. Give us some more details of your specific situation, there is no one mike that does everything, or any special mikes for horror movies. There are, as I say, some horrible mikes..../Battle Vaughan

Allan Black
November 12th, 2009, 03:23 PM
I need a good mic for a horror film.
Any ideas?

Try a high price Neumann, that'll scare your films accountant for a start, but a shotgun for location voice may do even better.

In that case the RODE NTG-3s price will settle him/her down and do a excellent job to boot.
Cheers.

Chris Swanberg
November 12th, 2009, 08:36 PM
Battle has it right. You are not asking the right question, and to be honest the fact you are asking it suggests that you are new to the audio side of film making.

It ain't rocket science, nor is it something a microphone purchase coems with as an add on package of "location sound acquisition knowledge".

I'd first try and assess your shooting needs, location, etc (like Battle was asking), and then seek some answers here, While you wait - read everything you can about location sound. It's kinda like buying a bat won't make you a home run king - you need to learn how to use it.

Allan Black
November 12th, 2009, 10:43 PM
I agree and Ray here's a good place to start learning about location sound.

http://www.rodemic.com/news.php?article=0028

I'd take advantage of RODEs current deal for a $1 dollar Blimp for wind protection when you buy an NTG-3 shotgun for location voice. Cheers.

David W. Jones
November 13th, 2009, 06:49 AM
I need a good mic for a horror film.
Any ideas?

Yes, take the money you would use for the mic and hire a sound person with gear.

Jeff Kellam
November 15th, 2009, 08:29 PM
I need a good mic for a horror film.
Any ideas?

Forget the mic, just use these:

Horror Background Music Library, Scary Background Music and Scary Sounds (http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/wmcstore/WMCshop.cgi?action=dbview&id=RM24)

or these

Scary Sound Effects, Halloween Sounds, Spooky Sounds (http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/wmcstore/WMCshop.cgi?action=dbview&id=RSFX08)

Lots more sound effects in there if you look around.

I shot a halloween short using those sound effects, including screams (out of context), it was hilarious. No one will even care if the main sound track is crap.

Ray Jones
November 22nd, 2009, 04:36 PM
Thanks alot. We went with the Sennheiser 416.
It is flawless.

David W. Jones
November 23rd, 2009, 05:47 AM
Yes if you are shooting exteriors.

Chris Swanberg
November 23rd, 2009, 06:45 PM
Mics by genre... interesting concept.