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audio help needed desperately by a newbie
I have a Sony Z1P cam and a Rode NTg1 shotgun mic.
i am shooting a short film for a contest but am totally confused with the audio setup.
on my first shoot i could not hear the audio thru headphones at all so was all hit and miss and it wasnt pretty. The voices were loud and all other room noises were also picked up.
on the second shoot the actors voices were very soft and when i try to raise in post i get the other surrounding noise
I had the phantom switched on and the levels were showing on the lcd screen. I must be missing something when I cannot get the audio thru the headphones
can you tell me what what settings I should have on this camera to at least give me a chance of getting some decent audio eg: gain levels, audio locked or unlocked, etc
some scenes are shot inside…office and house local and some will be shot outdoors.
the actors are very kindly offerring their services and i do not want to let them down.
many thanks in advance for your help
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2 Replies
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Many audio professionals devote their day-to-day lives to learning to improve their craft.
There are hundreds of techniques and practices that can only be learned after much practical experience and study with other professionals.You can’t possibly think that a couple of quick SUGESSTIONS made on a bulletin board will CORRECT your complex audio problems under location conditions with just the simplest kind of gear.
If you can’t even get the headphones to work, I really think you should find a local audio pro to come and help you with your shoot.
You may need to pay this pro, but it WILL make ALL THE DIFFERENCE in your production’s quality.
Here are 3 tips.
1. Keep the mic CLOSE-IN to the actor(s).
2. Make sure your location is absolutely QUIET and has very little reverb bouncing back from the walls and floor.
3. Find out how your camera works (video and audio) BEFORE you shoot. -
More info.
Did you turn up the headphone VOLUME?
The monitor volume controls on Sony camcorders are sometimes on the LCD flip-out screen.When recording dialogue, do not leave the microphone on the camera.
You need to get the mic in close to the actor(s).A boom pole and mic operator (who knows how to keep the mic out of the shot) is the best bet.
Or use lavaliere mics carefully placed and hidden on the actors.
As you have discovered, if the audio is not “right”, the whole scene is nearly “unwatchable”, regardless of the video image.
Again, find a local PRO to help you.
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