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Recording Live Audio – video production shoot
I have a video shoot this weekend with 2 cameras. One will be locked down on a tripod and the other will roaming. I want to run a wireless to the roaming camera and possibly send a 2nd wireless to the locked down camera. Another idea would be to get a device that could record just audio and leave it next to the sound guys. The crazy thing is that I have until this Saturday to figure this out!!! Ultimately I should have hired my OWN sound guy to do with the Audio end of things but I didn’t so I have to now come up with another plan.
My question is what kind of device can I try to purchase that I can set next to the audio board and be able to record mixed audio to and then sync up to the video in post.
I have heard mentioned that I could use a DAT recorder; Sound Device 788T (I checked this out online and frowned when I saw the $5,995.00 price tag!); I was also given a couple of software programs to check out if I wanted to use my laptop and external hard drive, but heard I could be screwed if my laptop were to crash!
I have a Sony GVD-1000 MiniDV deck that I use to ingest my footage into Final Cut Pro. It has Firewire capability and RCA in/out and S-video in/out. There are NO level meters on this device. It’s not a REAL deck but its what I use to ingest video instead of putting extra wear on my camera. My question is could I get away with using this device to record clean audio being as though I have 3 days to make something happen?
I would probably need a XLR to RCA type cable or 1/4″ to RCA.
I am still going to try to run a wireless signal to at least one of the two cameras I am using and use the shotgun mic on the other camera for ambient sound and crowd reaction.
Any help or suggestions you can give would be greatly appreciated. Next time I will plan in advance to hire my own sound person to deal with these issues and I can just concentrate on the camera work.
Also I should be able to go somewhere like Radio Shack and get a bunch of XLR, and 1/4inch audio adapters right?
Cre8tive Minds Entertainment, LLC
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1 Reply
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Chuck,
Your post is a bit hard to understand.
You don’t actually describe the shoot. Are you recording a music performance? A play?
Essentially, you need to place a mic or mics wherever the sound is generated. If you’re trying to get the sound of a band, you need to mic the band. Typically, bands with multiple players are miced with multiple microphones. One or more per player (i.e one mic for the bass player, maybe 4-10 mics for the drummer) If that’s you circumstance you still have a problem. The FOH (front of house) mixer responsible for making it sound good for the crowd won’t be mixing for a video recording. If he or she has a bass heavy amp rig, they might lower the bass level that becomes a part of your recording. Or they might crank up the lows if they want more bottom end for the crowd.
A PA mix for the crowd is generally a poor mix for a video.
As to the isolated camera, what do you want to record with IT? You talk about a wireless rig, but again, what sound are you recording? Are you trying to get the sound of the crowd around that camera? Are you doing interviews with it? Is it just a second view of the band?
If you want specific recommendations, you need to tell us more about what you’re trying to accomplish.
Also – as to adapters, sometimes all that needed are adapters that fit the plug to the socket you want to feed the signal into. In other instances, you might have issues like balanced verses unbalanced audio, phantom power, impedance issues, etc. And the simple ability to plug cable A into socket B might get you into audio trouble. Perhaps even cause some damage to the receiving equipment.
Again, you need to be a lot more specific.
Good luck.
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