[Gary Alan]

Kent,

Check out the FCP Help/Manual and search for voiceover tool. It is very informative and easy to understand. It shows examples.

Best regards,
Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

Kevin,

I will give you facts instead of just an opinion like some dudes. You don’t want to buy/use a mic mate or whatever they call it. You’re wasting your money. If you want to step up and use a condenser mic with phantom power, then get a MicPort Pro. You did say you had a dynamic mic, though. Forget that mic mate junk. Lightnake costs less and records a clean signal. Use plugins after recording for compression/limit or whatever you desire. Save your money and get a LightSnake.
or-
MicPort Pro.
* 24-bit/96kHz performance
* 48V phantom power internally generated based on 5V of input so even condenser mics can be used with laptops
* Low-noise mic preamp with input level control knob
* High quality analog to digital (A/D) conversion
* Loud headphone amp with output level control knob
* USB bus powered ? no batteries or external power supply needed
* Rugged anodized aluminum construction
* 6′ (1.83m) USB cable included

https://www.centrance.com/products/mp/

It’s worth $125 for the better 24bit audio, zero latency, headphone out and better phantom supply. Watch the video clips at their site I justed posted above.

Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

if u go that route, make sure to get the one made for mics and not the one for guitars.

Microphone to USB Cable

[Gary Alan]

you need a mic preamp to bring the dynamic mic level up to a line level. I have used the LightSnake before with excellent results. I think they sell them at Guitar Center. It’s basically a cable with an XLR on one end for a mic and a USB on the other end for the Mac input. FCP voice over tool will recognize the input.

Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

Look thru Motion Content. More there than copying a Motion template BG. Also look in LiveType.

Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

and, you might not ever know what Steve may have up his sleeve or pull out of his hat.

🙂

[Gary Alan]

I never move the Black Point or Detail Gain. Just sample the high color and low color and then tweak them. Then go back and forth to in point and out point. After you tweak the colors, the in and out point will give you different results. So go back and forth. after awhile, you get used to what each control can do for you. It’s amazing that it keys almost perfectly at first from doing nothing.

Greenscreen… light evenly and don’t over expose/light it. Just get it to show green saturation. More lighting creates more spill. I raise dimmers on the screen lights until I see it okay. Also, the more distance from screen to talent, the better. And the higher the lights, the shadows fall on the floor and not the wall. I have two large soft lights for green wall and typical Fresnels for key and back light with a large soft for fill out front.

The new software keyers today work good with almost anything.

Best,
Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

When you can’t get those tweaks perfect, go back up top and re tweak the hi and lo color parameters. It’s a tedious process of back and forth between all the parameters, but I have been able to improve my keys with a lot of experimenting. Or, you may have to do better with the original cam shoot and greenscreen/lighting.

I do 80 percent of our stuff in a green screen studio using good lights and the new Sony EX cam at 1080p30 HQ VBR and I am getting pretty good results off the SxS memory card.

Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

Craig,
I almost got the same system. But my new employer wants a teleprompter at times and the DV 8 is something like 31 lbs. payload. I did get the sticks you mentioned. Definitely go your way if you don’t need that higher weight limit. And the soft bag they give with the system is very nice with a real soft leather handle.

Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System

[Gary Alan]

Be careful. Not all vehicles have a negative ground. Some are positive.

Gary

Mac Pro 3Ghz Intel Dual Duo, 6GB RAM, 30″ ACD
MacBook Pro 17″
Sony XDCAM EX with a Sachtler Tripod System