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Cheap shotgun/boom mics?

A

Analog_Addict

Hello, planning to shoot a short film thriller/chase film in the summer for entry to some local film festivals. The film actually has little to no dialogue.

I own an XL2 which it will be shot on however I will be needing a boom mic for it as my University refuses to lend them out except for uni projects. Stupid I know.

Anyway, what is the very cheapest I can spend (in the UK) and get decent enough results so it is not appauling?

I will probably make a boom pole so this is just for the mic. I am looking to spend probably 50-60 pounds for something secondhand. Any models you guys can recommend which may come in at this price or a little above secondhand?

Spending 150 on a RHODE is out the question.
 
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You're not going to get something "decent" that cheaply unless you find it used.

You should consider renting; a quality shotgun mic w/ boompole, etc. should be about that much for a week.
 
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If you're shooting outdoors, the Audio Technica ATR55 will work wonderfully at $50. It is not Balanced XLR, it's standard 3.5mm jack, so it is prone to TONS of RF interference when used indoors. Sounds great outdoors though :) My Stream Cave Jim Dave was shot using that with an AT wireless unit for the outdoor scenes (Used a lav mic in the car with a wireless unit).

Don't bother even trying to use it indoors. Any extension cable you add to it becomes just that much more antenna for it to pick up buzz!
 
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The non-XLR pieces still acts as an antenna, it'll reduce it over long runs, but any fluorescent lights, electric motors (ceiling fans, refrigerators, etc.) or electrical runs near the mic will potentially add interference.

In order to do the signal inversion-y thing, it needs to be something on both ends with a battery providing balanced XLR... otherwise, it's the same as running a 3.5 extension with expensive cable and ends.
 
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Cheap and Good...dont really go together...you get what you pay for.

I would look into renting something with the money you are going to spend on buying...also you will more than likely need more than one mic and maybe look ahead at what you are shooting and get specific mics for those days and maybe even wireless if you need.

going cheap on sound is always a killer of small films...so much attention is spent on visual and so little on hearing the words of a script ,that more than likely got people to invest in the first place, and then forget about those words to get something on film.
 
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I've always been told that you can skimp on $$$ for everything other than audio equipment. Across the board, the materials and manufacturing that make for good audio capture and signal retention are expensive.

You get what you pay for applies to audio equipment in ways that far exceed their application anywhere else in the universe. And this is coming from the original DIY guy... You can technically take a $5 pair of cheap earbuds and plug them into a 3.5" mic input and use them as a cheap Dynamic mic... or just get a nail, a styrofoam cup and some wire and a cheap floor sweeping magnet...
 
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