External Sound Advice

We need a lot more details.

It may be a "TV Station," but are you doing narrative work (sit-coms, dramas, etc.), or talking heads projects (news, interviews and the like). Each will require some different tools. So what kind of projects will you be doing?

Do you have anyone experienced with audio at all?

What is your budget?



You should also get and read "The Location Sound Bible" by Ric Viers; good solid basics of field audio (it's aimed more at the indie film crowd, but the principles are the same).

We do dramas, short films, interviews, news etc we cover a lot of bases.

No we don't have anyone really experienced in audio at all. I've just found all the audio on existing and past projects to be awful as the mic on the DSLR's have been used and the low quality makes it mind numbing to watch.

It's difficult to say what our budget is, I'd say £200 is the maximum we can go up to. Maybe more if I can get other funding.

hullfiretv said:

It's difficult to say what our budget is, I'd say £200 is the maximum we can go up to. Maybe more if I can get other funding.

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If you really want to cover

hullfiretv said:

dramas, short films, interviews, news etc.; we cover a lot of bases.

Click to expand...

you will have to add at least another zero to your budget.

Here's my $1,200 buying guide. Select one from each category:

Shotgun mic kits will have the shotgun mic, boom-pole, shock-mount and simple wind protection (softie).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/551607-REG/Audio_Technica_AT_875_Shotgun_Microphone.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/461493-REG/Rode_NTG_1_Shotgun_Condenser.html

Hypercardioid mic:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/867157-REG/Avantone_Pro_CK1_CK_1_Small_Capsule_FET_Pencil.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/359043-REG/sE_Electronics_SE1A_SE1A_Small_Diaphragm.html

Audio recorders:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/832911-REG/Tascam_DR100MKII_DR_100mkII_Portable_Linear.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821259-REG/Tascam_DR_40_DR_40_4_Track_Handheld_Digital.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/821260-REG/Roland_R_26_R_26_6_Channel_Digital_Field.html

Headphones:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/49510-REG/Sony_MDR_7506_MDR_7506_Headphone.html

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/507447-REG/Sennheiser_HD_25_1_II_HD_25_1_II.html

You'll also need cables, cases, battery packs and other miscellaneous items - about $200+.

This would make up a passable entry level prosumer production sound kit for narrative filmmaking.

If you are doing lots of talking head work you will also need lavs. If you're working in a studio hardwired lavs are fine, but since you are doing narrative work you may as well bite the bullet and get wireless systems as well.

hullfiretv said:

No, we don't have anyone really experienced in audio at all. I've just found all the audio on existing and past projects to be awful as the mic on the DSLR's have been used and the low quality makes it mind numbing to watch.

Click to expand...

Then you need to find someone who understands audio or really wants to learn it. It's not as simple as 98.76% of filmmakers think. I once again strongly urge you to get and read "The Location Sound Bible" by Ric Viers. You my also want to check out "Producing Great Sound for Film and Video" by Jay Rose.

A place to start, if you can't get any more funding, would be the Rode VideoMic.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/937192-REG/rode_videomic_booming_kit_windbuster.html

You can boom it for narrative work, and place it close to the speakers on interview shoots. There will only be a very modest improvement in sound quality unless you have someone who really understands production sound.

Your project will only look as good as it sounds, because
"Sound is half of the experience."