Bad Audio? Try These Filmmaking Tools for Small Crews

#documentary #filmmaking #audio

How can we get professional quality audio for our documentary films, even when working with small teams - or even alone? Audio is the backbone of our documentaries, and in this video I go into some of the tools and strategies I use for different audio scenarios when I don’t have the budget for a sound recordist.

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🔗 *LINKS FROM THIS VIDEO*

**Shotgun Mics:**

**Lav Mics:**

**Timecode:**

*CHAPTERS*

0:00 - Intro
2:00 - The Importance of a Shotgun Mic
4:34 - Wireless Lav Mics for Single Characters
6:59 - What to Do With Multiple Characters
8:54 - Internally Recorders
12:28 - Timecode System for Syncing Audio

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IG: @lucforsyth

[keith-knittel]

This year I finally got into internally recording lav mics and it's been a game changer - opposed to wireless that only send the signal to the camera. Got it to avoid interference and drop outs, but quickly learned that the mic rolling even when the camera isn't allows for some "happy accidents" I wouldn't have captured otherwise

[waynosfotoscameras]

If you are using mics outside, the 'best mic' might not be the 'best mic'. Different mics are more or less sensitive to wind noise. Make sure the mic doesn't respond to wind easily, even with a dead cat. The video mic pro, by rode, is basically useless outside in wind, whilst their smaller video mic is good for wind with the dead cat. A cheaper mic sometimes is better for the application.

[kingmuhu]

This is some high end advice laying around in this indie channel. Keep it up dude

[psysword]

Awesome awesome and a life saver into sound recording. Going to shoot soon so needed this. thanks so much.

[burgosbrand]

I simply came here for a recommendation on a shotgun mic, this guy made me want to shoot a documentary. Great video!

[rudibasabasi]

a complete video right here.
crystal clear.

[PeteMeets]

Fantastic video! Exactly what I was looking for while prepping as a one-man-band for a shoot with 3 subjects. Tentacle sync looks legit - gonna research what the workflow looks like with an A7C + premiere. Best feature: 32 bit audio - makes my DJI mics seem irrelevant now.

[mauritsnienhuis]

'Buffer on your reflexes.' Awesome sentence. Great video, Luc!

[Concise_Focus]

So true about having a good shotgun mic. So key for follow doc work when you don't have a sound mixer with you.

[rickymcc]

Hi Luc, great advice. I love your channel and subscribed a few months back. Agree audio is key. I'm a newbie starting to teach myself video, but have about 40 years experience shooting stills (from way back in the film days). I bought a Sennheiser MKH 416 and. Mix pre 6ii. Also tried some other kit. DJI mike (good but not absolute top quality) also records internally and for many might be a good 2 channel system.

I later bought a more mid-range Sony diversity system (uhf not 2.4k) that does indeed go into the Sony hot-shoe. Pretty good, but even better going into a Sound Devices MixPre 6ii. I'm exploring timecode and bought 3 Deity TC1 boxes. I'm saving for the highly rated Sanken cos-11D lavs but really need to consolidate my kit spurges with time to practice and gain real skills.

My biggest issue is finding time to learn and practice. So much to do and learn - which is why I'm now a fan of your channel. I'm just an amateur 'dabbler'. If I learnt one thing so far .... It's a mistake to cheap out on budget gear if (but only if) your budget can stretch higher. I wasted so much time, cash, effort buying sub par kit only to eventually buy 'pro level' robust gear later. I lost a load of time effort selling on kit I outgrew on eBay. Nowadays I tend to hold back and buy only when I'm sure it's right for me. Luckily I can afford to buy pretty decent kit, my constraint is time to learn how to use effectively.

I don't want to be the sad g** with 'all the gear and no idea. So I'm committed to personal learning, projects, practice, feedback and more practice. Best thing I learnt so far is that the concept, idea or story is king. All else is subservient to the idea or story. Great production value for a boring or rubbish story is a water of effort save the experience to learn from the shortfalls.

[itamareyal]

I would love to see how do you pack all of it so it's nice and functional as a cinematographer. Thank you for the videos!

[yannickvoyard]

Hey Luc, I don’t know if it’s a given for everyone but many years ago I learned that you can use a “stereo breakout cable” to send two signals into a single 3.5mm DSLR mic input. I bought a 5€ to try and it worked well, I can plug both my shotgun and my lavalier at the same time. In the edit, I will have one mic on the left track, and the other on the right track – which can be easily separated. My best 5€ spent on gear!
(Not all “2-to-1” cables will split the audio L/R, some will mix both mics in a single track... Not 100% how to tell them apart.)

[DAMON]

I think the easiest way but takes more time is to record the audio seperately for narrative stuff. Matching it to visual is pretty easy.

[gooddayswithmohanbilaye]

Just got notification from You tube algo.
Good one 👍

[ChasWG]

Just found your channel. interesting... And I'm glad you come right out and say the thing everyone tries to get around, "If you can afford it, hire a sound person." Someone like me. I've been doing video production for 30 years and have spent most of that time doing production sound for TV shows, News, Sporting events, corporate video, independent movies... basically you pay me me in American dollars and I'm there. I have a few things I won't do, but basically, that's how I have made a living for the past 30 years.
The gear has changed a lot since I spent $10K and bought my first audio package. Over the years, the gear has just gotten better and better. And some things are pretty darn cool these days.
My current gear is incredibly solid and basically what it is that producers want to see in a kit for their shows. Sound Devices mixer/recorders and Lectrosonics wireless systems, Sanken COS-11D mics and Sanken, Sennheiser or Schoeps boom mics, K-Tek boom poles... But I also spice in a few things here and there that you mentioned. I use the G3/4 systems as scratch track hops as well as having the Sennheiser IFB packs so the producer can listen in. I also use the Tentacle E Sync Lockit boxes. having four of those is handy on those bigger, multi camera shoots. And I have one of the Track E recorders. They are a perfect solution for when you need to have critical audio, but just can't reach with a wireless system or need to just keep rolling and cant always be around. They are super cool and often a life saver for those unique situations. I love using them when the need arises and then you look like a hero to the producer because you have the solution. And if you've had the Track E for a while, check in on Tentclesync.com for the latest firmware up dates on these boxes. The latest firmware for the Track E solves several annoying issues they have had in the past.

[teacherofteachers]

Audio is so important that I recommend that a person budget for two ways to capture audio, if at all possible. For example, if on a budget, a short shotgun that can go directly into the camera's 1/8 input (I have a Deity, I think it's the V-Mic D3 Pro), and also a simple lav recorder (like the Tascam DR-10L), and use both at the same time. This is especially useful for solo operators who will not have a second person monitoring sound. I've graduated to other gear, but these were how I got started myself, and I still use them sometimes.

[zwheels]

I would go so far to say you should buy audio gear before you buy a camera. When you’re learning, your phone is good enough and audio gear doesn’t go out of date the way cameras do. Plus, you can always rent a basic camera package for a couple hundred bucks.

[the_black_douglas]

Excellent work, as always, Luc! As an editor for 33 years, nothing makes me sadder than being handed ropey audio and expected to magically make it sound good. I would like a dollar for every time a young producer has doubted my advice that audio was bad and sent the Executive Producer in to have words…claiming the wrong track was used, blah blah blah. Editors are paid to take the blame on days like that. I digress… what I wanted to add is that for solo shooters nowadays a great development is something called 32-bit float, which is an audio acquisition codec akin to RAW in video. If you accidentally set record levels too high or low the recording is fully recoverable. Also, re: timecode workflows for indy/budget solo shooters - the Tentacle steals the limelight but ATOMOS and ZOOM have an excellent bluetooth timecode ecosystem as well. The ATOMx SYNC module plugs onto the back of a NINJA V and generates TC which can then be received via a bluetooth on other cams with the ATOMx SYNC and ZOOM audio recorders with bluetooth. I use mine with the ZOOM F6, which has 6 XLR inputs and 32-bit float. It’s easy to set up and almost set and forget! Some people don’t want the bulk of external recoders like ATOMOS and fair enough. It works beautifully for me. One other thing, LUMIX cameras have that hotshoe dual XLR adapter and pre-amp thing, like the SONY one. I’ve got one and it’s brilliant. Keep up the great content Luc!!!

[martinwoodfilms]

Great video! I have the 416 and cos11d as well 👌

[nymlessblackbean]

That Gimbal comment really was directed at me! 😂😂😂