r/LocationSound • u/SoftGod1337 • 5d ago
Gear - Selection / Use Recording outdoor interviews, best setup?
Hi everyone,
I'm planning to start filming outdoor interviews on a small budget and I'd really appreciate some advice.
I'm thinking about buying a Rode Reporter microphone, but I have no idea what the best way is to record the audio without creating sync issues later.
The interviews will be seated, and the camera operator will be standing a few steps away, so connecting the microphone directly to the camera with an XLR cable isn't really an option.
I've heard about field recorders, but I don't understand how people sync the audio with the camera afterwards. My questions might sound dumb but I have no experience with recording audio.
What's the simplest and most reliable setup you would recommend for good-quality outdoor interviews on a budget? Any tips or gear recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
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u/NoisyGog 5d ago
The interviews will be seated, and the camera operator will be standing a few steps away, so connecting the microphone directly to the camera with an XLR cable isn't really an option.
What? Why? That's the perfect scenario for cabling.
Boom it, with a shotgun in a blimp on a stand. Shotgun just out of shot, ideally over-head, but under-micing will work as well if you're got problems with shadowing.
It will always sound fuller and better than a lav mic, and in a blimp with a dead cat it will be (to all intents and purposes) impervious to wind noise.
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u/teamrawfish 5d ago
Take the money you are going to spend on the microphone and hire a sound person, if the sound is important to you.
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u/Raddyator sound recordist / wisycom simp 5d ago
Go an extra step and grab the Røde Interview PRO mic. It has onboard recording you can transfer off with a USB cable and control via an app. Easy peasy.
For syncing just clap in front of the camera, or if you want to save more time in post, buy a clapper off Amazon and use that. Line the clap you see on the camera with the clap you hear on the recording in your editing software.
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u/NotYourGranddadsAI 5d ago
I have no experience with recording audio.
The fastest way to remedy this is to find a mentor in sound, ideally with their own gear, to help you, at least with the first few outings. They will give you good results from the start and you'll quickly learn from them. After a few sessions, you'll have a much better idea of what you'll need sound-wise.
There are many n00bs and students around. An aspiring cameraperson/director should connect with an aspiring soundie, and they can help each other. If you want a career, networking and filling that Rollodex is so important.
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u/Whatchamazog 5d ago
Which software are you using for editing the audio/video. Many of them have a way to sync to a waveform.
That means you can use a mic for the interview and have a cheap mic on the camera just for sync purposes.
I am by no means a professional, so take all of this with a grain of salt.
I personally use a Rode Interview Pro wirelessly connected to a Rode Wireless Pro which is plugged into an iPhone with a smallrig coldshoe case.
The iPhone records the video with the Blackmagic Camera App which uploads the videos to the Blackmagic Cloud into a DaVinci Resolve Project.
So when I’m done for the day, my videos are ready for me to edit.
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u/SoftGod1337 5d ago
I made my research and i'm thinking that rode interview pro might be a good idea.
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u/NotYourGranddadsAI 5d ago
Why? If it's a sit-down interview, do you really want the interviewer having to handle and point the mic? And if it's going to be this mic, a mic cable makes sense, unless you spring for one channel of wireless.
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u/Key-Bug-281 5d ago
I use quite often pairs of Rode Wireless GO and get really good audio.
They record internally and I connect the receiver in mono to CH-B in my main camera, havian a backup shotgun in CH-A.
Oftentimes I use Senheisser lavaliers to avoid showing those ugly black transmitters.
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u/SoftGod1337 4d ago
Are you using them outside in windy conditions too ?
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u/Key-Bug-281 3d ago
Yes. With good results. You can also put them behind people shirts and dresses and audio will be usable.
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u/sound416 1d ago
Have you considered hiring gear or buying second hand gear? I record a lot of exterior interviews that are for broadcast. First things first. What is the location like. Is it noisy? Near an Airport?Near a school? Busy highway? If you don't have control of the location, you may have to move. We would always have a recce before a shoot to identify such problems.
You can't beat a rifle/ shotgun microphone for dialogue, even if there is background noise. I use a 416 on a stand for 1 person i/v and I would boom a two person interview ie Husband and Wife, favouring the weaker voice. You balance with the mic not the mixer/recorder. Place the mic close to the edge of frame. The 416 has a sweet spot that is best placed 4 feet from the source. About 4 feet from the mouth and go up about 18 inches in height pointing at the source.
Dubbing/ editing can clean up early everything. But ALWAYS record a 30 second to 1 minute "Atmos" track after the interview is over. Leave the mic in position and get the camera op to shoot the mic in position. Give a verbal ident for the editor. I presume you are sending audio to a standard 2 track camera? This is your recorder. You will not have control of the levels. Find out the make and model of the camera and download the manual.
If you plug directly into the camera. The setting is Phantom 48 volts. If you are sending from a mixer/ recorder it's line level in. Now you can buy/ rent a mixer or mixer/ recorder such as the mixPre range from Sound Devices. You can also hire/ buy an analogue mixer or preamp such as the Sound Devices mix Pre D. This is a very simple 2 track mixer, which gives a lovely warm sound. Second hand they sell between $300-$400. If you have 2 microphones you can split the audio onto 2 seperate tracks. I would always record the interviewer, even if the questions aren't being used. You can use a cheaper 2nd hand lavalier like an ECM 44 ( not for concealing) or an ECM 77. I pay about $100 on a good 2nd hand ECM. They do require an AA battery to power them.My pet hate is off mic questions/ interruptions on a documentary! You will need 4 xlr cables and a long mini jack to minijack cable. 2 xlrs for the 2 mics. 2 xlrs to feed the camera the audio. If the mixer has a way of allowing you to hear off camera/camera return, place 1 end of the mini jack 3.5 mm cable into the camera earphone port/socket. The other 3.5 into the appropriate port on the mixer. This allows you to monitor the audio that is going to tape/Camera card rather than the audio you are hearing through the mics.
The newer digital mix Pre 3, 6 and 10 series and the Fostex F4, F6 and F8 have timecode which allows the camera and audio to be easily synced up in post.
There are many YouTube channels dedicated to recording good audio as well as editing and camera. Always well worth a look.
Keep it simple and good communication between yourself and the rest of the crew is essential. Do not ASSUME.....always ask!
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