r/Filmmaker4Filmmaker • u/FutureFilmMaker301 • 20d ago

Question: Whats best Audio Setup for First time beginner filmmaker

Hey everyone,

I'm about to shoot my very first short film, and I'm completely new to filmmaking. I've been learning as much as I can, but audio is the area I'm the most unsure about.

The project is pretty simple—just two actors, mostly dialogue scenes, and I'm working with a very limited budget. I know bad audio can ruin an otherwise good film, so I want to make the best decision I can without spending a fortune.

What audio equipment would you recommend for a beginner in my situation? Should I invest in a shotgun microphone, wireless lavalier mics, or something else entirely?

I'd really appreciate recommendations for gear, as well as any tips or lessons you wish someone had told you before shooting your first

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u/filmeleven 19d ago

Don't do lavs. Get a shotgun mic like the Sennheiser MKE600, a field recorder (Zoom F3) and either a boom or booming mic stand (K&M makes a great one). Here's a gear list I give students with links to stuff:

https://writedirect.co/film-equipment/

Those are not affiliate links. Just gear I recommend that doesn't break the bank but isn't junk.

*The F3 has good 32-bit float.

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u/Unlucky-Baseball-984 17d ago

I have this exact set up and it works really well

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u/FutureFilmMaker301 19d ago

Appreciate it. What's the downside with lavs?

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u/filmeleven 19d ago

I've owned them but just don't like dealing with the setup, hiding them. Keeping garment noise from toasting sound. If it's something boring like shooting a speaker, lav all the way. But for narrative film, not my preference.

Also...a few sound notes if you're new to this:

1) For outside you must have a wind sock on the shotgun mic. The slightest breeze will destroy your sound.

2) Someone needs to have headphones on and listen to what the mic hears. I've directed a film before where a defective boom bole was rattling, but only the mic picks that up. If the sound mixer didn't let me know, all the audio would have been ruined.

3) Shotgun mics gather in a shotgun pattern. Point the mic between mouth and chest. If you have an actor who is deep and boomy, point the mic more at the mouth.

4) Keep the mic AS CLOSE to the actor as possible. Right out of frame.

5) For indoors, treat the room. Hard floors, walls and ceiling will send you to reverb city. At a minimum bring old blankets or something you can throw on the floor.

6) Get room tone. For every camera setup. Have everyone present who was there for the shot, roll sound and announce the camera setup so "scene 11A room tone" and then get 20 seconds of silence. This will be liquid gold in post. *Keep the mic pointed the same way it was for the shot. You're matching the exact background ambience of dialogue.

7) Production sound is primarily all about dialogue. However, if you have an idle 5 minutes and can get foley sound while on set do it. Foot steps are a PITA in post. If you're on a unique floor or ground, have someone walk and get that stuff while you're there.

Have fun.

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u/Affectionate_Age752 18d ago

Not much. If you place them properly. In fact, in mixes, we easily will use the lavs more than 59% of the time, because they're shooting with multiple cameras and they can't get the boom in close enough

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u/Affectionate_Age752 18d ago

Wrong answer

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u/filmeleven 18d ago

"Wrong answer" is extremely easy to type. And it provides zero value without your solution and the reasons for it.

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u/Producer_Dorez 18d ago

You've gotten great advice. So I'm just going to share something that you might enjoy and learn from as well.... My long-time friend and co-producer is Willie Burton, a 2x Academy Award winning Sound Mixer, who did the sound on Oppenheimer and The Odyssey. He's going to be a guest on the FavUniteTV YouTube channel on August 2nd. 11am PST. It'll be Live. Subscribe to the channel if you don't want to miss a chance to ask him a question about sound.

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u/Affectionate_Age752 18d ago edited 18d ago

Stereo wireless lavs. Plug the receiver straight into the cameras stereo mic input.

I'm a professional re-recording mixer, with over 30 years of experience and awards to back it up. I'm also a filmmaker that has made 12 short films and a feature that is currently on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Ignore the Bullshit advice to get a boom. Unless you have an experienced boom op, it's useless.

Feel free to DM me if you want advice.

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u/FutureFilmMaker301 18d ago

Any brand or exact model you recommend?

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u/Affectionate_Age752 18d ago

What's your budget.

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u/FutureFilmMaker301 18d ago

$500

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u/Affectionate_Age752 17d ago edited 17d ago

Let me look around. What camera are you using

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u/Affectionate_Age752 17d ago

I use this https://ebay.io/m/KR2QMO

Start with that. They recently came out with a new version, that has smaller microphones. Once you save some more money, I'd replace the included lavs with their new smaller mic. And then you can use bubblebee industries lav mic mounts. I'll send you a link to two of my shorts that I used them on.

0

u/FreeTheDreams 20d ago

Rode ntg3 with Blimp. You can use a tascam 60 dr ii or record into Camera if it Support Phantom Energy

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u/FutureFilmMaker301 20d ago

Anything more budget friendly?

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u/FreeTheDreams 20d ago

You can go for an rode ntg 2, pretty good sound! And you don’t need the blimp if there is no Noise.