Several have requested a tutorial on how to set things up in the menus for the Zoom F8. In this piece, we run through some of the most critical settings for most small or one-man-band productions.
Leave any questions you have in the comments and thanks for watching!
How to Light for Close-Up Product Shots & Reviews
How do I shoot a close-up product video with a white background? Here are the basics on how I do it. The biggest secret is to soften the light by shooting it through an umbrella or similar scrim (such as the type included in a 5-in-1 reflector.)
I use a foam core poster board for the background, mounted to a table with spring clamps. My favorite light for this task is the Aputure Light Storm COB 120t which we reviewed a few weeks ago. I boom the Light Storm above the poster board with a C-stand and shoot the light through a white umbrella. This makes the light incredibly soft and prevents those distracting shadows.
Sound for Video Session: Sync, Tascam or Zoom, Microphones, Post, EQ, and Ice Flows
In this week's session we cover several questions:
- How do I sync 5 video clips with a single audio clip?
- Should I get a Tascam DR-60DmkII or a Zoom H5?
- In what order should I apply effects when editing my audio clips?
- How do I learn when to use which microphone?
- When I shoot a piece with multiple mics for the same project in different rooms, how do I ensure they sound similar?
- Somebody recorded a world-class pianist on an ice flow in the arctic. How did they do that?!
Azden SMX-30 and 15 Furry Wind Covers
Earlier this year we reviewed the Azden SMX-30 and 15 camera-top shotgun microphones. Both compared favorably with others in the same price range but the SMX-30 also has a stereo set of mics, making it a little more versatile than the others. The only problem was that the foam wind cover was custom shaped to fit over the microphone, which is good. But that meant that there weren't any fur windshield options so shooting outdoors was pretty tough. Not anymore, now Azden offers custom fitting fur covers for both so shooting outdoors is much more manageable.
Reduce Echo & Reverb with Sound Blankets
Is your sound for your video projects plagued with annoying echo and reverb? One way you can reduce that issue is by using sound blankets on set. Here we talk about some of the practical ways to use sound blankets to improve the sound of your videos!
I bought Producer's Choice sound blankets about a year ago and after I washed them about 3 to 4 times each, found them to work quite nicely. I generally throw the blankets on hard floors, tables, and counters and hang them on Century Stands behind the camera. I attach the blankets to the stands with these basic spring clips. You'd be surprised at what a difference it can make for your recordings.
**Update August 2016: VocalBoothToGo contacted me and explained that they did have an issue with one of their suppliers in China delivering smelly cotton but have since worked that out. They said that they would send me one of the newer blankets. I'm looking forward to the new blanket and to confirm it ain't so stinky!
Tech Down Over
Rick and Geoff of the Tech Down Over show were kind enough to invite me on to their show to talk tech for about an hour. Good time.
My audio is distorted. I apologize in advance for that - the Skype meter indicated that I had plenty of headroom. Evidently not.
Sound for Video Session: Hiding Lavalier Microphones
** Apologies - the audio is absent until 2:03 - I'm considering moving away from Google Hangouts on Air for the future **
Here are a bunch of ideas on where and how to hide lavalier microphones. I still find boom microphones to be my first choice, but when that's not an option, I resort to these methods for micing.
Here are some of the products we cover in the video:
Moleskin - Adhesive on one side, fine felt on the other. Something you'll definitely want in your kit if you're hiding lavalier microphones.
Gaffer Tape - A must have tape that can be used for almost anything. Don't confuse this with duct tape. Gaffer tape's adhesive is much better quality and much less likely to leave a nasty residue on the things you tape.
Toupee Tape - great two sided tape for mounting a mic under a hat or even under clothing.
Surgical Tape - Usefule for adhering to skin
Hush Lav - Foam cylinder which envelops the lavalier mic and helps reduce clothing noise. Best suited for mics shaped like the Sanken COS-11D or RODE Lavalier/smartLav+
Rycote Undercovers - Another option which includes the two-sided adhesive dot plus some felt to place over the mic.
Aputure Light Storm COB 120t LED Light Review
Aputure just started shipping a new LED light for filmmakers called the Light Storm COB 120t. This is a tungsten color balanced single LED flood light which has a Bowens S mount so it can accept all sorts of light shaping tools like a soft box, barn doors, beauty dish, snoot and even a fresnel lens. This makes the 120t an incredibly flexible light. It also has great color rendering with a CRI of 97 and puts out plenty of light to use as a key light for interviews or talking head video or still photos. Here we review the 120t in detail.
Sound for Video Session: What to Bring to a Shoot and Lessons Learned
Over the weekend, I did a small location sound job for a friend for a short film. In this episode we'll cover some lessons learned from that experience as my goal is to do more sound jobs like this. Hopefully you can learn from my mistakes and successes.
Make a checklist of gear you'll need so that when you're getting ready for each production day, you can reduce the likelihood that you forget anything you'll need. Here's a sample production day field checklist.
Some additional thoughts on things to include in your kit from my friend Scott Vanderbilt:
- If any possibility of doing exteriors, you can't be without a blimp/windjammer or other type of wind protection. Even for interiors, you at least need foam wind screens. Many sensitive mics without any windscreen will register noise when you swing them even just a couple of feet.
- Headphones - two pairs, my main ones (Sennheiser HD 25-II and a backup set (Sony MDR 7506) in case director or someone else wants to listen to playbacks.
- Slate. If client is paying extra, my Ambient time code slate. But I always have a dumb slate, just in case.
- Time code case (including Ambient LockIt boxes and/or Tentacle Sync boxes).
- Gaff tape (useful for all kinds of things, including on slate) and paper tape.
- Apple box. I use it to stand on (probably less useful for you :-) ) and also as a place to rest my mixer bag both during and between shots.
- Ball point pens, sharpies, and dry-erase markers (for slate).
- Harness for mixer bag, when job requires me to go mobile.
- Backup media (cards do fail). Always have spares.
- Media card reader (to hand off media to DIT at end of shoot).
- clipboard and blank sound report sheets. You really ought to do a session on sound reports. Very, very important, especially for narrative work.
- Script sides (for narrative only). Essential to study script in advance of shoot, especially if you're also booming.
- Business cards - I get asked for cards all the time on set!
- Boom pole - you mentioned this, but I would also point out not to forget at least one shock mount (I've done it!) and a coiled XLR cable for connecting boom pole to mixer.
- Water bottle and snacks, when working with a client for first time or one that doesn't provide crafty. Staying hydrated very important, especially when on location.
beachtek DXA-MICRO PRO Audio Adapter Review: Better Sound for Your Camera
If you don’t have time to record your sound separate from your camera, the beachtek DXA-Micro Pro is a new audio adapter which allows you to record your lavalier and XLR based microphones into your camera with much better sound quality. In this episode we have a look at the features of the DXA-MICRO Pro audio adapter.
Many of you know I'm not usually a fan of recording dialogue sound to non-pro video cameras. But if you have to turn around a project quickly, the DXA-MICRO PRO does a nice job of adapting your professional microphones for use with a DSLR or mirrorless camera with a 3.5mm microphone input.
In my testing I used two RODELink wireless kits and also recorded with the good old RODE NTG2 shotgun microphone. Good results with both and the 3.5mm microphone inputs are especially impressive.
You get 1 XLR input and 3 3.5mm inputs and you can record any two of them simultaneously. I also really like that you can record the two as a stereo mix or send each mic do a different channel so that you can edit individual mic channels separately in post.
Lots of goodness in this little sound tool.