OT: Lights & Sound Question

jrazz wrote on 10/23/2007, 11:17 AM

Last night I filmed an interview for a friend of mine. I do not own any lights nor have I ever used artificial lighting so he went to Lowe's and bought some light fixtures with clamps (big aluminum housing) and a couple of reveal 150watt lights ($17.00). We hung them up above either side of the camera pointed down toward the talent (they weren't that much higher than the talent). The room was small so shadows could be seen on the wall on both sides of the talent as they had to stand back closer to it than I would have liked. This was not a big deal for what we were doing, but I assume I could just take 2 or so more and hang then on the side walls behind the talent pointed toward the wall and that would do away with the shadows.

Question
On the sound side is where I have my question. This interview was for an audition for a gameshow. There were moments were they were extremely loud (The interview was a mock gameshow in which the talent had to pretent it was real) and then moments where it was extremely low. Normally I compensate for this by setting one channel louder and one channel lower in volume and mix in post. This was to be sent straight in to them for them to edit and use. How do you account for this? Do you use AGC?

Just so you know, she made it through the interview and the tape is going before the producers- the last step before she is able to go on the game show as they want to see her reactions to the questions.

j razz

Comments

Coursedesign wrote on 10/23/2007, 11:29 AM

I love using a mic preamp with a good limiter.

This lets you have your cake and eat it, too.

Crank up the gain so the soft parts can be heard at an appropriate level, and don't worry about clipping because the limiter will take care of that.

A good limiter is just about imperceptible.

rmack350 wrote on 10/23/2007, 11:53 AM

AGC can sound really awful but if you're alone that's what you have to use. Otherwise you put the mics through a mixer and ride levels. A mixer usually also does preamp, but may not be as good as many standalone preamps.

You can't wash out shadows with more lights. It doesn't really work. You're first inclination to get away from the wall was good. People do cast shadows, though, so the goal might be better defined as getting the shadow you want rather than eliminating them entirely.

Rob Mack

xberk wrote on 10/23/2007, 12:08 PM

I'll be interested to hear others comment on your lighting and sound.
Years ago when I was an active filmmaker, my lighting was based on the old
triangle of Key - Back - and Fill. We rarely tried to erase a shadow with more light. Instead we placed the shadow out of the shot, especially on interviews.

AGC for sound is better and better. I'm amazed at how my little GS250 Panasonic picks up such great sound with what seems a very directional little built in mic and the AGC keeping things under control at the top end. IT's background or wind noise that generally screws up the AGC -- if the BG is controlable -- AGC seems fine to me for something like an interview. The quality (dynamic range) of the mic would, of course, be very important -- quality in -- quality out.

jrazz wrote on 10/23/2007, 1:11 PM

Thanks guys. I will look into a limiter- I understand what it does, but I don't know if it is a rack unit or something I can mount on the side of my tripod and really utilize in a mobile way.

As for AGC, I have always been leary of using it so I am quiet comfortable with the manual level setting but I have often wondered if it has improved (especially from consumer to prosumer).

The lighting was a first for me and the room was the living room of their house (it is small) so to fit everyone in (6 total at times) they had to be nearer the wall than the camera.

j razz

Patryk Rebisz wrote on 10/23/2007, 1:38 PM

DIffuse the light to get rid of the shadows. You do so placing a diffusing material (whatever u us make sure it's fire retardant) in front of the light or if you want to illuminate whole space you can use higher voltage bulbs and bounce the light of some kind of white surface (or ceiling).

richard-courtney wrote on 10/23/2007, 2:18 PM

Victor Milt - good contributor to these forums, has a great DVD http://www.vasst.com/search.aspx?entity=16&category=Lighting&sort=priorityLight it Right[/link].

There is great fun experimenting with lights and while I have a Lowel light kit,
I find that I have more fun using CF bulbs,
you know the energy saving replacement bulbs, since they are cool to the touch.
If you feel comfortable wiring 120volt sockets then you can make some inexpensive
fixtures, Vic;s nanolight for example.

Camera sound AGC many times has caused me grief. I turn it off and try to
use a bit more distance or a Dynamic mic instead.

A high ceiling set (or garage) sure is nice. A drop in ceiling grid without the panels
is a great way to hang lights using http://www.adorama.com/AEC1000.htmlscissor clamps[/link].

FuTz wrote on 10/23/2007, 2:47 PM

jrazz, my guess is that the best bang for the buck you could get with preamp/limiter would be to go with Sound Devices MixPre. Around 700 bucks and limiter (very good one), phantom power, low cuts...

http://www.sounddevices.com/products/mx2master.htm

more functions than that and with 3 inputs? The 302. But I hear a few sound guys saying they prefer the MixPre limiters tough... ; )

FuTz wrote on 10/23/2007, 2:55 PM

On the light side, shadows from a diffused light will always be easier to deal with than the ones you get from direct sources... if you don't have choice.
So if you're stuck with open face spots and fresnels (no neons at all), buy some foam core (white), cut it in 2'x3' pieces and bounce your sources on these (you'll need metal clips and a little more stands). With black (foam core or the same kind) pannels, cut the light where you don't want it to splash (cause it WILL splash everywhere).

Coursedesign wrote on 10/23/2007, 3:20 PM

If you don't want to spend $700 on a MixPre, see if you can get an Aphex 207 for less than $400. (Review)

It has been superseded by the 207D for $499 including a decent A/D converter, but you don't seem to need that.

jrazz wrote on 10/23/2007, 5:20 PM

Thanks guys for all the recommendations. I have been out for the most part of the day so I am just now getting to read the advice.

I think I will pick up the materials at some point soon to make some nanolights and will buy Vic's DVD. As for the limiter- I like the sound of the Aphex. I will look into that.

Much appreciated. I am branching out (and away from the wedding scene) and exciting about learning more about this side of things- where I can plan and set up a shot and not have to deal with the shot that is handed to me.

j razz