Fred Salles

I like the positive AND negative TC&audio offsets feature!

Wow guys, it looks like you’ve been through Dante’s Inferno and made it back 🤣 Totally new to it appart from connecting a laptop to a Yam mixer. I am gonna do my google homework but just allow me to ask again so I can wake up, and in the right century: you are indeed routing Dante audio signals 32ins and outs, 2x NDI video feeds, 2x USB feeds from the Lectrosonics receivers through network switches via one single CAT5 network cable and it works!!??

That definitely means bad communication with the director beforehand. In my experience communication and mutual understanding is crucial in documentary. Much more than gear. I am not saying it cannot happen but if it does and you did not anticipated it, then that's on you.

I would also recommend to stick to a mono boom but make good use of your MKH30 for ambiences and music. Why dont you get yourself an MKH40 to pair with it in set once and for all MS rig? Of course you won't boom with it (although I do it sometimes for music and wallas but not for dialog) but you will be able to get nice ambiances and the folk music on a stand or magic harm. Depending on the situation it can happen that you have time to set it up in a room you shooting in with the camera on stick, plug it in your mixer where you already plugged your boom or keep the plug not too far, then you can have it ready to roll whenever you have time or even during room tone (make it longer than 2 min 😉 ) I would keep the MkH50 for boom inside and the mkh416 for boom outside. Also keep in mind that you boom for much longer takes than on fiction and there is no rehearsal. You might have to follow the camera in an unknown set so I would say the complicity why the camera guy/director in your case is crucial. Make sure you communicate well, are on the same page and that you understand each other's work. (eg: don't position yourself in a spot where he might pan towards during the shot) but that all come with experience.

Wow, just started it and I am very impressed in the way she managed to express in writing things that are usually inexpressible or just felt and unspoken. I am of course talking about the human relationship part that is 80% of our job. Not necessary because one would not want to speak about these things but because we tend to see them as instinctive or oversee them as "acquired", learnt or plainly part of us, therefore not worth talking about. But reading about these written in an acute and lucid way not only reminds us that we constantly keep on learning but moreover brings a whole new set of perspectives.

Hi, I now go to Kenya regularly since 2017 (I did Wanuri Kahiu's "Rafiki" feature film). Indeed there is unfortunately no proper sound gear for a feature gig in Kenya nor anywhere in East Africa. We rented and have it all freight from France then, and same for another feature in Tanzania a year ago. When you ask around local colleagues you can find some stuff for TV jobs or documentary but not really proper radio mikes for instance. A couple of sound devices recorders (633) and pro mikes can be found. I have my own gear for docs though so I don't really need to but I have rented a Neumann KU100 head (!) once from a very good music and postprod studio (SupersonicAfrica). Also a friend in Kigali, Rwanda, is starting to be well equipped but he does not really rent out. However there is a good rental place for cameras, lights and grip, and they are affiliated to Panavision: Kenya Grip and Sparks I am trying to partner with them to open a sound gear rental department but it is a long process... Regarding customs I have been going to Kenya always with my own gear (2 pelicases+suitcase) and never even once had a problem nor had to pay any bribe. For the features gear the production hired a clearance professional that did a great job. Probably the same guy John is mentioning. His name is Kapeesh but I do not have his details. Could ask for it though if needed. Oh and Kenya does not recognized ATA carnet (not part of the countries who signed the convention)... Hence the need for hiring a clearance professional. Finally, to answer about rental in "Africa" (well it is a big and complex continent, not just one country, I suggest you change the title of the post for at least East Africa), the only real professional film sound gear renting place I know on the whole continent is in Cape Town, South Africa, and although cost of freight will end up the same as from overseas, it is worth getting in touch with them: http://www.stratosphere.co.za/ Ask for Jeff Hodd, he knows his stuff.

Thanks for the test. My preference goes to the Schoeps. I found the DPA a bit flat here (and even too thin when used with low cut on + hight boost on, but what is the point of the hight boost on in that setup?). Whereas the Schoeps sound nice to my hear both with and without the CUT 1 on. Both are great mikes of course.

Hi, I just watched a short documentary made in 1950 by Henri-georges Clouzot who was planning to shoot a documentary in Brazil. In this short he presents the project and film his team. We can briefly see some equipment from that era. You can watch it here: https://www.cinematheque.fr/henri/film/122297-brasil-henri-georges-clouzot-1950/ One shot really intrigued me. He presents his sound recordist who seems to be using an optical recorder that he has brought in his appartement. I have never seen these and would be curious to know more about it if anyone have some clues about what it could be:

For my music jobs I have been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the german brand Sommercable. I am using Sommer Cable Quantum Highflex Multipair 4, and 8 for up to 20 meters multipair connections. They are not starquad but, like the Canare you gave link to, the advantage is each pair has its own insulation ( basically you have 4 cables put together in one bigger insulator) so that you don't need to connect a breakout, you have what you called the fan version. You just need the XLR connectors and some large thermal sleeve to make a nice and rugged finish. But no advantage for you if you only want boxes. (btw thanks cause I did not know the term "fan" used for the multipair cables ends, improving my english 😉 )

I am not at all convinced by the suggestion of a 2d TX with fresh batteries for actors to change themselves: I would much prefer the actors to change the batteries of the TX themselves rather than having them unplug the lav and plug/insert/screw it back. Most batteries compartments of our tx are much more fool proof than the lav connectors. On top of it, a battery wrongly inserted I can hear immediately -even the actor can see themselves the unit is not on- , but a connector half inserted or not screwed properly I might get the surprise only during a take when the actors jump or dance disco or get excited by the joy of delivering is line right...

I use the K&M 19790 tablet holder, cause it is adjustable so I can fit my Ipad with its protective rubber. https://www.k-m.de/en/products/multimedia-equipment/holders/19790-tablet-pc-stand-holder-black-3-8 I mount it on a magic arm so I just need to twist it back in the cart at wrap (I take the ipad home though, most of the time). It is some sort of ABS plastic, but it is quite strong, no problem since 2017.

Hi Soundtrane, do you know the reference(s) of the correct ODU Lemo3 screw-on compatible connector to order? They have many that seems close to it, I do not know where to start and any search with "Lemo" on their site does not match any content. Ambient does not mention it neither anywhere on their website. Btw i am interested in them for Wisycom transmitters. Valentine, RED16 is the US distributor ReddingAudio own reference, and Cable Techniques seems to be part of them. It does not give us information of where to look when we are not able to go through them. It might be in their interest not to disclose where the original source comes from and it is understandable from a US market point of view. But if they come from Germany (if ODU, still to be confirmed) it does not make sense to us europeans to buy and have them shipped back from the States 🙂 (If Redding Audio was the original manufacturer that would be different of course)

Hello, founding this topic only now, I am wondering why no-one share the actual name and reference of these "third party Lemo-compatible screw-on type 3-pin connectors better than the real Lemo", nor even ask for it. For those of us outside of the US we cannot conveniently access the Redding Audio channel suggested (also assuming it is still valid 6 years later). Someone on another topic quoting this one suggested that these might be ODU connectors. As far as I understood it is a german brand manufacturer. Finding a reference on their website seems as complicated as on the Lemo website, so to find one compatible with another brand sounds quite a challenge to me as well as a gamble. Would it be somehow off-limit to ask for the references of the discussed connector, since no one did? If not thanks in advance to anyone who knows and would be willing to share.

Fichtre diantre!! Pretty impressive, and yes scary. I do not think it will replace the actors in ADR soon, as the acting is not implemented yet (!!) but definitely might be used for repair in post.

If it is the QT it should be pretty recent isnt it? That is strange. How old is it? You are the first reporting having an issue with the new QT (quarter turn) locking system. It is a clever mechanical system and no longer a thread/screwing locking system so they claim it does not get dirty easily. They are pretty straight forward to dismantle. On the most recent you need to first slightly loosen the little screw of the tip locking collar. I think the first batches of the QT series booms do not have this screw. It allows the collar to stay in place whenever you take out the tip. After loosen it, turn the collar c-cwise until the stop and take it out from the top. It should come out very easy. Then take out the bottom plug then once you take out the fist thinner pole you can remove the collar of the next pole also easily. And so on for all of them. Let us know if you can see anything wrong in the collar that caused you trouble. Here is a pic of the tip collar (tip removed) to show you the tip collar screw on the recent system.