Alan Gerhardt Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Since the advent of cheap HD cameras I would imagine that most people on this board have been approached by the newbie cameramen/producers/directors seeking advice on how they can get good sound! My latest inquiry came from a close friend who conducts leadership development courses. He is busy doing courses with people from the corporate world where he puts them in a Naval Bridge Simulator and films them with his GoPro Hero III+. The students then go to the classroom where he shows them the footage and analyses their reactions in an emergency situation. What he wants to know is "What external microphone can I plug into my GoPro to record audible sound of what the students are saying?" I hate to have to break the news to a very dear and close friend that the situation is not a good one. There can be up to 10 uncontrolled students in an area of approximately 9 square metres talking all over each other. Since the footage from the GoPro is viewed shortly after shooting there isn't the possibility of multiple mics on multiple tracks and a complex mix in post. One also then has to point out to them that what we consider a decent microphone in our world would cost way more than their fancy camera. Naturally they are disappointed by my response and now I find myself wondering whether there may perhaps be a new beast out there that can help these "initiates to the sound world". Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 " I hate to have to break the news to a very dear and close friend that the situation is not a good one. " be gentle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 A bunch of plant mics/shotguns and an auto mixer feeding the GoPro? Still very messy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 " Still very messy. " ... and costly, with questionable results... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ju Griz Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 A bunch of plant mics/shotguns and an auto mixer feeding the GoPro? Still very messy. Why not make it dual system? It can't take that long to sync up the audio. Or just get the camera to feed into somewhere else that the sound is going too. Kind of like an external webcam, then the computer just syncs up the A/V. Also, if you really want to make sure their REACTIONS are miked, why not have them wear headsets? It doesn't matter if they're seen, plus it could totally add to the environment of a naval bridge. If you present him with a full solution and make it more of a sales pitch, I feel like someone from the business world might appreciate that and be more open to it. It'll help him out in the long run, and he could charge more for the courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 I thought the same thing for a second... Record multitrack into a laptop, then drop/sync the video into an edit system. Then the instructor can solo tracks live to focus on specifics. Not likely to happen I guess. Why not make it dual system? It can't take that long to sync up the audio. Or just get the camera to feed into somewhere else that the sound is going too. Kind of like an external webcam, then the computer just syncs up the A/V. Also, if you really want to make sure their REACTIONS are miked, why not have them wear headsets? It doesn't matter if they're seen, plus it could totally add to the environment of a naval bridge. If you present him with a full solution and make it more of a sales pitch, I feel like someone from the business world might appreciate that and be more open to it. It'll help him out in the long run, and he could charge more for the courses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 Would naval officers at the bridge talk over each other? A little discipline in the command chain would add a good component in this leadership training course and make the audio less of a head ache. dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason porter Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 True. Every bridge that I have ever been on is very quiet and controlled, except for the fans. Would naval officers at the bridge talk over each other? A little discipline in the command chain would add a good component in this leadership training course and make the audio less of a head ache. dan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Foy Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 So let me get this straight............ they're dry hiring a Naval Bridge Simulator and filling it full of paying suits but can't afford a Sound Recordist !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 " ...can't afford a Sound Recordist !!! " as I read it, they are also not hiring a DP, or any other crew, nor are they paying big bucks for a fancy (4k, maybe?) camera... this sounds more like surveillance video, than a production. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Karlsson Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 There is no magic wand. Seems like a situation of "it is what it is". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted October 15, 2013 Report Share Posted October 15, 2013 this sounds more like surveillance video, than a production. Sounds like the root of their complaint. It may not be worth it to them, but if they want it enough to make it a priority, it is possible. The solution won't be a mic plugged into a go pro though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Foy Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 "this sounds more like surveillance video, than a production." Exactly right, my point being you get what you pay for !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atheisticmystic Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 ...a close friend who conducts leadership development courses. He is busy doing courses with people from the corporate world where he puts them in a Naval Bridge Simulator and films them with his GoPro Hero III+. ... Any suggestions? My "close friends" are NOT gentle with each other, so it could actually sound like, "Bro-Heem, you're a professional, leading other professionals...stop using toys as your tools." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Thomas Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 A Gefell KEM970 might get something passable, it's a lot bigger than a gopro, requires mains power and costs US$11K though. Can GoPros take line level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Gerhardt Posted October 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 Thanks for responding guys! The observation that it is more like surveillance than a production is spot on. My initial response was that one of the mics we consider professional would cost more than his camera. I did tell him that multiple mics and an automixer could be a solution; but would cost. I think it's just a case of over-enthusiasm brought on through witnessing good quality images from negligible outlay and expecting that to hold true for sound as well. It's wonderful to observe the learning curve experienced by people trying to hear the sound they expected to happen as automatically as their picture did. If all Production Managers had to go and make a dialogue driven movie with a cheap HD camera, they might end up understanding sound equipment budgets........................!!! Ignore that last sentence. I went into a dream...........zzzzzzzzz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted October 16, 2013 Report Share Posted October 16, 2013 Or you could stick a JuicedLink/BeachTek/DR60 under the camera and feed at least two mics of your/his choice. Put them up left/roght in the room and the audio will be not good, but better than the camera's on-board audio. Depends on what the guy wants, but hopefully he doesn't wish for perfect sound to match his "GoPro" picture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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