New Location Recording Setup for Movie/film work???

[Raketel]

Hey Fellas.

I wanted to get some opinions from you on a setup for location recordings for movies. I thought about getting a SQN 4S, aDigi 003 with a mac pro and Adam A7 to monitor and record everything when we are indoor. When we're outdoor I thought about using a korg mr-1000. Mics will be mkh-416 from sennheiser with the S-Series systems from Rycote for dialogue recording and also some MKE 2-4 as wireless solution. I'll try to get some vdB booms with the cables running inside, but I have to wait for the other departments budgets to get this approved(yes, movies can be a bitch). Cables would be all Mogami(not sure yet which type to use). I would be happy to hear your opinoins about the setup and what to use for stereo-recordings at movie sets.
We're planning on using a R.E.D. camera, which I never have heared in action, so I would be glad to hear, if there are any issues with it. Had alot of sonys that made awful noises, not sure if the R.E.D. makes them too.
Also what would be your suggestion for wirelss transmitters and recivers? I used some AKG PT-81's in the past and now am afraid of themdfegad
Thanks in advance.

[drpro]

I have used the Red. Noisy, and the audio sucks in your ability to set levels, monitor it and having to use nonstandard interconnects. Make sure you have extras. We had only three on the last shoot, two were bad and something was wrong with the audio on the camera and only one channel was usable out of the four inputs.

Lectros, Sennheiser or Audio Limited all make fine wireless radios.

Good Luck.

David

[Karl_Lohninger]

Your plans are, let's say highly unorthodox. One can of course use all kinds of equipment even for 'movies'. But a few questions: what are the monitors for? Are you so far away from the set to be able to use those? What about headphones? Is this a 'one location' movie that you think a laptop is a good choice for recording? What about exteriors and maybe some rain coming......? How are you dealing with TC?

Why not rent equipment that is tried and truly made for this kind of productions and forget about this unwieldy set-up. Why not rent a Sound Devices 744 recorder, together with a Sound Devices 442 mixer, some headphones and some Lectros and please no Sennheiser wireless systems, thanks, get a boom pole and don't worry if it's internally wired or not, at this stage of your career it really doesn't matter. Which brands of cable you're using is somewhat unimportant.

Depending on your interior location (smallish, low ceilings, hard and reflective walls) a Sennheiser 416 could be a very wrong choice as good as it is for exteriors. Go to Kortwich here in Berlin and they'll put a package together for you that will make sense.

And what do you mean with 'stereo recordings' on the set?
In other words without knowing what kind of locations you're dealing with and kind of movie that's going to be it is pretty much impossible to point you in the right directions.

Karl Lohninger
currently supervising 24 hours Berlin in......Berlin

[Raketel]

thanks guys. I'll look for some other equipment for recording. I'll refresh this thread when I get to know the locations.

[John Willett]

SQN is good, as also is the Sound Devices.

Mic. and windshield is good.

The Korg is not really a location recorder - I would look at the Nagra VI and the Sound Devices 700 series for the location recorder. The SD 702T is the cheapest of the good timecode machines around at the moment. (I have the Nagra VI, 6-track and a lot more than the 702T).

Adam - some people like them, I went for the K+H O110D for my small location monitors. I also like the Harbeth Monitor 20, but they are passive only.

RED - on a broadcast sound forum these are the most hated cameras around at the moment and all I read about are sound sync. problems and the like. No experience myself here, just passing on what I have read.

I hope this helps.

[hughesmr]

Originally Posted by John Willett

SQN is good, as also is the Sound Devices.
The Korg is not really a location recorder...

Hmmm ... my one year and about 30 gigs using it in precisely that capacity nonwithstanding.

Certainly not debating the world-class Sound Devices and Nagra units, but the Korg IS a mobile recording deck. The factory-supplied carrying case and portable battery power capability I believe is testament to that fact!

Cheers!

[Karl_Lohninger]

mr hughes....you are confused. The question was not about a 'mobile recording deck' but about equipment for movies.....and the korg in this context is not working.

Regarding the choice between sqn and sound devices: of course both are great mixers.

BUT:
The sqn still has these awkward switches on the back of the mixer - very inconvenient.

And you could almost buy 2 sound devices for 1 sqn! That's the end of the debate. If you're spending your own money the choice is clear.

Karl Lohninger
sound mixer + sound supervisor
(and not paid by sound devices)

[Mats H]

Originally Posted by hughesmr

Hmmm ... my one year and about 30 gigs using it in precisely that capacity nonwithstanding.

Certainly not debating the world-class Sound Devices and Nagra units, but the Korg IS a mobile recording deck. The factory-supplied carrying case and portable battery power capability I believe is testament to that fact!

Cheers!

I am currently on a two week movie set and I brought a KORG MR-1000 and a borrowed Sound Devices 722 along with a bunch of sennheiser mics. There's a reason the Sound Devices (and Nagra, stellavox, Deva, Cantar-X) pieces are the tools of the trade, and it's spelled WORKFLOW.

The KORG MR-1000 is a great sounding stereo master recorder, which can be used remotely to record music and most anything (samples, dialogue and so fourth). It's got a very simple feature set, which works well for stereo recording. It's carrying case gives you either the mics OR the power cord.

The Sound Devices recorders are made for remote recording and not only are a lot more robust and well thought-out, they feature a lot more monitoring options (M/S, mono, A-B, 1-2 and more), they are built like tanks and the carrying case is great, even though it's and expensive option. The amount of connectors and alternate medias (external Firewire hard drive and CF card) gives you great piece of mind and you won't ever have to fear losing what you record. It's got low-pass filter, limiter, time code (some do), take management and much more that's welcome in a production environment.

The Sound Devices machines are much more suited to recording stuff on location and especially for picture than the KORG machines in my opinion.

[John Willett]

Originally Posted by Mats H

The Sound Devices machines are much more suited to recording stuff on location and especially for picture than the KORG machines in my opinion.

Yes - it's what the Sound Devices were designed for.

For location recording (especially for film and TV work) it's Sound Devices, Nagra and (possibly) the new Sonosax.

Personally I went for the Nagra as I found the SD a bit too small and fiddly - but those three are all up there together for pro. work.

(I have not forgotten the Aaton Cantar, HHB Portadrive and Deva, but they are a whole level more expensive).