Film recording setup (help me spend some $$$)

[Marogru]

Hi.

I'm thinking of getting myself a location recording setup. So far I was renting most of the time becouse I'm mainly a studio engineer but fro some time I started to do films also, now I'm thinking of a setup for a medium scale films that would have:

I've wrote in green the possible gear I'm considering now so feel free to shoot some advice.
- 2x 8 (or 6 ) channel recorders (parallel for safety, it can be aso a hd recorder and a laptop with a multichannel card)
- 8x mic splitter to both recorders (Sounddevices 788T or Nagra 6)
- 2 shotgun hyper mics (suggestions plz)
- 2 shotgun super mics (suggestions plz)
- 4x wireless systems (Senheisser EW 500)
- 1x 2-3 headphone signal distributor (suggestions plz)

I'm also considering a stationary recorder that can be put in a rack and external pres (API or simillar)

Any comments appreciated.

[aoxoa]

You'll need a way to handle timecode.

The Digi Sync can do it, and the BigBen can do it with the add on card.

[Marogru]

SD has everything i need i think.

[pkautzsch]

Not sure if you really need two recorders. Yes, one should use a backup system, but these are made for the more extreme kinds of environment, and for extreme reliability. That's why they're so expensive.

You won't like the Sennheiser wireless units. Lectrosonics or Audio Developments is the way to go for transmitter/receiver, with a choice of lav mics to taste - Countryman, TRAM, Sennheiser are all good, I've found myself preferring the TRAMs for flat shape (equalling easy mounting and hiding).

For headphone distribution, the Sennheiser EW series is fine. Standard was the good old Comtek; there's also something by Lectrosonics. Comtek has the smallest receiver unit - but the longest transmitter antenna.

Shotguns are, mostly, a matter of taste. The Sennheiser 416 is THE sound of the movies, and there's a reason why.
But newer models like the MKH60 or 70 (longer) aren't bad either.
If you go the Schoeps route, the CMIT is a very fine mic too. You might actually want to go the Schoeps route, as the CCM41 is a very nice and very small super-cardioid for interiors. There's a nice location mic thread in the Post Production Sub-Forum, called something with Oktava 012s.

[Petrus]

Mics: Sanken CS-3e is the best short shotgun (actually a 3 capsule linear array). Can even replace hypers indoors. Sanken COS-11 is the best lavalier. Also do not forget DPA 4060 miniatures which work great also as a lavalier (and much else also). Oktava 012 with hyper capsule is for the price a great indoor video mic. Rode has a new model shotgun, not as cheap as the old versions, but better, good for backup etc.

For the mics you need good wind protection: Rycote Zeppelins & S-series, BBG for Oktavas, suspensions from K-Tek.

Boom(s), long & short.

Good cans, my favourite is Audio Tecnica ATH-M50, Sony MDR-7506 is the industry standard, and good also.

Zaxcom makes the best wireless systems, fully 24 bit digital, some models even have SD backup on the transmitter. Their Deva and Fusion field recorders are also state of the art.

Sound Devices 788 is hard to beat, though, but if money is no object Aaton Cantar has more mixing posibilities.

Ask around in film&video boards, better answers there...

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Addendum: Mixer Sound Devices 442 (or at least SD 302), break-away cables for mixer-cam connection (canare)

[tsvisser]

The core of my setup, and very happy with...

Nagra VI
Nagra MX
Sound Devices 302
Zoom H2 (last resort backup recorder from tape out of 302)
Ambient short boom
Ambient long boom
Senn MKH60
Senn MKH8050
Senn IEM (director's feed)
Ambient ACD301RFA wireless timecode slate + extra transceivers
hodge podge of senn and Sony wireless
DPA4060s

I used to use the 60 for exteriors and 8050 for interiors, but have come to like the 8050 so much, that I use it almost exclusively now, reserving the 60 for specialized applications.

Nagra VI will also provide great utility in the studio, as its mic pres and converters are some of the best, even compared to top of the line studio gear.

I'd like to have better wireless, but ultimately I just can't justify spending 10k on lectro or zaxcom hardware until I have the requisite work demands. My 8050 will always sound better and my focus is on narrative, so I am making due with prosumer wireless for the time being.

[bove]

Originally Posted by pkautzsch

Not sure if you really need two recorders. Yes, one should use a backup system, but these are made for the more extreme kinds of environment, and for extreme reliability. That's why they're so expensive.

If you're worried about storage media failure, the SD units will simultaneously record to multiple destinations. For example, the internal HD and the internal SD card. External drives are also supported. This obviously doesn't cover all points of failure, but works well for a "one box solution".