Capturing a wedding with a camcorder from the balcony

[CommunityMart]

Hey,
I'm using a camcorder that has a built-in (zoom) stereo microphone. I'm going to record a wedding from the balcony.

Should I position myself to the far left or right wall, center, or slightly off-center for better audio? Does it depend on the hall?

We all know the camcorder mics are "crap". Would it be any better to hang a (dynamic )Audix OM5 off the balcony as much as possible and sync it to the video?
or don't bother unless its a condenser mic?

Do you think the zoom function of the camcorder mic will pick up the vows?

Thanks in advance for answers to any of the questions.

-Communitymart

[Fuzzy Logic]

i feel you should do this with multiple mic positions and mix them on the fly depending on where things occur. i would have a wireless lapel mic for the pastor and a few shotguns placed in various locations.

this is an important event and you got to get it done right. i would keep the camera free enough to be able to move around when needed. this will make a better looking video.

[ghellquist]

Sadly, there are no zoom microphones on mother Earth. Microphones work very differently from optical zooms. You will never get a good sound from the balcony, not with any microphone regardless of price level. In order to get a good sound you need to be close to the talking people. The sound might be accetable, barely audible or totally mumbled -- you simply need to test ahead.

There is basically nothing wrong with using a dynamic microphone. But you will need quite a bit more of preamp gain. No video camera I have ever seen has enough gain to compensate for micing a talking person with a dynamic mic many feets away.

Suggestions are to:
1) do test in as similar conditions as possible. Be as far away with the mic as on the occasion.
2) if you want to get better sound, rent appropriate equipment. Better to rent professional equipment than to buy hobby stuff. Renting can be surprisingly inexpensive compared to buying.
3) or even better, if this really counts, hire a professional to do the job.

On the other hand, as you write here, you might have a good quality sound recording equipment anyway. So why not set it up and record the sound separately from video, do a good sound mix and then combine it in your video editing program.

// gunnar

[NorseHorse]

Half-legitimate wedding videographers always use a wireless lapel mic on the pastor. It often picks up the couple plenty, too.

You might not even hear them at all from the balcony. Sorry!

[Petrus]

I shot a wedding video a while back:

One camera in front next altar, one on rear balcony.

A stereo pair of DPA 4060 taped to the altar edge between the priest and the couple, one lavalier hidden with flowers on the altar. One radio lavalier mic on the singer.

Both cameras running non-stop (important!), audio recorded at 16/48 with SD722.

Edit: drop both videos on timeline, aligne using flashes going off... Aligne the audio on extra audio track using the flash/shutter noise as slate.

In FCP I just cut away the sections form the upper video track where I wanted lower track to appear. There is a more eleagnt method for this also in FCP but I was too lazy to learn it.

Job done

[videoteque]

The camera can be on the balcony, me and Stanley Kubrick prefer to put it in the center if possible...

The microphone must be as close to the pastor/couple as possible!!! Good bless two-track recorders!!!!

[CommunityMart]

Fuzzy Logic, I really appreciate you but I'm not doing that much for this wedding. I just need to enjoy the wedding and I told myself I was going to record it

But I'm worried about the audio. I'm thinking of hiding field recorder -type devices near the couple.

Buddy ghellquist said,:

Sadly, there are no zoom microphones on mother Earth.

I think the zoom microphone works as follows: it is like the mic is in a straw, when zoomed out-it is in the front of the straw; when you're zoomed IN, the mic retracts in the straw making it more directional.[link]

So, if I zoom in, should I turn off the zoom mic function to cancel the directional and then what would it be called?

**p.s. They will not allow videographers on the "floor", but only in the balcony. You think they will allow a computer and lexicon omega recording device on the floor?

[Petrus]

Ask them if you can put a "cold" video camera on a light tripod somewhere in the front facing the couple.

[videoteque]

Originally Posted by Petrus

Ask them if you can put a "cold" video camera on a light tripod somewhere in the front facing the couple.

What's the difference between a "hot" and a "cold" video camera, Petrus??

I also think that been closer (video and audio) it's better, more intimate. A lot of priest don't think it that way!!!

[Petrus]

We call a camera "cold" if it runs by itself without an operator. Kind of cheap backup in many situations.

[ghellquist]

Originally Posted by CommunityMart

I think the zoom microphone works as follows: it is like the mic is in a straw, when zoomed out-it is in the front of the straw; when you're zoomed IN, the mic retracts in the straw making it more directional.[link]

Nice description. Sadly, it does not give the expected result. But do test for yourself. You will, as usually I might add, find that advertisement blurbs are not generally matched in the real world.

Again, do test in advance in as similar situation as possible. If you get "usable results", then there you are. If you want good sound, microphones close to the talkers are the only solution. Even fixed shotgun mics, many times better than a "zoom" mic but working on similar principles will not give a good sound from the balcony. A wireless lavalier on the priest is probably what I would go for as first choice. Renting is surprisingly cheap given what they cost to buy. It might work with one or possible two directional mics pointed at the talkers. You might be able to "hide" a supercardioid or short shotgun in flower arrangements or whatever. Using condensors you can run several hundred feet of cable, well hidden and taped down to your recording stuff. Or even better, wireless. Again, hiring professional stuff is the way to go here.

Most consumer camcorders I have seen are crappy when it comes to sound recording (I guess there are exceptions) . Often enough there is no way to turn off the automatic gain control that will pump the sound. I would suggest recording to another device, you could have this on the balcony next to the camera and run mic cables or wireless from there.

There is yet one more option, dubbing the sound afterwards. More often than not, this is what they have to do on commercial movies.

Sadly, there are no free lunches. But even a quick sausage at the corner sometimes fulfills the immediate needs, no need then to go a Gourmet restaurant. So why not simple setup the camera and simply enjoy the stuff. There is not much of any consequense said at a wedding anyway, so why care about sound quality

// gunnar

PS: I got married a few days ago myself.

[videoteque]

Nice to know!

Originally Posted by Petrus

We call a camera "cold" if it runs by itself without an operator. Kind of cheap backup in many situations.

Of course the opposite of cold camera, is operated camera??