[Scott Dorsey]

In article ,
henrytj wrote:
I have been helping on some no-budget movie projects. Although, like
everyone else, I would love to do camera, DP, ect. But the audio seems
rather open. Some of the productions that I have helped with use the
on camera mic. So I have gotten together with some friends and we have
put together a kit (shotgut mic, painter pole converted to a boom
pole, a lavaliere mic. I am considering getting a Zoom H4 to add to
the kit for recording when I can't be cabled to the camera (like in a
shot with a moving camera.) Yes, I read that the H4, and other under
$1000 recorders have noise problems, but still this must be better
that using the on camera mic. Also the H4 looks to be on clearance
sale ($219 at B&H) as the next model seems to be out (H4N).

Anyway, anyone have experience using the Zoom H4 for low budget movie
work that they would like to provide?

You can use it. It doesn't stink. It does not provide real confidence
monitoring, but life is like that. It will probably be more reliable than
a wireless link to the camera.

Synchronization WILL require a slate. Slate the beginning and end of
each take and don't try and skip a slate. Have someone on set whose job
it is to keep a list of what camera files and what sound files go together
and with which takes.

I STRONGLY recommend, though, that you get a good hypercardioid before you
do anything else.

I also suggest that it is MUCH easier to keep a boom operator on your crew
if you have a real boom instead of a painter's pole. I know, you can do it,
we have all done it, but after eight hours of holding the thing you will
have real trouble getting your boom op back for a second day.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."