I'm pretty new to movie sound so forgive my ignorance, but i couldnt
refuse when my friend offered me the job

1) Can anyone give me a good, large source of sound effects and
samples, preferably in cd form? I'm willing so shell out some cash for
these. Websites are ok too, but i'm looking for better quality than
what i've mostly found for free

2) Are shotgun mics the only good option for on-set recording? Even an
sm57 worked pretty well for me (stereo is not a necesity)

3) When working with foley, can you guys give me some tips on:

mics--i'm currently working with two oktava mk-012s in a "spaced-omni"
setup, and the gain is pretty cranked. too avoid too much presence, i
use a hi-cut set at about 12k (good/bad idea?)

space--here's where my problem is. i have a wooden box of a room.
theres a mattress attached to either side of the doorway, which works
rather well i've found for blocking out the dehumidifier outside. any
suggestions for building a decent temporary isolation?

Thanks for any tips.--MAtt

Matt wrote:

1) Can anyone give me a good, large source of sound effects and
samples, preferably in cd form? I'm willing so shell out some cash for
these. Websites are ok too, but i'm looking for better quality than
what i've mostly found for free

Sound Ideas has a nice selection.

2) Are shotgun mics the only good option for on-set recording? Even an
sm57 worked pretty well for me (stereo is not a necesity)

No, shotgun mikes are usually a lousy choice on-set. You're much better
off with a hypercardiod in most situations (although a shotgun is a great
choice outdoors).

I am surprised you got much at all with an SM-57. It's a very wide pattern
and designed mostly for close-miking... it would not be fun to boom.

3) When working with foley, can you guys give me some tips on:

mics--i'm currently working with two oktava mk-012s in a "spaced-omni"
setup, and the gain is pretty cranked. too avoid too much presence, i
use a hi-cut set at about 12k (good/bad idea?)

Use whatever mikes the dialogue was done with, for the most part. This will
give you tracks that will integrate well with the dialogue tracks.

The high-cut is probably a bad idea. Worry about that when you get to the
mixing stage.

space--here's where my problem is. i have a wooden box of a room.
theres a mattress attached to either side of the doorway, which works
rather well i've found for blocking out the dehumidifier outside. any
suggestions for building a decent temporary isolation?

No, forget about doing foley under these conditions. The whole point of
foley work is to simulate the sounds under the original room acoustics.
If you can't simulate a variety of room acoustics, you're better off picking
up effects in the field and editing them in place.
--scott
--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

"Matt" wrote ...
I'm pretty new to movie sound so forgive my ignorance, but
i couldnt refuse when my friend offered me the job

1) Can anyone give me a good, large source of sound effects and
samples, preferably in cd form? I'm willing so shell out some cash for
these. Websites are ok too, but i'm looking for better quality than
what i've mostly found for free

I really like www.sounddogs.com

2) Are shotgun mics the only good option for on-set recording?

No. They are usually *not* a good option for *on-set* recording.
They are best used outdoors where there are no reflections to
deal with. Hypercardiods are the mics of choice for boom use
indoors.

Even an sm57 worked pretty well for me (stereo is not a necesity)

Depends on what you are recording, and under what conditions.
I would never have thought that a 57 would be suitable for boom
micing. Not sensitive enough, too noisy, pattern too broad, etc.

3) When working with foley, can you guys give me some tips on:

mics--i'm currently working with two oktava mk-012s in a
"spaced-omni" setup, and the gain is pretty cranked

Why those mics and not the ones used for the other sound pickup
on the production? Why stereo? How are you mixing down the
production? What is the target sound tracking? Stereo? 5.1?
Note that most effects (both actual and recreated) are recorded
in mono as the ambience you want is of the total mix, not that
of the Foley space.

too avoid too much presence, i use a hi-cut set at about 12k
(good/bad idea?)

IMHO, never a good idea to do EQ during original tracking.
Leave it for mixdown when you can judge what it sounds like
relative to all the other pieces.

space--here's where my problem is. i have a wooden box of a room.
theres a mattress attached to either side of the doorway, which works
rather well i've found for blocking out the dehumidifier outside. any
suggestions for building a decent temporary isolation?

Likely more space than you are likely to have available. Even a
completely empty 2-car garage may be too small for some Foley
effects.

Note that there is a newsgroup specifically targeted at movie/
TV production sound, including all the questions you are asking...
news:rec.arts.movies.production.sound

The whole point of
foley work is to simulate the sounds under the original room acoustics.
BRBR


Often that's not possible. When you can't foley footsteps in an ally between
two 30 story buildings, a small, dead foley stage with pits is a decent option.
It will enable you to recreate the ambiance with reverb in the mix stage.
Also, foley is often tracked in mono and panned in the mix stage. Try one of
your oktavas with a hyper cardiod cap. Take note of perspective and don't get
too tight on an effect that isn't up close in the shot. Probably the most
important things to have for a foley session (aside from good props and a good
artist) is a good signal chain and a very quiet room. With DAWs you can edit,
TC/E and slide not-so-perfect takesuntil they line up.


Joe Egan
EMP
Colchester, VT
www.eganmedia.com

(Scott Dorsey) wrote in message ...
Matt wrote:
No, shotgun mikes are usually a lousy choice on-set. You're much better
off with a hypercardiod in most situations (although a shotgun is a great
choice outdoors).


Any particular mics you recommend scott? This is a pretty budgeted
project so would a shotgun be ok if we want 1 mic for indoor and
outdoor? I cant find very many hypercardioid condensers. Thanks--MAtt

Matt wrote:
(Scott Dorsey) wrote in message ...
Matt wrote:
No, shotgun mikes are usually a lousy choice on-set. You're much better
off with a hypercardiod in most situations (although a shotgun is a great
choice outdoors).

Any particular mics you recommend scott? This is a pretty budgeted
project so would a shotgun be ok if we want 1 mic for indoor and
outdoor? I cant find very many hypercardioid condensers. Thanks--MAtt

If you have only one mike, I'd definitely pick the hypercard.

If you don't have the money for a Schoeps, you can either rent a Schoeps,
or you can go with something like the AT 4053. The 4053 has a wider pattern
but is entirely usable. Oktava makes a cheap hypercardioid but that is
about the point where I'd start calling it too wide to be usable.

But any of the film rental places will have a sound kit with a Schoeps, a
416, some lavs, and a mixer in a bag. Much easier to rent.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

On Mon, 29 Nov 2004 21:01:06 -0500, Matt wrote
(in article ):

I'm pretty new to movie sound so forgive my ignorance, but i couldnt
refuse when my friend offered me the job

1) Can anyone give me a good, large source of sound effects and
samples, preferably in cd form? I'm willing so shell out some cash for
these. Websites are ok too, but i'm looking for better quality than
what i've mostly found for free

There are many CD sound effects libraries. Im have a list of the companies on
my site in the articles Archives. Help yourself. Sound Ideas isn't a bad
choice.

2) Are shotgun mics the only good option for on-set recording? Even an
sm57 worked pretty well for me (stereo is not a necesity)

For dialog? For ambi?

3) When working with foley, can you guys give me some tips on:

mics--i'm currently working with two oktava mk-012s in a "spaced-omni"
setup, and the gain is pretty cranked. too avoid too much presence, i
use a hi-cut set at about 12k (good/bad idea?)

to record what?


space--here's where my problem is. i have a wooden box of a room.
theres a mattress attached to either side of the doorway, which works
rather well i've found for blocking out the dehumidifier outside. any
suggestions for building a decent temporary isolation?

Thanks for any tips.--MAtt

to record what?

Regards,

Ty Ford



-- Ty Ford's equipment reviews, audio samples, rates and other audiocentric
stuff are at www.tyford.com