Archive for audio technica

Covering the ANSWER Anticorporate protest in Hollywood, CA

Posted in Audio, Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Photojournalism, Reviews, Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on September 12, 2015 by William Hooks

This afternoon, there was a protest march against corporate practices across the world held in Hollywood where I conducted several interviews with activists. These included  Navaho native American Paige Murphy representing Therednation.org, Hamid Assian from Food And Water Watch.org based in Wash, DC, and a Pasadena activist from Citizens Climate Lobby, James Waterhouse.

Doug, media coordinator for ANSWER event

Doug, media coordinator for ANSWER event

ANSWER Protest_2015_9 (5) ANSWER Protest_2015_9 (6) ANSWER Protest_2015_9 (7) ANSWER Protest_2015_9 (8) ANSWER Protest_2015_9 (10)For solo interview technique I like to use a dynamic microphone running to the Tascam DR-60D DAR unless I anticipate a lot of very loud noise, where the -20dB pads are nice on the Zoom H6. The 17-40mm f/4 L Canon zoom was my default lens, also used the 70-200 mm f/4 L. Love the AT Mx40 headphones for crowd work! They really help isolate the interviewee from the background and are very comfortable.

Page Murphy, co-founder of Therednation.org and Navaho I was using the 4K Panasonic GH4 and Benro S6 monopod for the day. Grateful for overcast weather! And thanks to Ed Flowers for some still shots—

Paige Murphy, co-founder of Therednation.org and Navaho

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Documentary filming in the heat of central California

Posted in Audio, Photography, Photojournalism, Reviews, Travel, Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 29, 2015 by William Hooks
At Lake Success, CA talking with Donna Johnson from East Portervillie

At Lake Success, CA talking with Donna Johnson from East Portervillie

Setting up to talk with Paul Boyer in west Visalia about the efforts of his company to help residents obtain water

Setting up to talk with Paul Boyer in west Visalia about the efforts of his company to help residents obtain water

I'm monitoring sound before beginning to interview Paul at his office

I’m monitoring sound before beginning to interview Paul at his office

Donna Johnson (16) Melissa Wichnell (8)

James Garrett monitoring video and Melinda Steffen checking audio at Visalia interview

James Garrett monitoring video and Melinda Steffen checking audio at Visalia interview

Melissa Wichnell discussing Visalia, CA emergency planning for water distribution

Melissa Wichnell discussing Visalia, CA emergency planning for water distribution

Melissa Wichnell (13) Melissa Wichnell (15)

Nonpotable water tank near the fire station in East Porterville, CA

Nonpotable water tank near the fire station in East Porterville, CA

We completed a series of interviews with local officials in Visalia, CA and talked with local resident Donna Johnson in East Porterville about what she was personally doing to help neighbors whose wells had gone dry (as was her own).

The level of poverty in East Porterville is intense. Housing prices, already low, are decreasing due to lack of water further burdening residents who might want to leave the area.

We shot with my Panasonic GH4 in 4K 30fps mode, using a Zoom H6 digital audio recorder as well as Audio Technica Pro70 wired lav’s an dRode NTG-4 shotgun in a Rode blimp.Also used a Zoom hypercardioid shotgun mic and when using the Zoom for field notes, the mid-side capsule mic. I was very pleased with the performance of my equipment in very hot conditions, wind and for interior shots with no problems encountered.

There is still much to be done before we begin cutting the documentary’s final look; a tentative title: WATER AND THE LIVES OF THOSE LESS FORTUNATE.

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Some ENG setups with the GH4 and 2 digital audio recorders

Posted in Audio, Photojournalism, Reviews, Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 11, 2015 by William Hooks

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DR-70D DAR below GH4 camera on tripod

DR-70D DAR below GH4 camera on tripod

MS (mid-side) microphone capsule option on Zoom H6 DAR

MS (mid-side) microphone capsule option on Zoom H6 DAR

side view showing connections for digital audio recorder positioned below camera

side view showing connections for digital audio recorder positioned below camera

above-camera setup for DR-70D using 12" rail on hot shoe, and 2 wireless Audio Technica mic receivers

above-camera setup for DR-70D using 12″ rail on hot shoe, and 2 wireless Audio Technica mic receivers

DSCN2364The idea here is to be able to record to one or more cameras and record audio separately =dual system audio, later aligning the sound and video files while editing. I use Red Giant Plural Eyes Express for this job, it’s easy and automated.

I’ve shown two audio options, one with wired lavalier mics into inputs 1-2 on the Tascam DR-70D DAR connected below the camera and the other with the DAR mounted on an adapter above the camera, connected to wireless mic receivers.

The other DAR (Zoom H6) is used here as a hand-held microphone close to the subject, recording backup tracks; one could easily add a shotgun mic track here, for example, or one of the lav tracks if desired. I sometimes use the MS mic capsule in this setup because it’s simple to pick up my interview questions and the corresponding answers with that mic, place close to my side and less than 2 feet from the subject out of frame.

I power the Tascam whenever possible with external sources- either AC or when not available, by use of a brick battery via USB port with 5v delivered to the 15′ extension cable, then to the dedicated recorder USB cable. This is due to the lackluster internal battery life from the DR-70D.

Be sure to download the Tascam ‘s reference manual online if you get this unit- the supplied documentation is pathetic.

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Applewhite camp, CA

Posted in backpacking, Photography, Reviews, Travel, ultralight techniques, Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 19, 2015 by William Hooks

Spent a full day and evening at Applewhite elevation 3300 ft, in the Lytle Creek region of southern CA. The Titanium Goat Ptarmigan biv sack was excellent underneath my HMG square tarp, in a 40 deg F Marmot Atom sleeping bag. Hardly even noticed the smoke from 10 campfires blazing around me… should have chosen site #2…..

 

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Managed to break a tubular tarp stake. I rarely use them unless car camping, prefer MSR Mini-Groundhogs/titanium skewers/MSR Carbon /Cores for backpacking.

Enjoyed getting some field video refinements finished.

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Some audio setups

Posted in Music, Photojournalism, Reviews, Travel, Video with tags , , , , , , , , , , , on June 16, 2014 by William Hooks

These are some of the items I use to create audio recordings for AV projects.

2 digital audio recorders: Tascam DR-60D (general production) and Zoom H4N (music, overdubbing; direct recording via XY stereo mics)

2 sets of headphones: Tascam and AudioTechnica (AT)

Rode Stereo Video Mic Pro, mainly for environmental sound and music

2 pair each of several types of dialog/mono microphones: AudioTechnica Pro70 wired, cardioid condenser lavaliers; also AT 88W wireless, omni dynamicTascam DR-60D and Zoom H4N

Tascam DR-60D DAR

2 AT Pro 70 wired lav mics

AT Pro 70 x 2 with XLR cables lavaliers and Rode NTG-2 supercardioid, condenser shotguns (not shown here)

Not shown is the AT 8004L dynamic omnidirectional stick mic, used mainly for ENG in-frame

The Pro70’s are also good for guitar recording via the specialized holders, shown with green felt liners in the corresponding images.

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To the Dark Side… I ‘ve gone Canon 5D Mark III

Posted in Captain's Personal Log, Photography, Photojournalism, Reviews, Video with tags , , , , , , , , on August 30, 2013 by William Hooks

After much consideration, I’ve taken the leap to the Canon HD-DSLR system and sold my Nikon system except for the Coolpix S9100. Admitting that I miss the built-in intervalometer of the D600 and especially its ability to create in-camera timelapses…..

Key features of the Canon 5D Mark III (5D3) over the Nikon D600 —FOR ME
1- Tethered shooting with Lightroom 4 (no need to upgrade to version 5)-but caveat emptor…
2- Power aperture in LiveView
3- LV histogram
4- CF and SD cards; I prefer the durability and ease of writing on CF cards in general, and the ease of just inserting an SD card into my notebook’s built-in slot is there when desired
5- Native ISO of 12800 for video
6- Selected better specs for stills incl bracketing, 6FPS, AF points, advanced multiple exposure
7- Time code, including drop-frame and other features (record and playback); at the least this will be used for shot logging, and potentially for post (multicam sync)
8- Ability to manually adjust sound settings, ISO, and exposure while recording video-silently!
9- Accepts the same Hoodman Custom Finder Baseplate
10- Video can be actuated remotely with a $30 RC-6 IR wireless unit and tethered for video and stills via a free
EOS Utility software download (Nikon-it’s free)
11- Extensive video clip info available after recording
12- In-camera slow motion review
13- EF lenses compatible with a wide variety of dedicated, advanced cinema systems such as BlackMagic, EOS C
Cinema camcorder series, and RED. I anticipate at some point venturing into the C 100/ C 300 universe.
14- This camera is a current industry standard for HD-DSLR filmmaking. As such, there is free and paid firmare and software available which is uniquely designed for Canon/5D3 such as the free Technicolor and Marvel Picture Styles.
There are also a number of hardware items made by Manfrotto and other companies which are specific to Canon firmware, such as the Sympla Remote Controller.

Taken in totality, I found these and other considerations to be compelling. Among the other things I though about was the issue of normalizing or standardizing the cameras throughout my crew- and everyone else is already using 5D2, 6D, and 7D. Doesn’t necessarily mean I won’t use Nikons in the future, I ‘m a huge fan of their lenses and flash for example. Very likely I’ll be using a Nikon D5200 for backpacking and timelapses. But for now, I’m starting off very happy indeed with the 5D3.

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Rode NTG-2 supercardioid shotgun microphone and blimp

Posted in Captain's Personal Log with tags , , , on January 11, 2012 by William Hooks

I added these to my microphone array today, enabling excellent sound in adverse windy conditions.  Most likely, this will be my primary mic setup for outdoor sports video and many exterior interviews.

As with the VM Pro, Sennheiser 400 MKE, and Audio Technica 8004L, it can be used either directly to cameras or via XLR connector to output such as the Zoom H4N.

William, remember to take out the AA battery every time after use!!! (it will also accept phantom power)

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