Building a Presentation Filming Rig

scottalanmiller

So we have a number of events coming up that we need to be able to film to produce production material. Mostly these are presentations that involve travel such as MangoLassi Meetups and SpiceCorps events. So the rig needs to travel easily. We need the ability to record good video, mix live video with screen shares and power points, get good audio (assuming at least one lapel mic as well as potentially secondary mics), edit everything and then host to services like YouTube and Vimeo. We are not looking to go completely crazy, this has to be a reasonable setup and it is only IT presentations being filmed, not a movie. But we want it to look and sound good too.

So, where do we begin? This is not my area of expertise at all. What are the right tools for the job? Need to consider everything from hardware (cameras, mics, mixing boards) to software (live capture, editing, etc.)

For Audio Filed Recording: The Tascam DR-680 Is great.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/673541-REG/Tascam_DR_680_DR_680_8_Track_Portable_Field.html

You would also want a bag for it as well as a powerback (don't use the AA's it will be costly way to operate it. get one of those USB/ 5VDC/9VDC/12VDC power packs).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/877158-REG/Porta_Brace_AR_DR680B_Audio_Recorder_Case.html

For the lower end there is also the Zoom H4n recorder but it has quiet a bit of noise in the mic amplifier.

Wireless/lav mics: Sennhesier EW100 G2/G3 ENG kit. You can get these off ebay cheap remember the FCC has baned 700mhz range use. in the used so know what you are getting. They will be about $630-$650 each new.

General Mics: Overhead Boom Mic - Get a mic boom stand and a sand bag to counterweight it.

Good Mic choices for this would be the Rode NT3, NTG2, NTG3

Handheld Mics I'd get the Sennheiser E835 Which can be had for $300 for a 3 pack of them.

Camera: Pansonic Gh4 (or a used Gh2/GH3). Stay away from Cannon stuff for this.
Panasonic HMC150
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera/BlackMagic Cinema Camera.

Post Production software: Adobe Creative Cloud. You can also look into Lightworks but it has a major learning curve.

Live Mixing Production: Hardware based would be something like a TriCaster or something from GrassValley. But it's going to be near $10k alone for something like that. There is also Telestream for a software solution.

scottalanmiller

When using separate audio and video, how difficult is it to mash them up? I used to do this decades ago but I am pretty out of touch with how people are doing this stuff today.

@scottalanmiller said:

When using separate audio and video, how difficult is it to mash them up? I used to do this decades ago but I am pretty out of touch with how people are doing this stuff today.

Not hard you can use a clap or something to sync or Pluraleyes will do the work for you.
http://www.redgiant.com/products/all/pluraleyes/

@scottalanmiller said:

When using separate audio and video, how difficult is it to mash them up? I used to do this decades ago but I am pretty out of touch with how people are doing this stuff today.

The thing to watch out for it that both devices are consistently off sync the same amount. for example the original Zoom h4 had a time sway of it's own. meaning that you might have it in sync at the beginning of the video but by the end it might be a few mins off. for a video less than 5 min it usually wouldn't be much off to matter but more than that you'd need to re sync it every few min in the video - which isn't something you want to have to do.

gjacobse

I don't know specific equipment or software but I do know that there are some things you want to have or at least consider.

Wireless mic - Nothing worse that to be watching a video of a 'high level named person' and not be able to hear them since they are 20 feet from the camera (and mic).

Make sure you have spare batteries - if are using equipment using AA or AAA batteries, have spares...Rechargeable are great,.. but spares and a way to charge them. If you have to be in the field with no power available (it could happen) a portable battery system could use useful.

Audio - If you wireless mic or camera mic is mono - dub the track to the other channel so that when it's played back in headphones you can hear it. again,.. i've seen many a video that only has one audio channel and it's difficult to hear... and then they throw in the stereo title segment.. To me, not cool

gjacobse

For portable Power solutions check:

http://www.portableuniversalpower.com/

The BatPac series (http://www.portableuniversalpower.com/batpac-mk1-2/) is my design. As a Ham operator, I've used both the 7v and 12v batteries for portable power - the BatPac is a nice clean way to protect and have connectors on the batteries.

Dashrender

Honda makes great very quite generators for mobile power too.
Though they are kinda pricey.

@g.jacobse said:

Audio - If you wireless mic or camera mic is mono - dub the track to the other channel so that when it's played back in headphones you can hear it. again,.. i've seen many a video that only has one audio channel and it's difficult to hear... and then they throw in the stereo title segment.. To me, not cool

No need to duplicate the channel. All you need to do is set the source channel as a mono channel instead of a stereo channel that only has one side with audio and it will become dual mono at the output. Any mic is going to be mono there's no reason for it to be stereo really. You need two mics for that but stereo is usually used for effects or panning mics slightly to the side of the screen the actor is on.

gjacobse

@thecreativeone91
True and good point. Stereo isn't needed. But several YouTube videos I've watched have had the presenter in mono (right ear) but the Channel Spot or Ad in Stereo...

Make sure you also due audio equalization.

@Dashrender said:

Honda makes great very quite generators for mobile power too.
Though they are kinda pricey.

A generator is way overkill unless you are running HMIs and other lighting outdoors. for extra power for audio stuff Power packs like these are used: http://www.tekkeon.com/products-mypowerall.html
You can find non-names of the same thing for $20-30 on ebay but you want to check the voltage with a DVM before using it to make sure the regulator is working properly.

scottalanmiller

I have a small, portable Tascam recorder and a good AKG lapel mic that could be used for audio recording at first, I think.