Go to the menu, Rec and set the recorder to 24-bit/48 kHz WAV files (if you don’t have that option, it is because, the Zoom is on Stamina. Open the battery door and on top right of the batteries you’ll see the Stamina button. Push it to the other side and try to change the settings again. Recording for film has to be set at 48 kHz for compatibility with the video file. 24-bit is just a better sampling rate than 16 and please DO NOT use mp3 ever!
Now for better dialog quality chose the vocal compressor. You’ll recognize the difference right away. Everything else in the Input should be off.
Input level (on the right under the menu botton) should always be between -24 and -12 !!! Anything over is too hot, anything lower is too low.
If you are using only the boom, you’re recording a mono track. Set the recorder to Mono and link the 1-2, so that when you are setting the levels, you don’t have to chose input 1 or 2 every time.
Obviously take it out of the link and mono, if you are using all microphone inputs. You could place a lavalier (lavaliers are omni directional, which means they pick up from every direction. If you have a table scene, you could hide the mic behind a computer, a plant, under the table, anywhere in front of the actor really. Then you could boom and also use the stereo mics in the front simultaneously. That would make 4 inputs (hence the 4 in the H4n - There is an H6n with 6 inputs).
Boom mics often need a battery inside, but they still need +48V Phantom power. But if you give Phantom power to a mic that doesn’t need it, you will destroy the microphone and probably the recorder too. So make sure you turn off the Phantom power after every use.
When you are using the boom, make sure the microphone is right above the nose. Test with the DP how far you can get down before you are in frame and try to keep the boom right above frame. You want your arms to be parallel and in 90 degrees angles. That’s the best way to not get too tired holding the boom. If the boompole isn’t cabled (as in the cable inside of the boom pole), wrap the cable around the boom, so it does not fall into frame.
Don’t forget, you can google anything and watch a youtube. If you are having problems calibrating the lavaliers, youtube it! They run on frequency, so sometimes, what worked in one place, might not be the right frequency in another place. So sometimes you have to recalibrate, but usually when you rent them, they are set to go.
Have a great shoot!
Comments
Post a Comment