Tag Archives: audio equipment

Preparing Equipment for an Upcoming Shoot

Equipment for a Video Production Shoot

Are you planning a video production Boston shoot? Do you want to know all about how to find and/or use equipment for the shoot? Well lucky for you, I am here to provide that information!

Video Cameras

When creating a video project, you will definitely need a video camera. There is absolutely no question on this matter. Now, if you are doing this project for school, it is probably fine to use a smartphone. However, I would not recommend that method, as smartphones fill up storage quickly and the video quality is not as good as it would be on a regular camera.

Personally, I would either borrow a camera from a friend, or depending on the importance of the project vs. how many more videos you will have to take, invest in a nice beginner camera. Learn about DSLR Cameras

While preparing for my video shoot for Skillman Video Group: a Boston video production, I decided on using my Nikon D3400, even though the sound quality is terrible. The video is perfectly decent, and I was going to use an external microphone anyways.

Lighting Set Up

Making sure you have good light quality in your video is important. You don’t want your video to look like you took it in a dark cave in the middle of the night, so make sure your lighting is decent. Using natural light can be tricky in video, because of the sun changing and clouds. Overall, the sun is very fickle sometimes. You could be filming and then all of a sudden have to stop because the sun went behind a cloud. Or maybe you started filming when the sun was behind a cloud, but now the sun is shining in everyone’s faces and creating a glare on the camera. You can make natural light work, but artificial lights are always helpful. A couple soft box lights here and there would be a good idea if you’re planning to film indoors especially.

Audio for Video Production

Unless you have a professional video camera, like production companies Boston do, you might want to think about the sound quality on whatever camera you’re planning on using. Investing in an external microphone could be important if you’re going to be filming with a beginning camera like myself. This is especially important if you’re planning to film outside. With background noises whipping everywhere, having a microphone that can focus on the sounds you need in your video will be vital in ensuring that your video turn out good.

Preparing your equipment for a video shoot may be stressful, but as long as you think of everything you possibly could have and you stay organized, you’re all set!

Skillman Video Group LLC is a Boston video production company. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Being The Third Eye on Set

How Many Cameras Are Too Many Cameras?

When it comes to filming events, interviews, and even short films, there is never too many angles that you can cover during a video production shoot. Last week, Skillman Video Group had a live event to shoot over at MIT Sloan. The program is for most prestigious and intelligent scholars that do research in hopes of changing the world with their discoveries and teaching at universities. The camera crew used three cameras during the shoot: two Sony 4k cameras, and a small mirror-less 4k camera. We used three cameras so that it can help the editor during the editing process. The two Sony cameras were used to get different angles of the presenters a wide shot, and a mid shot, while the small mirror-less camera was used to film the slides during the presentations.

Live Event Production

The great thing about having more than one camera during any shoot is variety. With one camera, you can always shoot what you need to film, but with two, you are able to get different angles. That is
because shooting in 4k allows you to zoom into a subject and still get that crisp clean look when editing the shots. But even if you are shooting in 4k, it’s still important to have another angle. Video Producers always need a way to keep the viewer engaged and interested. By having three cameras, the number of variety shots that can be done is limitless. If a director already has planned shots ahead of time, with a third camera, it can always be used as a back up if one of the cameras runs into an issue. In most cases, having a third camera can help film extra b-roll and any shoot angles that you wouldn’t on the other two cameras to help progress the story of what is being filmed.

Boston Video Production Services

Overall, it by having a third camera to film, you aren’t losing any quality, only gaining more. By adding more shots that add verity, having extra audio if the other two main cameras run into problems, and just being to have back up.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in video production Boston. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Tips For Interviews

How To Film an Interview

Last week Crown Visual reached out to Skillman Video Group to produce a corporate video. Christina Skillman Interviewed the owners of the company asking them all kinds of questions from the history of the company to the cleaning process. So, What are the necessary steps you need to take when conducting an interview?

Top Interview Tips

Interview Location:

When filming an interview, one of the most important factors of is it the location. Depending on the location, it can make a video interesting, it can help set a mood, and even help tell the story. By shooting b-roll of the location, it can also help the viewer get a better understanding of a company and how it runs. Even if a location isn’t great, it’s always good to prep the room to make it more interesting for the viewer.

Camera Setup for Interviews

One of the most important things you need to have when shooting an interview is two angles on a subject. Although we only filmed with one camera for the Crown video shoot, it’s helpful to have two cameras because it allows different angles and shots. It can not only make a video more interesting but it can help establish the story.

Lighting and Audio Tips

To get the right shot, one thing you need to think about is the lighting. For a film, it’s important to know what 3 point light system is. The 3 point light system is a standard light set up often used for interviews. It is a system that allows light to focus in on the subject. It can make a difference in your video for it puts your subject in better focus. For audio, you can have something look great, but if you don’t have great audio, you won’t have a great video. Audio and visuals go hand in hand. You need to be able to hear the subject clearly and make sure that the audio levels are just right. You don’t want to film something and then have the audio levels way too high or too low. There needs to be a balance. Audio can make or break a video, without crisp sound than you are already losing the quality of your video.

Next time you have an interview to film, think about these steps to have a great outcome on your video!

Skillman Video Group LLC specializes in Boston video production. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-014

Editing Process on our DIY Series

At SVG each round of interns are asked to create a video project of their own. For this current season while on the Boston video production team. As this current round of interns, we decided we wanted to make something that would be useful for current followers of SVG’s blog and for DIY/DSLR videographers. By creating something with these two audiences in mind, we hoped that we would be able to instruct current followers with their own personal projects while attracting a new audience towards SVG through DSLR video production. One thing we learned about video production services is that the processes before and after shoot day both play major roles in the projects. In video production services, a major portion of the work comes after and before the shooting day. The video editing process is half of the creation process in video production.

Editing a video requires a close attention to detail, imagination, and practice. After trying to begin learning the programs of video editing, it was clear that this expertise deserves its credit- things are complicated and extremely technical in this stage. With this in mind, one of our videos used iMovie as the main editing program since it allowed a much more user-friendly interface as it doesn’t possess the intense technical abilities like other programs such as Adobe Premiere. With a smaller project such as this, the editing program didn’t require such complicated tools, so we stuck to the more familiar and amateur friendly, iMovie.

One aspect of the editing process that took us by surprise was how effective clipping and trimming some of the footage made the project. Most of the video is an interview style setting. In these takes though, some of the dialogue and pauses went on for too long. After seeing the takes in order in full, we knew that we needed to trim. After beginning the trimming process we started seeing a clearer and more refined product. In the end, it created a more streamlined and entertaining piece.

In video production services, the editing process has proven itself to our interns as a dominant influence in the success of any video project. It is easy to assume that the main work and creative vision happens on the shoot day, as we quickly learned, this is not true at all. The work and creativity begins at collaboration and strategizing and continues all the way into the editing process.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in Boston video production. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140

Our 3 Favorites for Quality Sound

As a Boston Video production company, we get that video primarily relies on visuals. But what sets video apart is the ability to accommodate to a numerous amount of senses at the same time. With video and with the human species, the second most relied on sense is hearing. This is why audio for any video or shoot needs to be closely tended to. With a number of years in the video production services business we have come to know and love a few of the audio pieces that we utilize. One of the most used sound pieces for our shoots are mics or sound recorders. Whether you’re in the market for a new set or are doing your research about what kind of mic/recorder you need for the job, here is a list of a few of our favorites for the different situations that require different sound options.

1. Sennheiser 112-pG3

Sennheiser is a trusted brand for us and these models are a constant go to when it comes to interviews and situations that need lavaliers. They easily clip on and adjust according to the environment while recording industry standard sound.

2. Rode Video Mic Pro

This may not be our go-to for classic interviews with little background noise, but when it comes to recording high-quality sound amongst a busy environment these are a winner. The shotgun style mic on these are dominant in their ability to zero in on the targeted source and neglect any surrounding noises. They also are a bit more budget friendly.

3. Zoom H4n

This option is a bit more versatile and less specialized. It may not be as high-quality as a Rode, but the Zoom H4n produces incredible sound for a fantastic price. This recorder is also nice for a selection of different environments which makes it a better option for someone who wants quality sound for a number of different settings.

These are three of the trusted brands and models we have come to love in our experiences with Boston video production. For professional video production services, professional cameras and sound recorders are crucial. These specific sound recorders have proven their worth on our many different shoots and kept up with the ever-changing demands.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in Boston video production. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Different Types of Audio Equipment

While every video shoot is different, whether it be an independent project or a shoot that requires a team of videographers, recording sound is still one of the most important aspects to create a successful video. Whether it is a how-to, corporate, or entertainment video, there is an overwhelming amount of technology to choose from. Audio equipment is designed for recording, mixing, and reproducing sound, but the most important device on a video shoot is a microphone, which is solely responsible for picking up sound at an appropriate decibel, so that the footage is able to be heard and edited successfully. The most popular microphones are as follows:

Built-In Microphones

As the name implies, built in microphones are found in the camera. While there is a wide range of cameras to choose from, chances are that this type of microphone will be too far away from your subject, and the sound will not record as well as it could with a separate piece of audio equipment. Instead, this microphone will pick up every sound that occurs between your subject and the camera’s placement, which might be useful for ambience. This is why audio equipment, apart from the camera itself, is so important. In order for the video to resonate with the audience, they need to be able to hear it.

Lavalier Microphones

Perhaps the most useful for professional corporate videos, and most used by news anchors and interviewees, lavalier mics are small, portable microphones that can be attached to a person’s clothing, allowing them to speak and be heard clearly. When using this type of microphone, it is important to have a windscreen to protect against any frequency. Clothing is the most commonly used protection, but the subject may also use their body to deflect the wind or any background noise.

Ken, boom mic operator

Shotgun Microphones

The most common piece of audio equipment, that can be found on almost any set, is the shotgun microphone. It is not attached to the camera or the subject, but operated by a boom operator. Due to its shape, and its directionality, shotgun microphones are able to pick up very specific sounds, ones that happen right in front of the blimp (the cage covered in fur, meant to mask any wind). This type of microphone is most effective on the sets of interviews, but are versatile enough to be used anywhere. The sound has to be constantly monitored in order to keep up with the ranging frequencies.

Handheld Microphones

Handheld microphones, for the most part, are used by news anchors, infomercials, or any talent lecturing or performing on stage. These microphones can also be used to pick up surrounding sounds in order to create ambience. Rarely, during an interview, if a lavaliler mic is not available, a handheld microphone can be placed out of frame. This is an innovative, successful way to pick up sound.

Skillman Video Group LLC specializes in video production Boston. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.

Separate Audio and Video

This past week the Skillman Video Group interns, Jason and Chloe, created their own Boston marketing videos from the ground up. This included everything from scripting to shooting, and they used advanced Boston videographer and audio recording equipment. Let’s break down working on a video production set with separate audio and video equipment. This is often the case for high-end Boston video production shoots, and is a vital skill for entering the Boston video company industry. Here are 5 tips for running separate audio and video feeds.

Learn to control the boom mic.
Ken, SVG boom mic operator

There is a running joke in the film industry about boom mics falling into frame (especially in older films), but this is because boom mic operators fight for every inch of proximity to the source of a sound. The audio operator must constantly coordinate with the director of photography to know the frame boundaries and where to safely place the microphone.
Always use a slate or simulated slate for organizational purposes. This will prove vital for post video production services. Essentially, you need to have the number of the scene, shot letter, the number of the take, and a snapping sound. You can also just clap with your hands in front of the camera. Be sure to clearly enunciate a term or word for each shot letter. For example: If the scene is marked as 1AT2, say “one alpha take two” before closing the slate.
Map out where the camera operator and audio operator should be at all times. If the camera has to move then the audio operator needs to be ready. This will prevent the boom mic (and operator) from being in the frame, casting a shadow, etc., especially for camera whips and pans.
Always keep an eye on wiring throughout the set. The audio equipment will add its own flurry of cables and cords, so keep these into account to ensure safety for everyone involved. A loose cable can lead to a falling injury, a fire, or worse for a video production company.
Audio levels must be monitored constantly. The last thing an editing team wants is to start working on footage that is accompanied by sub-par audio. This includes audio that is both too quiet and audio that keeps clipping on loud voices. Check in with the director of photography and the director to ensure satisfaction.

Skillman Videography Group LLC specializes in Boston video production. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.