Afraid of Recording ADR? Don't Be! This Sound Tutorial Will Show You How
You may not like it, but ADR is inevitable. And because it's inevitable, it's a good idea to know exactly what you're doing when the time comes to record it.
No matter how careful you try to be about getting clean audio -- unplugging electronics, hiring a mean, mean AD to scream, "Quiet on set!" -- there will always be a car horn, jet engine, or crew member having a sneezing fit that pollutes your recording. Thankfully, Filmmaker IQ has released a video, the fourth installment in their sound series, in which host John P. Hess walks you through his process of recording and editing ADR, sharing vital audio tips for those who may not know exactly how to approach it. Check it out below.
I suppose the first thing you're going to need is a good microphone. And read my lips: do not be a cheapskate when shopping for one. You can get away with shoddy images most of the time, but bad audio will absolutely destroy your film -- which is actually a good reason to not only buy a good microphone, but to also become as proficient at recording ADR as you possibly can.
Hess uses the RØDE NT-1, but there are plenty of affordable mics and recorders out there that provide good audio, even ones that you can mount to your iPhone like the $200 iXY, or portable recorders like Zoom's H6, H5, or H4n, which I use and highly recommend if your budget is $200 or less. However, take note that when it comes to mics, you tend to get what you pay for, which is why it's wise to start squirreling away some dough for when you're ready to buy something higher end.
If you're unsure of what to buy, there's a discussion going on right now on our boards about this topic, so head on over and tap all of the juicy knowledge of the NFS community.
If you're interested in strengthening your education on sound, we've got our coverage of Filmmaker IQ's series listed below:
- The History of Sound in Cinema
- The Science and Engineering of Sound
- The Fundamentals of Sound in Post Production
Source: Filmmaker IQ