I have a GL2, and it is the most important investment I have ever made. My question is what type of mic is recommended for optimal sound on the camera? THe built in mic is fine, but picks up some noise from the camera.

Should I go and buy the XLR adapter and Mics? If so, what mics should I go and get?


Should I go with a shotgun mic or something that attaches directly to the accessory shoe?

I am looking for optimal sound without needing to redub much. Redubbing outdoor shots can sound so fake. I wanna do them as best I can the first time.

Visit www.billparkermovie.com for some mere samples of what the movie has in store. these are also only loosely based on the movie...the real movie has a real script and a real plot. Tell me what you think, and PLEASE help. Thanks!

I'm probably not the most expert person on this board, but based on what I've read here and on other boards, most people who want really good sound buy Sennheiser mics (sp?). I believe the entry level package is an ME-66 (that also needs a power box and XLR adapter), which can add up to several hundred dollars. Anyone can correct me here, if I'm wrong or misquoting anything.

I couldn't afford that for my GL1, so I bought an Azden shotgun mic for around $60 or so that plugs straight into the mic jack on the camera. It works a little better than the on-camera mic when used on a boom, but the on-camera mic (on the GL1) is better at distances.

As for the site - I watched all three film clips and thought that EYE OF THE THROWER was the better clip - story was a bit better than the other two. Keep shooting and good luck.

Just my opinion on everything!

Mark M
Scooter Productions

Someone had a problem just like yours on this board. They wanted the best solution on how to buy an external mic. It's all exlained in great detail. The post is in the Production section, titled: need some advise on sound recording

Mark, I really truly appreciate your input on the movies, and the help you gave.

Eye of the thrower is about 2 weeks old, and as you can tell, it sort of parodies snatch.

It is also my second work with Premiere.

We have another one to be released titled the ticket...it's kinda a dramedy (drama-comedy) and it's good. I gotta reshoot some things for sound (because of the mic of course) and because we are so used to straight up comedy, that the actors lose composure at any sort of Drama.

Eye of the Thrower was shot in one night, 2 hours, so I understand the problems with it...the looooong cuts where Bill is just talking on the phone, without interesting closeups, and the excessively long running scenes with Timmy Two step Dragone...

The Ticket's gonna be better, for no cut is longer than about 10 sec...and it's kinda supposed to reflect requiem for a dream, of course without the superior Aronofsky cinematography, or the appealing to the senses with closeups and crystal clear detailed audio, but the music is consistent, and the peril in the characters is too. I acted however, and a bud of mine did too....it's not so good...but everyone else is ok...

oh yeh..and timmy two step dragone can't act...lol

the french video was done and edited in a day before the assignment was due on a panasonic VHS-C...that was edited using a $5 Piece of crap tv tuner card. I redubbed my vocals..and that's obvious (I am Pizza Man). MGI videowave...you people are EVIL!

the survivor thing was a "Hey bill, let's go shoot stuff in the woods." thing. I taped him doing stuff...changed the framerate after shooting on my yet crappier panasonic 1988 VHS camera. Another VIdeowave catastrophe.

We're getting more organized now, and we're shooting acually scripted things. We have "The Ticket" a dramedy about 4 boys who find a lottery ticket, and all show paranoia in guarding it for the night (i know, unoriginal...I didn't write the script...but SOME things are original in it I guess).
Also there is a short film coming up called "The genie" (yet to be renamed) and that has to do the typical story of 2 kids discovering a genie in an attic that strangely resembles the boiler room in "Eye of the Thrower" and The basement in "THe ticket." THe comedy is actually pretty clever once it comes down to what the kids wish for.

THen finally, the Magnum Opus: "Bill Parker: The Movie. A full length feature film as described on the website. That script is huge, and is being redone all the time.. we're serious about this one...it's gonna be BIG!

Thanks for the mic advice. I have extra money, so I may just invest in some decent mics and the XLR adapter. Looks like someone's doing some boom work!!! I'm hoping to shoot a movie similar in quality and popularity to the movie shown frequently on the Sundance Channel "A Better Place" a View Askew production (Kevin Smith...Silent Bob...that guy). I look forward to entertaining with a good indy comedy. I feel technical quality is important...so I'm gonna do this the best I can!

oh and thanks screenwriter...your post was A LOT of help!

No problem on the feedback. Of course, take into consideration that I have some of the least experience on this board!

THE TICKET and THE GENIE are good ideas that sound like they could go into some nice directions with interesting pieces of dialogue. The reason I say that is that my next short is based on an unproduced short play that I wrote last year - SEARCHING FOR THE GREAT HORNED OWL - a comedy about three boys (brothers) sent to their room to await their father who is coming in to talk to them. They try to figure out 'what they did' and 'who did what'. I think that dialogue involving kids/children always has a lot of possibilities.

Who is writing your pieces for you? You? A friend? Someone who is interested in becoming a writer? Just curious. A director in England was nice enough to email me back once and tell me that when making short films, the audience will forgive some technical flaws, if the story is excellent. After that, sound and lighting are extremely important (in that order). That's basic advice, but advice that I'm trying to follow.

I think I'm a better writer than a filmmaker (having had several short plays locally produced), but I enjoy trying to put the films together! I can make the typically one-set plays more visual . . . or I'm trying to! My first film is 'ok', but didn't come out exactly like I wanted. I won't make the same mistakes the second time!

Sounds like your having fun with what your doing - so keep at it and try to learn and build from each one. That's what I'm doing!

Mark M
Scooter Productions

Bill Parker is the writer, he's a buddy of mine..he and I have really similar tastes in everything, and I can produce a story of his without him rejecting it. As a team, we can make pretty good films with our creative control.

Its called an owner's manual, read it. I also have the GL2, and I read it's owner's manual. Do you know how to read. Excellent. Good skill to have. I use an Azden SGM-1X with it. It works out just fine. As far as an adaptor (XLR to mini-plug) go with a Shure A96F. Use an XLR cable if you're going to make it a boom mic. Now, let's pull out that owner's manual and "read" it. They make those for a reason. You do know what reading is, don't you. Let's assume so...

what is the crap about the owner's manual? What are you TALKING about?

I have a Gl2 and decided to purchase the Azden SGM-X shotgun microphone. For 130 bucks it will give you the best bang for your buck (in terms of recording audio). It connects to the camera using the mini port. I love it.

Ok Let's pretend I have ...say...about $600 at my disposal for a good mic...what would one suggest?


And why do I need to read my manual?

Get the SGM-1X. It's made by Azden, if you couldn't figure that out. But, since you have $600, buy the SGM-2X. About the owner's manual, you open it, and it talks about the different audio options (voice, windscreen, normal). The built in mic isn't half bad. That's what Canon improved from the GL1. Of course I still recommend an external mic. I do know what I'm talking about.

Yes, but have you gotten your "external mic for optimal sound." Are you just going to sit around here and wait for replies... I'd say "buy the mic." You've gotten several suggestions, now research. I'm sure you've already started that (right...?). Now, go back and read my posts (again). I really don't talk to you in the sense that you are a retard. They actually have good info. In the first one that I posted, I actually tell you about a mic, and an adaptor (XLR to mini plug) that actually matches the impedance of the mic. (Now back to the retard part...) You do know what impedance is, don't you?

I'm giving you the info you want/need, you just may not like the way I present it to you.

I think YOU just simply had to learn to read my posts...

I READ the goddamned owners manual MANY times, and that's how I knew about the XLR adapter (HEY LOOK! I mentioned that in the original post!) But Canon in NO WAY wants to advertise other companies who offer "OPTIMAL SOUND." If I wanted half assed sound, I would have simply not posted anything, and settled with the features of the microphone..

THis is an online community of fellow movie makers. I asked here knowing that someone would most likely know better than I would about this stuff....Sure I could do independent research...but many sites have reviews which are planted ever so cleverly by companies who offer shit products, and want them bought. I trust you guys to help me with advice...not to treat me like a retard. If you talked to me like that in person, I'd have walked away, probably after punching you in the face. There is a certain circle of respect on boards like these, and talking like that is a sign of you breaching it.

Thank you for those who helped me while showing a bit of respect...as for Browncow.....get a goddamned life

I'm tired of people saying stupid shit and just running away. After they get a well deserved hit back from the person they attack, they begin to argue and argue and argue to just prove their instance as being okay and keeping their stupid rep even thought they know it wasn't cool what they said. Who cares about freedom of speech on the net, oh "I have a right to give you the info as a bastard," er, "oh, I can say Bush made 9/11 happen," ect. We all know everyone has the "Right" to be an asshole. And please, I guarentee nobody cares that you can act like assholes and say all these stupid things b/c your on the net. I've done it a few times, and I know it's hard to correct an erronatious moment in front of everyone(it always spreads to argument by the way.)

please just keep it cool with eachother.


Everyone should come on here to ask questions about filmmaking, not to be like "I've got bigger balls than you because I talk the most s*@t here." Allright, nuff said'

No doubt. People need to stop pretending like they are decent film makers and rather start to realize that most everyone on this site is a student and therefor most everyone has "student" work with many mistakes. If it were any different than it wouldn't be called "studentfilms.com" it would be called Hollywood. So...unless you have some thing that is considered a classic, respect what others say and know that you like most here, know very little in the wide scope called motion pictures.

"I don't have time for film school...I'm too busy making movies" lol

Both posts are well said.

There is another topic somewhere about the 'best director', 'best movie', etc. Great topics, but no one agrees on what is the best!

I have my favorite directors, but they have also made movies that I didn't like. That doesn't mean they suck. Just like it doesn't mean the high school student with his HI-8 cam sucks because he made a movie about the history of sucking face in a car!

I may not want to watch that flick, but I certainly respect the fact that they made it. Filmmaking is a hard craft. So is writing, lighting, sound, etc. I respect all who do it.

Some don't.

Mark M
Scooter Productions