Windscreen for XL1s in Belgium/Netherlands?

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Sorry to bother the people from Belgium/The Netherlands again, but I again have a question. I don't have the money to pay for a K6/Me66/Ma100 setup, so I'm thinking of a windscreen for the XL1s mic. I know a windscreen completely isn't comparable with such a decent mic setup, but I hope that a decent windscreen can already help to remove a lot of possible wind noise (I will begin shooting next week).

So, DVinfo recommends the EQ XL1 from Lightwave Systems. Problem is, I can't really find it here in Belgium/The Netherlands. I know I could look for Germany, and that's what I'm looking for now, but you see, I don't have many time as my shoot begins next week (I know, muchos muchos to late)

So my question is: does anybody know a store here that has that EQ XL1 in stock? And in case of no, do you know another good windscreen for the standard XL1s mic, that is available in a store nearby?

Thank you very much in advance.

[Rob Lohman]

Hi Mathieu,

The problem is that there aren't too many people here from our
region and even less with the equipment and accessory you are
looking for. However, on their website I found this:

Belgium/Luxemburg - Wolec Electronics

With their e-mail address:

wolecinc@skynet.be

I would shoot them an e-mail, see what they have to say!

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Thank you very much!

Yes the problem really is that if you go for consumer information there is no problem in these regions, but if you go pro, just a little bit, there are soooo less shops that know something about it. I wished B&H could receive international bank transfers, I would already bought many stuff from them, but I know that's easy to say. Thank! I'll shoot ;-)

EDIT: ow just another question, just curious: I did a search but I couldn't find a conclusive answer, but can you leave the windscreen always on the cam? If you use it indoors, does it work reverse ways, and does it make your dialog less comprehensive (don't know if this is the right word :$)?
Or is there no 'danger' in using it indoors as well?

Thanks,

[Rob Lohman]

I have no idea, perhaps that's a good question to ask in our
dedicated audio forum. If you need something from a place like
B&H we can work something out (I have a creditcard), shoot me
an e-mail if you want.

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Thanks, I'll remember that. Now it's too late, because I begin shooting the 3rd of january, but I'll surely remember it if I would need anything.

And I'll drop the question in the audio forum, thanks.

[Rob Lohman]

May I be so bold to ask what kind of thing you are going to shoot
and where? Always interesting to hear about "local" productions!

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Yeah no problem. Euhm, I'm at high school, so it isn't euh a big project. It's my end project for school, and I'm making a long movie, script is 60 pages. It's a kind of dark fairytale and I want the visuals of a film noir. I can't tell a lot about it because the story is based a lot on mystery, so I can't tell without telling some of the plot.

It's now vacation (for us, low students ;-)) and I'll be shooting from 3 untill 7 january in Durbuy, in Wallonië. For the exteriors, I want something timeless, and looking old.
Then from 7 untill 16 januari (I'll be missing a week of school, but they know about it) I'll film the rest in Belgium.
Problem is offcourse budget. I don't have any exept what I (correction, my parents) put in it, so I have to count on volunteers. I didn't had budget to look for a lightning kit so I'll try with little lamps to get the look. I already realise many of my dream visuals will need more budget and experience, but isn't that always the case ;-)?
I searched for a good audio kit but that also was out of my budget reach, and like I said, the windscreen isn't too easy to find here (I dropped Woltec an email, but I'm waiting for the answer). So I think I'll have to ADR some things.

And to be honest: I still have 9 actors short, 1 lead and 8 important support roles. So I'm stressy :-p Somebody from the Netherlands (but now lives in Belgium) said he could help me, because he had more experience, also with the cam, but I haven't heard anything from him since two weeks or so, I dropped him several emails though.
Actors are even paying for the visit in Durbuy (around 100 euros for 4 days, including eating and drinking) so it isn't very easy to find people if you really don't have budget.

So I could say: if you have experience or tips, please feel free to email me, the adress is sidderke@hotmail.com. I already learned much from reading these boards since 6 months or so, I don't remember. And I'm very thankfull for all the information here provided.

If let someone who isn't soo clumsy as I make a dolly, but I didn't really go superb. But I'll keep trying, and school leant me their wheelchair. So that's good news.
And you may always help me, but I think you also have a job to do, so :-)

Thanks for asking :-)

[Rob Lohman]

Sounds like your typical stressed out (first) movie, hehe. All the
best with that! Did you read my article on DVi?

http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/production/lohman1.php
http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/production/lohman2.php

It's a bit rough, but it goes on to talk about how important
planning and pre-production really is (IT IS!).

Unfortunately I've just had two weeks of vacation from work and
my work starts again at January the 3rd. So there's nothing I can
do to help you out. I have however sent my friend in belgium an
e-mail, perhaps he or people he knows have some time. We'll see.

Anyways, have a great shoot and make sure to remember it is
all a learning and fun experience!

p.s. if you are wondering, I just turned 27...

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Yeah, I was wondering actually because I saw your photograph and you looked young, on the site.
Well, it's not my first movie, I already did a little short when I was 15, and the my last one was last year, when I was 16, and that was a half hour long. With many bad points, but I'm proud of it, and the teacher thought it was very good, and I got good reviews from people so.
This project is way too crazy to take as first film :-D

Thanks very much for trying helping.
PS: I read your articles yesterday or the day before once quick. Why is it all so recognizable ;-)

ps: is your movie somewhere where I can see it?
bye**

[Rob Lohman]

Not that movie (since it still isn't finished, haha). But, my second
movie from our Lady X global series can be seen on the Lady X
site:

http://www.ladyxfilms.com/theater/e14/episode_14.shtml
(requires QuickTime 5 or 6 to play)

It came out nice given the time I had (I was also a co-executive
producer on the series, so had zero time basically to prepare and
shoot => that's one of the reasons there is no dialogue or much
of a story to speak of).

You can watch the complete series from the site as well:

http://www.ladyxfilms.com/

p.s. that picture was taken 4 years ago at Schiphol (our national
airport) just before flying of to a greek island for vacation

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

Yeah, the Lady X movies I already saw, I saw a lot of them.
I thought visually episode 23 (I think it's that one) was most beautiful, don't remember who directed it. It was also with the XL1S and an old man and a ghost of a woman...

Good luck with the post post post post post production from your first movie, if it would happen once :-D

[Rob Lohman]

That movie was beautiful indeed and was shot on an XL1S. The
guy still gets a lot of responses to the good looks of the episode.

[Rob Lohman]

So Mathieu, how did the shoot go earlier this month?

[Mathieu Ghekiere]

It worked out, some things went better then expected, some didn't . But the shoot isn't over yet. We have to film like, half of the movie still, because problems with some locations and stuff.
I do learned a lot.

Thanks for the interest, I appreciate it a lot :-)

[Rob Lohman]

Heh, sounds like fun! Good luck with the rest, and do show it to us
when its done, mkay? <g>