Good Bassy Movie Dialogue On A Budget - kit-list and link?

[Peter Dunphy]

Hi Guys

If you can offer any suggestions on the following I'd really appreciate it.

For my planned independent 'no budget' production ($1600 will hopefully be made available for audio equipment - not much I know! Could perhaps be stretched an additional $1000 if absolutely essential based on the suggestions you would be kind enough to offer me) I would like to pull out all the stops to achieve good strong bassy dialogue you would hear in a proper movie.

I will be using an inexperienced but enthusiastic sound guy who can put in the hours - I have a keen ear for sound recording (I use a Sennheiser G2 wireless kit to record 2 wireless sound inputs into my Canon XHA1 for corporate videos) so I will oversee his sound recording while I work (I am directing and operating the camera). I'll keep an ear out for any unwanted noises that could be picked up, and check out my locations in advance for this also. I will also use my wireless mics to record into the XHA1 as backup.

I know it's highly risky using an inexperienced sound guy, but I'm far more relaxed about using the person I have in mind and continuously overseeing the sound recording myself than hiring in a professional or requesting a professional to work free of charge. As it will be my first feature film (or 'video') I really don't want to have to depend on anyone apart from the actors and my producer and myself! :o)

I will plan my shots so that most dialogue is delivered in static M.S. - M.C.U. to ensure my boom microphone is as close to the actor as possible, literally hovering just over their heads, taking no risks with possibly recording more ambient noise than the actor's voice!

From what I've gathered on these forums, an external sound recorder and a mixer (with limiter) are musts.

Can you suggest any robust sound-kit items that could act as my one-stop solution to recording audio with that strong bassy clear movie quality?

So far I'm thinking:

Portable Recorder(Edirol perhaps?)

Mixer

Boom Pole

Ideally one excellent microphone for the boom that can be used in any environment to record dialogue of one actor at a time - ideally if I wanted to record sound outside I would only have to put a wind cover on it. This microphone will always be hovering just above the static actor's head who is delivering the line. I'll ensure there are no scenes where I have to follow the actor walking while talking - I've noticed from my work on short films that this increases the risk of shuffling and creaks being picked up. I want to play as safe as possible.

I would love to be able to click on a link to a clip from an independent movie and then read the sound-kit list you have used to record the audio on set. Are you aware of any examples of sound-kit and related movie clip links I could check out please (even mp3 files I could listen to, to see how well your sound-kit has recorded dialogue)? I tried a few links to sound dvinfo forum users had recorded but the links I found were unfortunately from 2005 and had since expired.

Target audience for the movie will be film festivals, so the dialogue will need to be clear and strong enough so as to sound good coming out of high quality digital speakers!

Again, any suggestions would be really appreciated - and best of luck with your own ventures.

Peter