Poll Typical Cost of a Microphone for a Fan Film?

[Matthew Raymond]

I'm trying to compile recommendations for fan film makers regarding what microphones they should use, but I'm finding it difficult to anticipate exactly how much a project is willing to spend on sound. Obviously, some productions are willing to spend significant amounts of money on equipment, while others will do everything as cheaply as they can get away with, but I don't want to have to make a dozen separate recommendations based on different budgets, so I though I'd ask around. How much do you think an average fan film production would pay for a mic? And just tom make this more interesting, how much do you thing they should expect to pay for a mic?

 

[Maurice]

You're almost never going to get a quality mic for under ~$120 USD (unless something is on clearance). Sound is where most fanfilms fall down and the one place they ought to spend more. Sound trumps picture.

 

[Matthew Raymond]

Honestly, I don't thing there are a lot of good mics under $169, at least not where booming is concerned. Mics under that price tend to have a high noise floor, among under potential problems. You might get lucky on the used market, but most mics in that retail price range are going to be similar in quality to the Vidpro XM-55 or the LyxPro SDPC-2. Your options open up a bit once you get above $200.

 

[publiusr]

And never do a “mic drop”

It breaks the crystal