RED Audio Part 2: The Right Equipment

Even though the RED can record audio you should also run a audio recorder as well and have a proper double system work flow set up.  Many productions will tell you it isn’t needed or don’t want to pay for the recorder, smart slate and SBT sync boxes to do this but it is a must. Here is the work flow I always use on a RED Production:

Work flow :

Sound Devices 442 4 Channel Mixer

Sound Devices 744T set to Free Run TOD (Time of Day)

Denecke Time code Slate

Denecke SBT Lockit Sync Box for each camera

Remote Audio RED Fan Tail (This tail allows me to use all of my existing breakaway snake cables)

I do my mix to up to 3 camera from my 442 and record my pre fader isos to my 744T

I jam my slate and my SBT boxes to keep everything in sync. Ideally we slate before every shot like a film shoot as a back up to the SBT boxes. But if I cannot slate before every shot the SBT boxes will keep the camera and audio in sync.

The RED will not hold a jam without a SBT it will drift like crazy.

Time code Settings:

Most Red projects are shot at 23.976 so you want your recorder to be set to 23.976 as well as your Slate and SBT boxes. Sometimes post request 29.97NDF which will also work. But I try to keep it simple and standardize to the same time code as the camera. A quick call to post before a project is always a good idea I tell them my work flow and then we agree on what to do.

Other RED time code options that are sometimes used are 24 & 24p which are bad work flow choices you should ALWAYS double check with Post that this is what they want. If they indeed want to do a 24 or 24P work flow you need to record your audio at 30NDF. IF they request 24 for the audio frame rate get it in writing.

Always communicate with post production and get them to email you what they want so you have proof if something goes wrong later as you were just following orders.

In Part 3 I will talk about mixing to the RED