3.5mm Stereo to Dual Mono Cable, 6inch 1/8" TRS Male to 2 TS Mono Female Adapter Gold-Plated Connector Audio Y Splitter Cord for Headphone, Speaker

Okay, the guy that posted about audio was right about sound, but he was wrong about starting with a Rode video mic. Get yourself a shotgun that can work just as well on a boom pole as it can on a camera. I recommend the Deity V-mic D3 pro. It’s still 3.5mm input, but you can use it on a boom pole and get great results out of it. You’ll need to find one on eBay, and I recommend getting on that comes with all the accessories especially the shock mount. You should be able to get it for $50-$100. Then, get yourself a Deity Boom Pole, the shortest one is only 185, and you can probably find it for cheaper than that on eBay or Facebook marketplace. It’s the best entry level boom pole on the market. It should be pretty cheap to get an Amazon C-stand and boom pole holder for interview situations. You can also get a slip-on furry wind shield for the shotgun. Mine works great and it was just a cheap one. You also need to get a lavalier. I’ve had good luck with the Deity Pocket Wireless. Same thing, you should be able to get a complete kit for $50-$100 on eBay, but sometimes the white version still shows up on Amazon for $90. Then get yourself one of these 3.5mm splitters. The shotgun plugs in one side and the lavalier plugs in the other, this way you can mix the sound in post properly. A regular splitter you’re stuck with the sound exactly how you record it. If you get the these two Deity mics I’ve recommended, they each have their own volume control, which allows you to get the proper levels on both devices in your camera. A lot of cheap shotguns don’t have a volume knob, which means you can only adjust the level on your camera, which affects the lavaliers volume. But if you really want a lavalier type device that works great and is more versatile, get the Deity PR-2 because it comes with a fabulous lavalier. It records directly to the body pack, so you will have to sync up the sound and video later, but honestly it sounds really really good. Now that you have the right sound equipment to get started with, you need to work on technique. Your boom should always be as close as you can get it, so it’s just barely outside the frame, with the tip of the mic pointing at the actor’s mouth. Mostly boom from above, but also from below or the side when you absolutely need to. For the lavalier, don’t rely on using the little clips, they’re a waste of time and effort. Instead buy yourself this set of undercover stickies and learn how to use them. They’ll sound actually good and keep the lavalier in the right place. Put them on cloth when you can, but if you have to stick them on skin then do it. Here’s a pack of extra stickies that work really well and are cheap. Using the right techniques to get your sound is everything. You don’t necessarily need the best equipment to do a good job with sound, but you must use the right gain staging and mic placement. A shotgun mounted on the camera sounds like crap for dialogue and interviews. Don’t do it.