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AUDIO-TECHNICA MICROPHONES ARE THE CHOICE FOR
VASST’S MISSION TO EDUCATE THE WORLD’S MEDIA MAKERS— Acclaimed instructional DVD maker and musician Douglas Spotted Eagle
relies on A-T microphones for his range of instructional DVDs —
NAB CONVENTION, LAS VEGAS, NV, April 18, 2005 — Founded by Grammy®- and Emmy®-winning composer and producer Douglas Spotted Eagle, Sundance Media Group is a multifaceted creative endeavor nestled in the breathtakingly scenic mountains of Utah. One of the company’s divisions is VASST (Video, Audio, Surround, Streaming Training), which uses advanced technology to teach technology. Under the guidance of Spotted Eagle — whose work in filmmaking and with Native American music has also earned him DuPont, Peabody and Telly Awards — VASST utilizes DVDs to teach videographers the essentials of audio-for-picture. Microphones and wireless systems from Audio-Technica are a crucial and integral part of what VASST is accomplishing.In an era when a single person now has access to more media technology than an entire television or recording studio of a half-century ago, VASST provides the critical knowledge necessary to be able to leverage that technology into creative and useful applications. “The key is clear communication of ideas and concepts,” Spotted Eagle states. “Audio-Technica gives us the ultimate tools to do just that.” The AT899 is excellent on trainers’ voice-overs, says Spotted Eagle: “Unlike a lot of omni lavaliers, it has a nice bottom end to its sound.” Another favorite is the AT4053, which he calls “best general-purpose microphone around — it can be used like a shotgun on a boom or you can replace the hypercardioid capsule with an omni or uni. It’s really a three-point microphone and it sounds better than some costing three times as much money.”
“Douglas has been using Audio-Technica microphones and systems on this project for three years, teaching videographers the important skills needed to make their sound as good as their picture,” explains Steve Savanyu, Market Manager, Installed Sound, Broadcast and Theater for Audio-Technica, and a former video editor himself. “We’re proud to be a sponsor of what he’s doing, because media technology is only as good as the people using it. What Douglas is doing makes them better communicators, and the world benefits from that.”
VASST’s instruction makes use of a wide array of key A-T products, including the U100 camera-mounted wireless microphone system, AT897 short shotgun mic, AT899 0.5 mm subminiature omni lavalier mic, AT3060 phantom powered large-diaphragm tube condenser mic, and an assortment of Artist Elite® microphones. “Douglas uses our products to illustrate all of the possible audio-related situations that videographers find themselves in,” Savanyu explains. “For instance, he shows how to use a shotgun microphone in the wind, keeping your back to the wind to minimize noise.”
Spotted Eagle also likes the efficiency that A-T microphones bring to his commercial projects. “By sticking with one manufacturer, we get incredible consistency to the sound from one shot to the next,” he notes. “That also translates into less work in post production, because we got better sound right from the start.”
Finally, Spotted Eagle remains a dedicated recording artist, and he credits A-T microphones with playing a key role in that part of his career, as well. “I’ve used A-T almost exclusively on records and films for twelve years now,” he confirms. “I started with the AT4053 and have recently moved to the AT3060 tube microphone, which gives my flute a huge, solid tone. A-T has taken me to several Grammys and Emmys. They’re microphones that I’m going to stay with for a long time to come.”
“What Douglas is doing is raising awareness among video users about better audio,” Savanyu states. “In the process, he’s raising the bar of quality for the next generation of videographers.” The latest instructional DVD available from Douglas Spotted Eagle and VASST is Now Hear This: Superior Sound for Digital Video and Beyond. For more information, please visit www.vasst.com.
Photo File: SPOTTEDEAGLE.JPG
Photo Caption: Shown is Douglas Spotted Eagle with his latest instructional DVD available from VASST, Now Hear This: Superior Sound for Digital Video and Beyond. (This photo is property of Sundance Media Group and may be used by the press only for the purpose of one-time reproduction. Unauthorized use or alteration of this image is strictly prohibited.)
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