I'm doing production audio for a short film and I need help!!!

[Jusep]

I'm doing the audio for this short (20m) film. It's all very improvisational with non-actors playing themselves etc etc etc. They are shooting it on an DSLR camera, that doesn't have any type of audio input. I mostly do music and post sound work and most of my equipment is as such. However I do have a k tek boom pole, Sennheiser MKH-60 mic, and an old Shure FP-31 field mixer. The one thing I don't have is a pro recorder. I won't be able to use timecode and sync with the camera so the post sound editor will have his work cut out for him. However I'll do the best with the tools I have available and properly slate and at least clap for some type of sync point.

The film has essentially no budget and trust me I know all of the areas for disaster. I am doing this project because the crew essentially has no alternative. I have suggested for them to use Cragislist or something to find someone with all the proper gear but they seem adamant that they just want me to wing it.

My question is this:

I have a Sony PCM-D50 field recorder that has a mic / line level (in) stereo mini jack. Is it criminal to just go from the tape out (3.5mm mini) of the Shure mixer into the mini jack of the PCM-d50 to record ? Would there be any benefit to buy a XLRF to stereo mini cable ? Would there be less noise, or the same considering the final cable will still be a 3.5mm mini jack?

any advice ?

thanks!!!

[geroyannis]

If the cable isn't too long you'll be fine with the mini jack.