April 2018… Host, videographer, producer, editor, and director Nicki Sun is equally capable behind and in front of the camera. Sun has produced television shows and other content for Myx TV, Verizon, Chef Martin Yan, and Google, as well as Valley Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge, where she manages digital and new media. She also produces and hosts Now You Know, an online talk show where she interviews aspiring and inspiring freelance creative artists, musicians, and assorted entertainers and entrepreneurs. On top of all that, Sun acts in TV commercials, hosts events, and has earned a reputation as an emerging leader in new media.
“A lot of the the challenges I face as an interviewer have to do with audio and video,” Sun professes. “I’m 5 foot 3, 115 pounds, so in terms of my gear setup, it’s about having everything as light as possible. For audio, I use the TASCAM DR-10L because it’s the tiniest lavalier system I’ve ever worked with. I can bring it anywhere. I have three of them, and I usually have two on me. I put one on whoever I interview, I put one on me, and then I edit it in post, and it turns out beautifully. The DR-10Ls are my favorite.”
Ideal for location recording, the TASCAM DR-10L is an ultra-compact digital recorder/lavalier microphone combo. For added flexibility, the included wired lavalier microphone is affixed with a 1/8-inch, screw-down lock connector that’s compatible with most Sennheiser lavalier mics and other mics with the same connector. It’s a far better choice for Sun than her previous rig.
“When I first started doing interviews, I used a handheld mic that I plugged into a giant SLR system,” Sun recalls. “I don’t have giant pockets, and I don’t think fanny packs are really that cool or in style, so being able to have all of the audio on me is super important. The DR-10L has really helped my process and flow. I love that I don’t have to be part of a wired system, and I can wear the DR-10L and leave it turned on because the battery lasts for 10 hours or more, so I don’t have to worry about the battery running out.”
In her daily work at Valley Performing Arts Center, Sun handles everything from producing video advertisements to social media, playing videos, and more. But she also travels to do interviews, host events, and act in TV commercials. For example, this April, she is emcee’ing at the huge National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) show in Las Vegas. You can bet she’ll have her TASCAM DR-10Ls along because it’s so easy. “With the DR-10L, I can always bring my recording system with me,” she enthuses. “The DR-10L is a portable, travel sized, very travel-friendly audio buddy in your back pocket. It has made my workflow so much easier as an interviewer and host. It’s really exciting to see the new opportunities and options I have now.”
