Avid Pro Audio Community

Hi guys,
My first post Just wanted to see if anyone had any advice for sound design and soundtrack stuff - Ive just picked up two short film jobs for some young filmakers. Both want sound design stuff - and some overdubbing of some sounds - eg truck engines, fishing line noises - which im planning to go and sample with a recorder. At the moment i have an old sony mini disk player and a stereo condensor - but that is annoying because the mini disc spins and you hear it on the mic - planning to get one of those hand held ones. Any suggestions? I hear the zoom H4 digital recorder is cool.

I have only done one film, last year and it was all done in ableton live 6 at home and then mixed down to wavs and imported into pro tools in a surround sound production house.

I don't have dv tool kit which i should be able to get away with for these films. yeah?

Just seeing if anyone has any advice on things i should consider when compiling overdubbed samples with foley and sound from the shoot day in Pro Tools - im thinking there would be some notice if the ambience of the overdubbed mic sounds different to the mic on the set (hiss....) I was thinking that if the sound recordist recorded ambient noise in each room they are filming it in so then i could mix it in with the overdubbed sounds to make them seem believable - is this too pedantic?

Im definately going to recommend that they get the final mix done by a professional enginneer as Im not knowledgable with the stuff and if that is organised then i will liase with the studio on how they need the files delivered. I am also thinking i might try doing some work experience in some of these studios.

Any way, any advice would be awesome
cheers