Audio for Video

When you're looking for a recording location, consider whether it is quiet, with no outside sounds or echos. Avoid locations with heavy traffic, loud air conditioners, or other people talking.

So in the same way there are pros and cons to location, there are similar considerations for sound. Ultimately it all comes down to control. You have very little control over sound outside. Recording sound is much easier inside than outside.

Take a couple of seconds and listen to your environment. If you're indoors, you might hear the hum of the air conditioner or the whir of a computer. If you're outdoors, you might hear the sound of traffic or a bird chirping. The sounds that exist in an environment can be thought of as the location sound.

Remember, silence is never actually silent. Cutting out the sound completely can be very jarring. Often editors will try to cover these gaps in the audio with music, but adding the location sound will make these transitions even more effective.

Many people do not position their microphones correctly to get the best audio. Microphone placement can be more important even than the type of microphone you have! In general, you want the microphone to be as close as possible to the person talking. Most people position the microphone way too far away.

Position the microphone 2 - 6 inches away from the person talking. This is difficult when the microphone is attached to the camera, which is why we recommend a lapel mic or an external headset. See the equipment section for more information about how to borrow a microphone from the library.