The Role of Sound in Video Production

Crafting an outstanding video is like constructing a house – it requires a perfect mix of all the necessary components. While visuals obviously play a key role, never forget that sound (audio) is equally critical in ensuring that your videos have the intended impact. Whether you’re incorporating music, dialogue, or sound effects, the quality of the sound can entirely transform your work and provide an immersive experience for your audience. Today we’ll delve into the basics of sound: how it’s used in video production, the best ways to record it and what to do once you have all the pieces. If you’re ready to add another layer of finesse to your video production skills, let’s dive in!

3 Categories of Sound for Film and Video Production

There are three categories of sound that work together in your video projects: dialogue, sound effects, and music. Dialogue is the spoken words of the characters, conveying their thoughts and actions. The sound effects are the noises of the world around the characters, from footsteps to slamming doors. And music is the score that helps to emphasize moments of tension or emotions in the story. Together, these categories of sound create a multi-dimensional audio experience, enhancing the visual storytelling and immersing the audience into the world of your video or film.

Dialogue

Dialogue is what your actors or subjects are saying on camera, whether it’s scripted, improvised or picked up in a natural setting (such as in a documentary). Poorly recorded dialogue can leave the audience disengaged and make your production seem amateurish. It’s essential to have high-quality audio that complements the visual elements, maintaining a balance with the other sounds. Making sure you’re recording on high quality equipment, working in a quiet space and mixing your sound well in post-production is incredibly important for your video production.

Sound Effects

Sound effects are the non-dialogue sounds in your scene and can be used to create a sense of realism and add depth to the visual content. Sound effects help to provide context and convey emotion in a way that visuals alone cannot. From the sound of a ticking clock to a car honking in the distance, each sound effect serves a purpose in creating a complete audio-visual experience.

Sound FX and Foley FX

You can add these sounds to your video a couple of different ways. Sound FX are typically pre-existing sounds that are recorded and used to enhance the scene. Think explosions, car engines, or animal noises. Foley, on the other hand, is the art of creating sound effects using everyday objects. This can include footsteps, clothing rustling, or even the sound of someone picking up a glass. It’s all about making sure the sounds match the actions on screen, and helps to bring the world to life in a way that keeps the audience engaged from start to finish.

Music

Music is a key component in video production that sets the mood and tone for the entire piece. It has the power to evoke emotions, heighten tension, and create a sense of urgency. Choosing the perfect soundtrack is crucial to conveying the intended message and making a lasting impact on the audience. With a vast variety of genres to choose from, whether it be classical, jazz, or pop, the possibilities are endless. Licensing music for your video or film is a commonly used option as is creating an original score.

Diegetic Sound vs. Non-Diegetic Sounds

Diegetic sound and non-diegetic sound are two types of sound that serve different purposes. While both types of sound can add to the overall impact of the film, the choice between diegetic and non-diegetic sound depends on the director’s vision and the effect they want to achieve.

Diegetic Sound

Diegetic sound refers to the sound that originates from the world within the film, such as dialogue, sound effects, and music that characters can hear, i.e. on the radio or performed live in the scene.

Non- Diegetic Sound

Non-diegetic sound, on the other hand, is the sound that comes from outside the world within the film, such as background score or narration.

Recording Audio and Using Equipment

So how do you get the best quality sound recording for your video production? The easiest way to accomplish this is (a) have great equipment (b) positioned correctly (c) in a quiet location.

Microphones

Usually you don’t want to use your camera’s built in microphone for your main audio recording. If your camera has a mic-jack you can plug in an external microphone to use as handheld or boom or you can record your audio separately on an audio recording device. Either way you need to make sure your audio is crystal clear. There’s nothing worse than realizing after a long shoot that the sound quality is unusable. This is where having the right microphone comes into play. Microphones designed specifically for video production offer a range of benefits, including directional sensitivity, noise reduction, and the ability to capture high-quality audio at a distance.

Boom Mics

With its long, adjustable arm, a boom mic can be easily positioned to pick up clear audio from the correct source, while simultaneously keeping unwanted background noise to a minimum. Whether you’re filming an interview, a live event, or even a feature film, a boom mic is an essential part of any professional video production kit.

Lavalier Mics

This small, unobtrusive mic can make a big difference in the overall quality of your video production. Lavalier mics are perfect for capturing crisp, clear audio in a variety of settings, ranging from interviews to live events. By attaching the mic to your subject’s clothing, you can capture their dialogue without picking up distracting background noise.

Dual System Audio

By recording audio separately from the video, the sound can be properly mixed and edited in post-production, resulting in a much higher quality final product. This technique allows for greater control over the audio levels, clarity of the voices, and the ability to add effects and music seamlessly. A handheld Zoom recorder is a popular addition to video production tools.

Ambient Noise and Room Tone

Don’t forget to record room tone for all your scenes. Essentially, it’s the sound that the room makes when it’s completely silent, without anyone speaking or moving. This may seem like a small detail, but it can make a huge difference in the final product. Room tone provides a consistent background sound that can be used to smooth out transitions between different audio clips, or to fill empty gaps where there’s no dialogue. Taking the time to capture high-quality room tone may be a little extra work, but it’s well worth it for the polished, professional outcome it can help to achieve.

Quick tips for your audio recording

Here are some additional quick tips for recording audio that will elevate your video production:

1) Before recording the real thing, check your audio quality. Make sure everything is working correctly and you aren’t going to walk away with awful sound.

2) Record in a quiet environment to prevent unwanted background noise. This may take some pre-production scouting. That park may look great but if it’s next to an active construction site, you may want to find another location.

3) Monitor audio levels throughout your shoot to ensure that sound is not too soft or too loud.

4) Use wind protection if recording outside to prevent wind noise.

By implementing these tips, you can ensure that your audio is of professional quality and enhances the overall production value of your videos.

Voice Over

Recording a great voice-over for your video production can be a challenge, but you don’t necessarily need a full audio recording studio to get great sound. First, choose a quiet and controlled environment to record in. A room with minimal background noise and echo is ideal to ensure clear and crisp audio. Second, invest in a quality microphone that is specifically designed for voice-overs. This will ensure that your talent’s voice comes through clear and isn’t muffled or distorted. Third, take several test recordings before the final take to adjust the sound levels, timing, and pace of speech. Recording a voice-over takes practice, patience, and attention to detail, but with the right setup and equipment, you can produce a great recording that enhances the overall quality of your video.

Above image by Ernst Vikne with licensing agreement: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sound_mixing_(3732910476).jpg

Mixing your sound

Sound mixing is a crucial aspect of video production that often goes unnoticed. It involves seamlessly blending dialogue, music, sound effects, and ambient noise to create a final product that captivates viewers. Without proper sound mixing, the audience may struggle to hear important dialogue or be distracted by jarring sound transitions. A skilled sound mixer knows how to balance and shape the various audio elements to create a cohesive and immersive experience. When done correctly, sound mixing can elevate a video production from good to great, and make all the difference in how the viewer experiences your project.

Boost your film and video production with A+ sound

Remember, the audio elements in video production are equally as significant as the visuals. Recording your sound at the highest quality and expertly mixing it into your final product will elevate your video production to a new level. Finally, choosing the perfect music and sound effects will add stylistic details and the finishing touch your project needs to shine.

If you require assistance in managing the sound for your next project, our team of skilled professionals is available to help. Get in touch with us today to bring your vision to life and let your video project shine through in all its glory!

Top photo by badpoet99 with licensing agreement: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:T-Mobile_Pic.jpg