So many people focus on the visuals, making sure the framing and lighting is just right. While that is obviously crucial, a video is still nothing without great audio. Think about it. As an example, have you ever tried watching a scary movie with the sound off? It’s not scary. It’s actually pretty funny.

Audio is just as important as the visual components of a video. People are more likely to have a greater reaction to a video with immaculate audio. This holds particularly true nowadays when people are interacting with any number of different screens and are much more likely to lose attention almost immediately. If they end up just listening to your video in the background of things, do you not think they would immediately pick up on an irregularity or disturbance in the audio? Face the truth – bad audio can ruin a video.

Here are a few microphone reminders to keep in mind to make sure that your audio is on the same level as your visuals.

First off, you must understand the options around you. Do you use a wireless or wired lavaliere microphone? Or a boom? Or both? Does it use phantom power? Does the room you’re in contain a lot of soft things that will absorb the echo, such as couches or curtains? Or is it all hard surfaces for the sound to bounce off of? And how will the action visually affect the placement of the audio equipment?

All this and more must be considered right off the bat. It’s a fairly simple checklist to go through but one that needs to be planned out nonetheless.

For Skillman Video Group’s recent Medical Training Video, both a wireless lavaliere and a boom were used. It was really more for safety than anything else. It just so happened that the wireless microphone started giving off a lot of static by the end. Because of this, a wired lavaliere needed to be brought in for the rest of the shoot. This leads into the reminder: ALWAYS BRING BACK-UP AUDIO EQUIPMENT. This includes extra batteries, XLR cables, and microphones. You never know what can happen on set, and it’s always better to expect the unexpected rather than be stuck without working audio. If that happens, it’s a wrap for the day and the rest of the shoot must be scrapped until the audio is up and working again.

Another thing: ALWAYS RECORD ROOM TONE. Room tone is greatly beneficial and a huge time-saver in post-production, if done correctly. For just thirty seconds at some point during the shoot, have everyone stay quiet and record the natural sounds of the room. Placing it under the overall audio production avoids pointing out any audio cuts or problems.

While this may seem obvious, you also need to MAKE SURE YOU ARE POINTING THE MICROPHONES TOWARDS THE TALENT. When using lavaliere microphones, sometimes the microphone input is only on one side – so keep in mind that that side needs to face towards the talent. Also, when using a lavaliere microphone, even though you probably want to hide it from the camera, make sure it is not pressed against a shirt or hair or else you will hear ruffling from that constant friction in the recording.

Another important factor is PROPERLY PLACING THE MICROPHONE ON THE TALENT. When putting a microphone on them, make sure to first introduce yourself. Shake their hand, smile, and explain what you are about to do. You want to make sure they’re comfortable. For their comfort, you may end up asking them to snake the microphone under their shirts themselves if need be.   Just keep in mind that they deserve respect and need to trust you in order for you to get the best audio from your micing job.

Also, TEST YOUR AUDIO. Before recording, have all the audio tested. Have your talent count out loud at the level in which they will be speaking during the video so you have the proper levels and know that the audio is coming through properly. Double-checking before you start can save you a lot of time and headaches.

Always keep the audio on your radar. Always check your levels and make sure that everything is actually recording. Really listen to know that everything is sounding good. And – one more friendly reminder – make sure there is an SD card or something that will actually be recording the information in your camera or audio equipment in the first place. Nothing is worse than going home, trying to download your work for the day and finding nothing there.

Skillman Video Group LLC is a Boston video production company. Call us anytime at 1-800-784-0140.