As writers and filmmakers, we have to assume that one day soon everything we write will appear on some sort of Internet-connected device.
One of the hottest consumer electronics categories at the 2010 Computer Electronics Show were third generation e-book platforms with large, easy to read, color screens, Internet access, interactive graphics, video playback capability, and magazine-style layouts. The future is here!
For writers, this is probably going to mean increased demands that we illustrate our works with video as well as stills. Unfortunately, for all of us, video is still harder than it should be. One of the hardest things to get right on video is sound. This article shows a few simple things you can do to get better sound in your videos and films.
A large percentage of the videos that will accompany or make up your work will probably be recorded ‘on location’ in the real world. The three most common problems with ‘location sound’ are: sound being too low, unwanted background noise, and reverberation (echoes).
Before the shoot, “scout” the location to find and possibly fix these sound problems. When you scout a location, try to do it at the same time of day that you plan to shoot, because some noise problems occur only at a certain time of day. Like the club next door that plays loud music from 10PM to 2AM, or jet planes that fly overhead in late afternoon.
As you walk around the location and listen to the sound, look for sources of noise. Use your camcorder--and the microphone you intend to use--to record some sample sound.
Play the recording back, and listen to it with a good pair of headphones like Sony MDR-7506’s.
Studio headphones make it easier to focus on the sound because they cover your ears completely.
Don’t panic if at first the background noise and hiss seems to sound loud in the headphones. You may be hearing the “headphone effect.” When the source of the sound (the headphone speakers) is physically close to your eardrums, background noise tends to seem louder than it really is.
When you play the same recording back on a stereo or a television, the background noise and hiss may not be noticeable.
