Time to become audio expert: quick essential tips from the filming industry

Looking for some videography tips for beginners? Let’s talk about audio. Whether you’re doing real estate videography, event videography or promotional video production, audio really matters. If you get this one thing wrong, the whole project could fail. In this article, we’re taking a look at some of the best audio tips from the industry.

It sounds obvious but you’d be surprised by how many people still opt to use the in-built microphone on their camera. If you really want to create a high quality video that pleases your clients and audience, you need to use a dedicated microphone . It’s essential videography equipment for beginners. Of course, there are different microphones for different scenarios.

For example, some will capture sound all around, while others, like the JOBY Wavo PRO shotgun mic, are designed to capture sound primarily from the direction in which the microphone is pointed. If you’re doing interviews or have subjects moving around a lot in frame, you may also want to consider lavalier mics which are designed to capture voice while clipped to your clothing. 

On the topic of capturing voice, you want to try and get as close to your subject as possible without infringing on the frame. If you’re using a lavalier mic like the JOBY Wavo Lav PRO then you’re already going to achieve great results. With other mics, you may want to consider using a boom pole to position the microphone as close as possible without being in shot. This one is a bit of trial and error that you’ll get better at as you practice.

As you film, particularly for event videography, cinematic sequences or any promotional video production, you’ll want to be able to monitor your audio in real time. If you’re capturing an event all day for 8 hours, you can’t rely on your audio to be exactly how you want at all times. You need to use a quality pair of headphones (ideally noise cancelling) to monitor it at all times and make any adjustments necessary. There’s nothing worse than getting back home just to find that halfway through, your audio started clipping or worse, cut out altogether.

Those headphones will come in useful for all kinds of reasons. It goes without saying, but you cannot afford to have your audio clip. “Clipping” is basically waveform distortion. In other words, the amplifier in your microphone is overdriven and attempts to deliver an output voltage or current beyond its maximum capability…resulting in a “clipping” sound that’s incredibly annoying and unprofessional. Depending on your camera, you can automatically opt in to avoid audio clipping, as well as changing your microphone’s settings to suit the location you’re filming in.

This one often gets forgotten but it’s one of the best videography tips for beginners. At some point while on location, you should pick up the blank noise of the room you’re in, or the environment if you’re outside. As far as videography editing tricks go – it can prove really useful to have this filler in your edit because it fills in any gaps and blanks between dialogue, as well as providing a solid foundation for any sound design.

Does all of this sound a bit overwhelming? One of the underrated videography skills is knowing when you need help. We can’t be experts at everything and trying to do too many jobs at the same time can leave you stretched and unable to dedicate time and energy to where you perform best. If you hire someone who knows audio inside out, you’re able to concentrate more on your direction and cinematic aspects, while comfortable in the knowledge that your audio is going to be recorded professionally and of high quality.