AUDIO TIPS

for documentary shooting

Dr. Ifra Iftikhar
 Audio equipment
• Lavelier Mic
– Watch out for cloth, jewelry, or hair that can touch
the mic
– Put in 6-8 inches below mouth
• External Recorder
– Insert memory card
– Set at WAV 48 Khz 16 bit (higher quality than mp3)
– Check your audio meter. It should bounce between -12 to
-6 DB
• Do audio test beforehand
• Use headphones to monitor the sound
• Safer on the lower db end (hard to fix overblown
sounds)
• If the sound is lower you’ll hear static
Shotgun Mic
• Hook your mic on the camera
• Cover mic with wind buffer if
shooting outside
• Set the audio levels in your camera
meter.
• Should not touch the red marks in
your in-camera audio meter
 AUDIO TIP 1
• 1. ROOM TONE
– Is an empty room completely silent?
– Close your eyes and listen the distinctive sound to
that room /space
– Room tone comes in handy when making cuts in
editing
• MAKE SURE
– Record 30 sec of room tone before and after
interview
 AUDIO TIP 2
• CLAP or Signal
– in the beginning and after the scene
– So that editor can easily sync audio with video

CLAP or give clear sound signal when you start

rolling for easy audio syncing
 WHAT MAKES A BAD Cinematography?

• OVEREXPOSURE
– Means the image is too bright so parts loose color
• SHAKY FOOTAGE
• BAD COMPOSITION
– When you are not aware of what’s in your frame
EXPOSURE TRIANGLE