Communicating with Sound in VideoGARRETT TEAGUECLACKAMAS COUNTY

Sound… What’s it good for?

To create atmosphere and moods

To connect with an audienceTo communicate a messageMake your visuals more

compelling

Types of Sounds

Ambient (NAT)Dialogue (Interviews)Narration (Voiceover)SoundtrackSound Effects

Ambient (NAT) Sound

Environmental/Room noiseAir conditioners, echoes of sound

waves, traffic, fluorescent lightsUses:Give images a tactile feelTransport audience into the sceneCreate breaks and transitions in scripts

Communicating with Ambient (NAT) SoundBe Prepared:Know the event or locationIdentify NAT sound opportunities

and poor audio locations

Communicating with Ambient (NAT) SoundOn Location:Monitor the sound while shooting.Take the time to adjust.

Communicating with Ambient (NAT) SoundEditing:Be aware of the NAT sound in each

shot or interview. Avoid making changes in sound

between shots too abrupt.

Dialogue and Narration

Words spoken by subjects on screen or by source outside of screen

Uses:Directly communicates your message

or storyProvide information and contextConnects speakers with audience

Communicating with Dialogue and Narration Interviewing:Frame your questions to get answer

you want in scriptAsk the same question in different

ways

Communicating with Dialogue and Narration Script Writing:V/O and interviews complement each

other. Don’t repeat.Use interviews to provide expert

opinion, experience, and emotional responses

Use V/O to organize information and make tough concepts easier to understand

Communicating with Dialogue and Narration Editing:Remove multiple “ums”, “you

knows”, “I means” in interviews.Avoid harsh beginnings to

sentences

Soundtrack

Music that plays during production

Uses:Sets mood or tone of videoTells audience how they should feelSmooth out differences between NAT

sound and dialogue/narration

Sound Effects

Artificially created sounds.

Uses:Give sound to unreal objectsCreate real sound when unavailable or

too difficult to recordEnhances other types of sound