The Importance of Audio Recording in Video Production

It is a well known fact in the filmmaking world that recording clear audio is crucial, constituting more than half the success of any video production. While video footage can often be fixed in post-production, or replaced with another content piece or shot, poor audio quality can be the undoing of a project, as audio files by design contain less information than video files. And if the audio recording wasn’t done right during the interview production – then you are in big trouble!

Lots of the filmmaking beginners overlook the audio recording, getting clipped or overloaded audio files. If so, there is not much you can do in the audio editing without sacrificing the quality of audio, which is noticeable by the viewers.

Boom microphone is the key to clear audio

Navigating Challenges with CNCDA Foundation

In a recent recruitment video production project with CNCDA Foundation based in Sacramento, we navigated this challenge while filming at three busy and noisy dealership shops across Glendale (Pacific BMW), Garden Grove (Garden Grove KIA), and Irvine (Tuttle-Click Ford). In the bustling environment, halting the operations of entire shops filled with car lifts was not feasible. Still, we conducted interviews and recorded audio amidst considerable ambient noise, achieving remarkable results. Here’s how we accomplished it.

Our Approach to Sound Recording

Our primary tool was the industry-standard shotgun microphone, the Sennheiser MKE600, put right above the frame on a stand, and paired with a dedicated Zoom recorder. Then, we synced the audio files with video footage in the editing phase. This video editing and composing method is more time-consuming and demands meticulous setup and monitoring. However, this audio recording method is doable with the right film crew on set, and the payoff in audio quality is substantial (a special shoutout to our new DP Sam, who executed both cameras and audio recording flawlessly). We also employed the Rode Wireless Go II lavalier mic system as a backup, but the quality was distinctly superior with our primary setup.

Having a lavalier microphone backup never hurts

Post-Production Magic: DaVinci Resolve Studio Voice Isolation

The real game-changer, however, was the post-production software. Modern video editing applications can achieve miraculous enhancements, a prime example being the new Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve Studio Voice Isolation feature. We invite you to compare the unedited sound from our Sennheiser mic to the edited version with the voice isolation feature activated in this short video with the BMW technician Valdez speaking:

Versatility in Sound Editing

What makes this DaVinci Resolve noise reduction feature even better is the versatility—it’s not merely an on/off toggle. In post-production, users can modify the isolation strength to retain some ambient sounds. Why is that important for the final video? This helps enhancing the viewing experience by preserving a sense of the environment, as was our intention to maintain some workshop sounds in the final recruitment video, to highlight the reality and authenticity of the environment.

It helped highlight the sincerity of the words and emotions of the technicians we interviewed. What is worth mentioning as well, it takes literally a second for the video editing software to analyze the soundtrack, and remove all the background ambient noise. Back in the days, this audio editing process could take hours to manually edit all the soundtracks, cutting out all the noises. Now it’s done with literally one click. “BlackMagic” indeed!

Stay Tuned!

We will be sharing more behind the scenes and secrets of the professional video production  soon. Stay tuned for more insights into our filmmaking process!

Interview setup, audio recording to Sennheiser MKE600