When enjoying nature on a hike through a wildlife setting we can hear birds chirping, water gently trinkling in a creek and so many other sounds of nature.  We feel comforted by those sounds as we enjoy our hike.  However, try to capture the same experience to video and you are in for a rude awakening.

When you play back what you have captured in nature, it is almost certain that in some spots of the video you will hear disturbing overhead aircraft sounds.  Then you wonder to yourself,”Those airplanes were not there when I captured the video; how did they get in?”  The answer is that the airplanes were indeed there the whole time, but you did not notice them.  Your brain is so amazing  that it masked out those noises to allow you to enjoy the nature sounds.  The technology does not exist to do the same for your video, however…

In the edit room we can stimulate the audio masking out or at least reduce some isolated sounds until they become insignificant.  In some cases we can even remove them completely.   Technology allows us to do radical things to the audio track of video, but none can still compare to the brain.

It makes me appreciate all the more what an amazing creation we are!

Igor

OK… One of the best reasons why uncle Bob should not be your wedding videographer is audio.  Your uncle’s home camera will catch any and all sounds from everywhere and while viewing it later, you will not be able to hear a distinction between your voices at the alter and the guests seated next to your uncle.

The audio that accompanies a professionally procuced video is a critical component in developing the overall quality of a wedding video.  A viewer can easily ignore a slight color irregularity in the video but they will not be able to tune out the sound of an overhead ventilation or some other distractions that you cannot help.

One of the things a bride and groom should consider (but few acually ask) in audio as it applies to wedding videography is the question of microphones.  Consider the typical wedding video showing the couple exchanging vows.  Whenever possible, we tap into the sound mixer to capture any audio going into the public address system.  This would certainly include the couple the couple as they exchange their vows.  However, the microphones usually used by churches are designed for clarity in public address and will not deliver the richness of the human voice.

Red arrow points to the microphone

For this reason we place a wireless microphone on the groom and sometimes the officiant also.  The wireless microphones we use are designed to capture the richness of the human voice which in turn adds new depth to the viewing experience.  Even whispers can be heard as if the viewer were at the alter with the couple!

This is definately a component you cannot afford to overlook.

Stay tuned for more in part 2 of audio distinctions in a wedding video…

Igor