Why audio is important … more important than video actually?  People are visually driven but when it comes to an audio/visual presentations, from the viewer’s perspective, the video can be less than perfect but audio that pops, hisses or drops out is downright annoying and you’ll likely lose your viewer’s attention very quickly.  If you’re new to making pitch videos then here are a few tips to keep your audio from causing your viewers from tuning out.

If you have the resource, both shotgun and lavalier microphones are great for getting people’s voices in conversation or for an interview.  But you can still capture perfectly good audio with the onboard microphone on your camcorder or smartphone.  If you’re shooting a video of yourself verbally communicating your pitch, managing sound is much easier IF you’re in a fixed location and not moving a lot.

Shooting Outdoors:
Wind (even a breeze) will make a mess of your audio.  So if you’re working outside and are relying on the on-board mic on your camera, make sure there’s no wind.  Most camcorders have a mini-jack connection for earphones.  Plug in a set of earphones and monitor the audio you’re getting. If you hear the wind tearing across the microphone then it’s time to move.  If you’re shooting interviews you should move to a quieter location indoors or somewhere near a structure to block the wind.

Machinery:
We’re so used to tuning out droning monotonous noise like, say, the sound of a car engine or even the hum of a refrigerator.  As a result we're often unaware of these sounds around us.  But your microphone will detect them and you’ll hear those mechanical sounds very clearly when you playback your footage.  Be aware of where you’re working and if you’re near any sort of machinery.   

Movement:
Also, you should be conscious of how you handle your recording device.  The housing or case on your camera/phone will conduct sound.  Every time you bump or brush against the camera housing you'll hear jolting audio pops and scratches that will be heard in playback.  Think about using a simple photo tripod to setup your camera (your smartphone can be mounted on these as well with the proper adapter).   

We'll update you soon with more tips for capturing good Audio for your pitch reels.

the iPitch team...