If you watch an amateur YouTube video and then turn on Game of Thrones (or whatever you’re into), you will immediately notice a difference. You may not know what right away, but you will quickly judge the professionalism and, yes, the credibility of the people on the screen. It’s the difference between a viewer quickly changing the channel or potentially staying intrigued.
The very first thing that you notice (whether you know it or not) is what you hear – the audio of the piece. From there, you will judge the lighting, the color, the setting, and so on. But know for sure, if the audio is bad, you have just lowered yourself in the eyes of the viewer.
Here’s a quick tip if you are a DIY’er…
- Figure out a way to get the mic closer, or even on, your “talent.” If you are relying on the mic on the camera, it’s too far away.
- There are basically two options: Lapel Mic and Boom Mic
- Boom Mic’s require another person to hold it. If you’re not hiring me, my guess is you don’t want to do this.
- Lapel Mic’s are your best option. You can go cheap, prosumer, or pro…
- Cheap ($15) – Radio Shack has a wired lapel/lavalier mic for like $10. Is it the best mic? No. Is it better than using your camera’s mic? Yes. I used these when I was first starting out. Has a fairly long cord. Just keep it out of the frame.
- Prosumer ($150) – Azden WMS-Pro is a wireless setup that works incredibly well. It even comes with a handheld mic to use as well. I used this setup for years prior to starting my own business. It’s a big step up from the Radio Shack route and sounds great.
- Pro ($600) – Sennheiser G3‘s will have you sounding like a pro. Works great combined with a Zoom H4N Digital Audio Recorder. This is my current setup. Go listen to how it sounds.
Ok, that’s it! Drop me any questions you have. I’d be happy to answer them.
Recent Comments