Audiences will forgive soft focus and grainy shadows, but they stop watching the moment dialogue sounds thin or echoey. The good news: clean location audio is mostly about distance, levels and discipline — not expensive gear.
01Distance beats price
A modest shotgun mic 30cm from a mouth will outperform an expensive one at two metres. Boom from above, pointed at the chest-to-chin line, just outside the top of the frame.
02Lavs for movement
When your subject walks or the shot is wide, use a lavalier. Hide it under one layer of cotton, about a hand's width below the chin, and loop the cable so clothing rustle doesn't pull on the capsule.
03Gain staging
Set levels so normal speech peaks around −12 dB and loud moments stay under −6 dB. If your recorder offers 32-bit float, use it — it makes clipping almost impossible to ruin a take.
04Kill the room
Hard, parallel walls cause echo. Throw blankets on the floor out of frame, close curtains and turn off fridges and air conditioning (leave your car keys in the fridge so you remember to turn it back on).
05Always record room tone
Before you wrap each location, ask everyone to stay silent for 30 seconds and record. Your editor will use it to fill gaps and make cuts invisible.
Was this guide helpful?
Ask about this guide
Written by
Daniel Reyes
Independent cinematographer and colourist who has shot short films, music videos and brand documentaries. Daniel leads our videography coverage.
