Since we work in a visual medium, it's easy to turn our focus on making our images beautiful and impactful. However, one aspect of filmmaking that often doesn't get the attention it deserves (and desperately needs) is sound, and not ensuring that your work has incredible audio elements can result in a film or video that is subpar at best and unwatchable at worst. But photographer/filmmaker Peter McKinnon is here to give you some advice on sound design, how to find sound effects, how to record your own audio, and how to use them to tell more dynamic stories. Check out his video below:

Whether you're downloading sound effects from a royalty-free site or recording room tone with your own recorder, it's important to give your audio elements as much, if not more, attention as you would your visual elements. 

This means, yes, getting quality clips if you're downloading from a site and splurging on a decent mic if you're recording sound yourself, but more importantly it means understanding that sound, just like an image, tells a story. It's not enough to pick some random sound effects and slap them on a timeline, or record dialogue next to a busy freeway. Make sure your sound is clean, creative, and above all, serves the story.

Source: Peter McKinnon

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Sound & Music