Sound Advice: Editing Audio for Video (page 2)

Ear Candy

The tools we've used so far are simple hack and slash items that mold our video sound into shape. Don't forget that most video editing software offers other audio tools; many of them sophisticated enough for a recording studio. You can further fine tune your audio with compressor and equalizer plug-ins, adjusting for maximum consistency between clips and an overall smoothness of sound.

If you just can't make it all match up, consider laying a bed of background music under your video. This is an old trick that serves several purposes. The first is obvious it allows you to smooth over the rough edges, drawing the listener's attention away from the unfixable. Second, you can use the music creatively to set a mood. Choose lighter music for the happier segments of the video and slower, more moody music for the tense moments.

But What About the Picture?

The what? Oh yeah, the picture. Once you're happy with the sound on your video, it's time to "fix" the images. If you were careful, there aren't too many glaring jump cuts or visual glitches, but there will still be a few. For simple jump cuts in which the subject is the same but the framing is different, use a simple cross-dissolve between the two clips. This is a classic technique that works well in most instances. If you prefer a more stylish look, try some other transitions, like page peels and pushes. Keep in mind that many 3D effects require a second or two to look natural; your close cuts may not work with this type of transition. Another option is the flash: a technique where you quickly overlap a bright color (usually off-white) for a few frames to bridge the cut. The flash is distracting enough to make the viewer forget about the difference in the two clips. Use this one with caution, it gets old quickly.

To keep it clean, you can insert some of your B-roll material over the cut. Find some B-roll that matches your on-screen topic and insert it on one of the video overlay tracks. Apply rubber bands to fade up and down as needed. This is also a great place to use on-screen graphics such as charts, bullet lists and text.

Fade to Black

Is all this trouble really worth it? Absolutely! Often, it's much easier to repair a handful of video transition problems than to try to fix the sound. Viewers expect the sound to be consistent; we've trained them to watch television since birth. They also expect to see other footage included in videos, so your B-roll "repairs" will not be seen as such. Editing the audio first is a great way to approach almost any video project.

Sidebar: Post-Process Your Audio

You've carefully edited your video using sound as the guide, but there's just something missing. It just doesn't sound like a TV program. Video producers often use audio post-processing to sweeten their video soundtrack. With certain audio software, you can use the same technique. In Premiere, select the timeline, then click on File | Export | Audio. This allows you to export the entire audio program as a single file. Then, it's a simple matter to open the file in audio software and apply some light compression, limiting and equalization. This will fatten the sound of your video with a professional sheen. Back in your video application, import the audio file and place it on a new track. Mute the old audio tracks and you're in business.