In video marketing, there are many elements that must come together to create the final video: development, pre-production, production, post-production, and finally, distribution.
As a videographer and editor, the key part of the process I see overlooked far too often is the use of sound, with many video marketers just applying any music over a video and calling it a day. Videos are an immersive experience, and if you don’t apply the right music to your footage, you’re leaving out 50 percent of the experience for your viewers.
Take a look at this example. It’s a bit drastic, but hear me out.
Most of us have seen this scene from Jurassic Park, where Dr. Grant and Ellie Sattler first lay eyes on the dinosaurs. It’s a HUGE moment in the movie, but when the sound is not right….that moment falls flat.So where can marketers find the right music and sound for their videos?
Getting Good Music
Think about all of the movies, commercials, and advertisements you’ve seen. I guarantee that in those there is always some sort of memorable song that hit you right in the sweet spot and made you feel something. That’s the power music brings to your video. You are essentially supporting your visuals with the audio representation of the emotions you want them to feel. When you combine great quality video and the right music, it brings your production to the next level.
Watch this video from Saint West Filmworks.
The music builds as we follow the character through his creative process, the volume and energy of the music building to a climax.There are a few options when it comes to sourcing original music for your videos. Start by checking out these royalty-free music sites, which all have different licensing and pricing options.
Once you find a musician you’re comfortable working with that fits the aesthetic your videos, you’ll be able to contact them again for the next project. This way you can establish an ongoing relationship rather than wasting time for music that doesn’t fit.
What about Sound Design?
Many video content marketers forget about sound design entirely. They set out to create a dynamic video and leave out the most dynamic aspect of the entire piece.
According to Story Heart, a global filmmaking community, there are three specific elements of sound design you should keep in mind: transient sound, evolving sound, and speech. What does this mean for you as a video marketer?
Let’s do a quick exercise. Take off your headphones and pause the awesome playlist you have on. All set?
Close your eyes and listen for a minute. And I mean really listen. What do you hear?
If you work in an office, you might have heard the hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. That hum is evolving sound—it’s a constant in the space you’re in. It could be anything from the hum of lights to the fridge turning on and off or the elevator going up and down.
What else did you hear?
Someone may have walked into the office and you heard the bang of the door open and close. That’s transient sound. It’s any sound that interrupts the constant ebb and flow of evolving sound. It starts quickly and ends quickly. It could be a door slamming, a glass breaking, or someone giving someone else a high five.
Close your eyes one last time and listen—what do you hear?
You may have heard a conversation between coworkers. That’s speech. Speech is not someone talking directly to the camera or giving a voiceover; it’s the actual sound of speech in the background of a space. Other examples are people having a meeting, the conversations you hear at a coffee shop, or the cheers of a nearby sporting event.
The point I’m getting at is that the space around you is alive. You may not realize it because you are in it every single day and you phase it out. Your viewer isn’t familiar with this space, they aren’t there every day. These sounds are a way for you as the video content marketer to create a sense of place for the viewer.
This is a video from Dan Taibbi, who utilized sound design to create a sense of place in his cinematic reel. If you watch this video and close your eyes, you’ll most likely be able to pick out the action that is happening on screen.Now you’re saying, “But Miles, I know I need sound, but I don’t know how to capture it.” Fear not, I have your back.
You have two options. The first option is to work with a sound designer. This is ideally someone local you can hire to work with you on your production. They will show up with their kit ready to go and help you get everything you need for your video as it happens. When it comes to working with sound designers it’s great to give them basic direction of the action that will be occurring in the scene. However, let them run their own show—you hired them for a reason, and you have to trust them to get the job done.
The second option is choosing to do your own foley work, which is the reproduction of everyday sounds in post. This can be done in a similar fashion as above, the only change is that you are recording all of your sounds after you have filmed. However, there are also plenty of sites out there that have sound effects that you can download:
Though many do, sound design should not be overlooked, no matter how small or large your video project. Your average viewer will be able to hear bad sound a mile away, so make sure that isn’t the reason they tune out. Your homework assignment: Rewatch your previous videos and really listen to the sound. Is it something that you can improve? What takeaways are there to improve the videos you’re working on now?
What advice do you have for others regarding sound design? Let us know in the comments. And for more stories about video content, subscribe to the Content Standard Newsletter.