No Detail Is Too Small… Or So I Hear
I’ve had the good fortune throughout my career of working with and around some very talented people. Like those in most walks of life, I’ve tried to incorporate what I see as the best practices of those around me into my work to make myself better… at least that has been my hope.
One of those qualities I gleaned early on is that there’s no such thing as minutia: you can’t overlook any facet of video production. I much remember my good friend Bob Matthews (TV reporter in Norfolk/Virginia Beach) telling me, “The Devil’s in the details.” He could not have been more correct, and I find this to be especially true when editing audio.
You have to be relentless when managing the audio on your timeline. “Micromanaging” usually has a bad connotation, but I think it’s a necessity in the edit suite. Never assume a viewer or client won’t hear a pop, ambient disturbance or unwanted change in levels. If you can detect it, someone else can too. I will often close my eyes or completely turn away from my monitors as I listen to refine my audio because watching the video can distract me from really hearing every nuance. Those who are not experts still notice pops and changes, even if they don’t consciously identify what they’re hearing. Leave no distractions on your timeline. Here is good piece that involved a lot of audio editing.
Don’t be afraid to pick at every detail of your work. After all, every production is a small representation of you and you as a professional.
