Mobile Audio & Video Production Essentials

Essentials for Mobile Audio & Video Production Presented by Jude Mathurine Head of Rhodes University’s New Media Lab @ Media140, Sydney Future of Journalism in Social Media age

Platforms for live audio blogging
Audioboo (Iphone only/4-5mins/promote content using social networks)
Blogtalkradio (Use phone to create a live podcast or live multi-person show)
Foneshow (US based service allows users to access and control podcasts via phone)

Tips for mobile audio recording
On professional audio recordings you would monitor sound quality through input levels and headphones
No such luck on mobile. Pre-record a few seconds and playback to test audio levels
Countdown and pre-roll
Tip for live audio and video recording:
Tell your subject to repeat question as part of their answer

Tips for Online audio recording
When recording place the mobile with the built-in microphone facing the subject
Remember that the microphone is at the BOTTOM of the phone
Hold slightly to side of speaker’s mouth to avoid them speaking directly into mic and causing popping sound

Tips for audio recording
Consider the size and type of recording space (big empty room, conference venue etc) and consider audio bounce
Beware of live recording in spaces with dead background audio or too much background noise. Mobile mics telescope to loudest noise.
Compact cars provide great audio insulation for a makeshift sound booth

Free audio editing software
Audacity (Open Source multi-track audio editor for Windows, Linux and MacOS)
Aviary’s Myna (beta cloudware multi-track audio editor)

Capture audio interviews
Skype Audio capture software
Skype recorder (USD15)
Audio Hijack Pro for Mac (USD15)
OR rig up your audio editing software (like Audacity) to record your conversation
How to capture Skype audio using audio editor (PDF guide here )

Royalty free sound and CC stuff
Free sound, creative commons sound for background music, stings
http://www.ccmixter.org
http://www.freeloops.com
http://www.freesound.org/
http://www.archive.org/details/opensource_audio

Video Streaming tools
These services stream content from your mobile video camera or webcam onto one or more Internet channels like your blog, Twitter, Facebook, Myspace
Qik
Flixwagon
12 Seconds
Kyte
Ustream
Bambuser
Twitvid (login with your Twitter details)

Tips for mobile video
Where will your user will watch the video – HDTV? Iphone? MP4 player? Other mobile?
Consider the users’ viewing platform when choosing the frame and duration of your production (user attention spans and viewing habits vary by platform)
Viewing devices and online video websites have changed from 4:3 (square) to 16:9 (widescreen)

Orientation
So fill your screen with interesting visuals and shoot WIDE

Framing
Tight shots (Medium Close up/Close up/Extreme Close up) are better. It's hard to see detail on a mobile 320X240 screen unless an object is shot in relative close-up.

Join the action
Even if you have an HD or 5MP mobile video phone, optical zoom is generally poor
GET CLOSE TO YOUR SUBJECT
Avoid excessive zooming. Zooming increases problems with resolution and amplifies shakes.
Try to shoot against backgrounds with depth and that contain visual interest

Light
Light your subjects well, and keep them separated from the background
The colors between background and subject should not be too similar or they will seem to merge
Never shoot into a light source. Lights should always be behind you.
Beware of shadows

Light
Don’t shoot dark skinned people against black backgrounds (or bright white backgrounds) or fair skinned people against dark backgrounds
Manual contrast and white balance capacity is limited on most mobiles

Mobile Sound
Built-in mobile mics are lousy for quality audio recording. Don’t make it worse.
Shoot away from background noise and buzz
Get close to your interviewee or audio source
Beware that your clothes, jewellery and movement on the mobile make noise that can be picked up by built-in mic
Investigate external options for mobile mic kits (e.g Nokia 95 )

Support and grip
Shoot at your subject’s eye level, not your own
Grip technique - use both hands
Grip technique – hold the phone in your right (or dominant) hand; support your elbow or wrist with the other hand

Avoid excessive movement on live shots (steady panning acceptable)
If you are vodcasting, invest in tripod gear or position the mobile on a shelf
Gear

Video editing tools
MS Moviemaker (free Windows based video capture and editing application)
Jaycut (timeline based multi-track cloudware video editing application)

Tips
Do you have any more tips for live (or near live) mobile video and audio shooting and recording?
Pass them along to @ newmediajude
Jude Mathurine Head: Rhodes University New Media Lab [email_address]

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Mobile Audio & Video Production Essentials

by Jude Mathurine on Nov 09, 2009

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Mobile Audio & Video Production Essentials — Presentation Transcript