What’s that Noise? A Guide to Eliminating Unwanted Noise Interference on Location

Sound recording on any budget requires crystal clear audio in order for the production to be top quality. Unfortunately, unwanted noise interference, especially when filming on location can lead to the need for re-recording audio in order to get rid of nasty noise obstacles. Follow along to learn how to recognize noise and sound interference issues, what you can do to ground out unwanted noise, and how to prepare on location for all those little noises that you want (and need) to avoid.

Low budget films can’t always afford professional location sound mixers, secondary dialogue recordings, or the use of ADR to synchronize audio to the original production footage from the filming location. For those that can’t afford to re-record the audio, what can be done to detect noise issues and overcome them on location with minimal interference or interruption to the shoot day? Let’s take a look at some of the options you have when you face unwanted noise interference at your filming location.

Types of Unwanted Noise

When filming on location you face several types of noise that could interfere with an otherwise exceptional production. There is controllable noise and uncontrollable noise. Neither are your friend when capturing audio for a shoot but uncontrollable noise is the most pesky of the two forms of noise interference.

Controllable noise is any type of noise interference on location that you can control. Things that can be shut off, removed from the area or otherwise silenced are covered under the controllable noise elements. These include:

• Cell phones which can be silenced or turned off on set.
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• Appliances such as a refrigerator which can be shut down during the film shoot.
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• A noisy light that buzzes can be changed out or shut off.
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• Camera noises are quieted by camera assistants to reduce impact on audio.
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• An air conditioner can be shut off during the shoot and kicked back on manually in between shots to keep a building cool.
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• X-rays or other machines in a hospital can be turned off during the shoot to quiet the room.
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• Filming of a busy location, such as a bar or restaurant, can take place during off hours so that the location isn’t actually being used in full-swing.
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• Windows and doors can be closed to prevent drafted air or other noises from interrupting the audio capture.
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• Furniture that squeaks or makes noise can be removed from the set.
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• Movement of any kind between staff and crew during the shoot can be minimized to prevent unwanted noise.
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• A fan used to create the appearance of wind can be positioned in a way that allows sound crew to capture audio without interference from the appliance noise.
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• Silk clothing can be eliminated to prevent friction noise.
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• Jewelry and other accessories that produce unwanted sound can be removed or changed out.

While precautionary steps can be taken to eliminate unwanted noise that is controllable, little can be done when facing uncontrollable noise on location. Uncontrollable noise comes from things like a passing car, an overhead airplane or noise coming from a nearby building that is in full working operation. So what can you do when uncontrollable noise jeopardizes your otherwise perfect audio capture?

Consider the following ways to deal with uncontrollable noises:

• Monitor timing between cars or planes that are producing unwanted noise and shoot in between the noises.
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• Wait for the noise to stop if it is something that is likely to cease.
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• Ask neighbors or nearby people to reduce noise interference.
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• Film in short bursts to capture clear audio despite ongoing noise nearby such as that from a plane.
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• Have actors speak up loudly to overcome unwanted noise interference without the need for later re-recordings.

What If All Sound Recording is Poor Quality?

If you’ve gone through the set, done everything you can to minimize or eliminate controllable noise interference and you’ve taken any action you can against uncontrollable noise and you find that your sound recordings are still poor quality, what recourse do you really have? First and foremost, take any actions you can to control the sound quality. Ask actors to speak up, ask cinematographers to shoot only during “good” sound times, and use quick fix solutions to improve audio issues wherever possible.

Monitor the sound continuously to ensure the best possible sound capture throughout the entire shoot. Listen carefully, through headphones, to the sounds that are coming from the subject. Any presence of background noise should be immediately accounted for and, if controllable, fixed. Noises that cannot be eliminated should be monitored to ensure appropriate audio capture to the best of your ability.

Determine Where Noise is Coming From

Sometimes, the hardest part about fixing a noise issue on location is determining where the noise originates from. Noises can come from the environment, such as a door that is slammed a few rooms away or people talking nearby. They also come from equipment, such as crackling leads or the interference of various digital devices with microphones. Unwanted noise may even come from the contributor or subject himself such as when fabric rustles against the attached microphone.

If you can determine where a noise comes from, you stand a chance at eliminating it. Tracking a noise back to the source will allow you to determine whether it is a controllable noise or an uncontrollable noise. If it’s controllable, take the necessary actions to eliminate the noise during your scheduled shoot time. If uncontrollable, you’ll need to take next steps to determine:

• Whether to shoot despite the noise and face re-recording or ADR later which can chew up post-production budget and timeline.
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• What steps can be used to avoid shooting during the noise so as not to capture it.
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• What steps can be taken to overcome the noise and shoot.

Controlling the Environment for Quality Sound Recording

Location sound recording is sometimes a matter of simply adjusting the environment to your needs so as to capture sound without all the unwanted noise interference. When you realize that unwanted noises are interrupting your sound, consider the following solutions to control the environment and capture quality sound recordings without facing re-recordings later on:

• Move characters to an area where the interruptive sound is not heard.
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• Close doors, windows or other open access ways that lead to noise pollution.
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• Turn off mobile phones on the set. Silencing will not work as continued radio interference will occur.
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• Change locations to somewhere nearby, and similar in scope but with a better chance for pristine audio capture.
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• Instead of filming near the road, film on the opposite side where there is not road interference.

When all else fails, sometimes it makes more sense to change locations completely rather than to continue wasting time and money attempting to shoot in an area that is interrupted by consistent noise interference. If you can’t eliminate the noise on location, it may not be a bad idea, from a sound perspective, to consider a different location in which a quality picture may still be captured alongside quality sound. The time and money saved in post production when ADR is not required to sync audio after the fact is often worth is or even required completely when budget does not allow for secondary audio capture and syncing with ADR.