ARTS 3061 Workshop Exercise: Sound in Different Environments

In this sound exercise, my group and I recorded the same scene in three different locations using a boom mic to explore how ambient environments affect dialogue and sound clarity.

Our first location was an indoor staircase. While it was mostly controlled, there were occasional buzzing sounds from the electronic door locks and distant conversations, which made the space feel alive but slightly distracting. It made me realise that filming indoors doesn’t necessarily mean a quiet recording, there will always be background noises, whether mechanical or human, that can be heard from the audio.

The second location was inside a lift, giving us the clearest and quietest audio. The confined space helped contain the sound. Although there was a slight echo but there was minimal background interference, making it an ideal location for clean dialogue recordings.

Our third setting was outside, which introduced a whole new layer of complexity. We picked up the sound of chairs dragging across the floor and people talking nearby, which cluttered the dialogue and made it harder to isolate. It highlighted how challenging it can be to record outdoors without unwanted ambient noise leaking in.

This exercise was a great reminder that sound design starts at pre-production. Since I haven’t done many outdoor shoots before, I realised how important it is to scout the location not just visually, but to actually experience it in person—to sit in the space, listen, and understand the natural sounds around us. If needed, certain environmental sounds can be enhanced or recreated in the studio using Foley to have better control later in post-production.

Overall, it was an insightful session that made me more aware of how unpredictable real-world sound can be, and how crucial it is to plan for it early in the filming process.