When you begin to plan the sound for your video, there are two main categories to consider: voice and music.
Voice: For your Hope on the Rize film, you will have to decide whether you want to film yourself reading your script, or use an audio recording of your voice to accompany other visuals. Make sure you choose a quiet location to record your audio! If you have access to a microphone, that is one helpful tool that can quickly elevate the quality of the sound in your film. You will also want to pay attention to the pace and tone of your voice, as these factors contribute to the overall feeling of the film and how well your message can be understood.
Music: If you are a musician, consider adding in music you created yourself! You can also ask a musician you know to provide you with music for your film. Other options for obtaining music include searching online for copyright-free tracks (scroll down to see our website recommendations)! Music is a key component of creating the theme, tone, and/or feeling of your film, so we suggest choosing your music very intentionally. Additionally, pay attention to the volume of the music versus the recording of your voice to ensure that your voice can still be heard clearly.
This video by Voice Acting 101 gives a rundown of nine key tips for recording your voice at home. If you are recording on an Apple phone or tablet, we recommend these apps: Voice Memos, AudioShare, and Voice Record Pro. If you are recording on a computer, we recommend these websites: Vocaroo, Rev, and Online-Voice-Recorder.
Bensound and Pixabay both offer royalty-free music that you can use in your short film. You can search by genre (jazz, rock, folk, etc.) or by feeling (happy, hopeful, ominous, etc.). You may also choose to include sounds other than music behind your voice recording. Some ideas include birds chirping, waves crashing, or a clock ticking.
