Production
Production Sound Recording
Audiences forgive a rough-looking shot but switch off bad sound instantly — which is why production sound is half your film. This course covers capturing clean location audio: microphones, booming, lavaliers, controlling noise, room tone, and delivering to post, so your dialogue sounds as good as your picture looks.
By Will Roberts — updated August 14, 2026
What you'll learn
✓Which microphones to use and how a boom and lavalier each work
✓How to set levels and record clean, usable dialogue on set
✓How to control noise and acoustics so your recordings aren't ruined
✓Room tone, wild lines, and how to hand your sound off to post
Pairs with this tool
Filmmaker Toolbox
Plan your sound in the Filmmaker Toolbox — gear checklists, per-scene mic plans, and sound reports for post — so you capture clean audio on set and hand it off cleanly to the edit.
Open Filmmaker Toolbox →Course chapters
Module 1 — Foundations
I7 min
Why bad sound loses an audience faster than a bad image — and what good is
Why Sound Is Half Your Film
II8 min
The sound recordist's role and a plain-English tour of the gear
The Sound Kit
III8 min
Shotgun, cardioid, and lav mics — what each is for and how to choose
Microphones for Film
IV8 min
Recorders, gain, and setting levels so audio is clean, not clipped or noisy
Recorders, Levels & Signal
Module 2 — Core Craft
V9 min
How to boom a scene — positioning, technique, and staying out of frame
The Boom Mic
VI8 min
Hiding lavalier mics and using wireless systems without dropouts
Lav & Wireless Mics
VII8 min
Getting clean, consistent, intelligible dialogue take after take
Recording Clean Dialogue
VIII8 min
Fighting background noise, echo, and wind before they ruin a take
Controlling Your Environment
Module 3 — Putting It to Work
IX7 min
Room tone, wild lines, and the sound the editor will beg you for
Room Tone & Wild Sound
X8 min
Great location sound with cheap gear and one dedicated sound person
Sound on a Budget
XI8 min
Sound reports, file naming, and delivering audio the editor can use
The Sound Report & Handoff to Post
XII7 min
On-set sound workflow and the mistakes that leave you with unusable audio
On-Set Workflow & Mistakes