Yesterday was a mix of interesting, fun and just plain tiring. The documentary production company I’m working for is doing the last round of talking head interviews for their most recent project.
I carried and set up a lot of equipment, a green screen, lighting and the such. One moment in the day stuck out as a great and valuable lesson.
The DP asked for quiet, then said, “Recording room tone!” We all stood silently for about a minute. Then I asked “What did you just do?”
“Room Tone” is when you record the baseline ambient sound that a room has. Each room and location is structurally different. Which means sound bounces and echoes differently. “Room tone” is needed so that the editors can use it in post-production when assembling or tightening spoken words. Sometimes a person end abruptly, or the cut leads from sound to nothing. “Room Tone” is needed to construct naturally sounding pauses and spaces.
And now you know. AND KNOWING IS HALF THE BATTLE!
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