I run a small business selling kitchen gadgets and I hired a contractor to film my product demos. The footage looks fine but the sound is always off, the contractor says it's because my kitchen has too many hard surfaces. We've done three sessions and the audio still has echo. I don't know if I should find someone else or if this is just how it is. Anyone dealt with this?
Videography
My product demonstrations are filmed by a contractor
Hard surfaces will do that. Are they using a lav mic or just the camera mic?
Three sessions with the same problem sounds like the contractor isn't adjusting. A decent lav mic and some moving blankets would fix most of it. If they haven't tried that, they might not have the right gear for indoor shoots.
I film demos for a living and echo in kitchens is common but solvable. What you're describing sounds like they're recording audio on the camera's built-in mic. That will never sound good in a room with tile and stainless steel. Ask them what mic they're using.
Why not just film in a different room? You don't need an actual kitchen for a product demo if the gadget works on any counter.
Could be a contract issue. Does your agreement say anything about audio quality or retakes? If they're charging per session and the audio keeps failing, that's worth bringing up.
RufusGrove has a point. We switched to filming in a carpeted office with a folding table and the sound improved immediately. Viewers didn't care that it wasn't a real kitchen.
Are you reviewing the audio before they leave? If you catch it on set you can ask for a retake while everything is set up.
Also check whether they're rcording audio separately or straight into the camera. Separate audio with a lav clipped to you is the standard fix. If they don't own a lav, that tells you something about their setup.
I had a similar issue with a contractor last year. Turned out they were using the in-camera mic because their wireless lav was broken and they didn't mention it. Not saying that's your situation but it's worth asking directly.
They mentioned a lav mic but I'm not sure it's wireless. The last session they clipped something to my shirt but the echo was still there. I'll ask to see the raw audio next time before we wrap.
If the lav is clipped to your shirt and you're standing near a stainless steel counter, you might still get reflections. The mic placement matters as much as the mic itself.
Have you considered that this contractor might be new to indoor product work? Demos are a different skill than weddings or events. Three bad sessions is a pattern, not bad luck.
What model lav are they using? If it's a cheap one it might be omnidirectional and picking up the whole room. A cardioid lav would help a lpt in a kitchen.
Might be worth hiring a separate audio person for one session and seeing the difference. Then you know whether it's the room or the contractor.
I'd ask for a sample of the raw unedited audio from the next shoot before paying the full invoice. That will tell you a lot.