Audio First: The Unsung Hero of Great Video

In this episode of The Briefcase, Paul Chadwick, Video Production Specialist at Sutherland Weston, unpacks the often-underappreciated yet pivotal role that audio plays in video content. Framed by his professional insights and casual banter, Paul highlights how audio can elevate a video’s impact or derail its effectiveness.  As video habits shift toward "listening over watching," Paul shares tips for using music, sound effects, and clean vocals to guide the audience and keep their attention emotionally. Packed with practical wisdom and analogies that stick, the episode reveals how intentional audio design transforms good videos into compelling experiences.

YOU’LL LEARN:

– The Strategic Role of Audio in Video Production

– How to Adapt to Audio-First Content Consumption Habits

– How to Balance Music, Sound Effects, and Clarity in Storytelling

 

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
(Transcribed by TurboScribe.ai. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) So good clean audio, music, and even sound
effects should help enhance your videos, not detract
from them, catch more eyes, and more importantly,
more ears.
This is The Briefcase from Sutherland Weston Marketing
Communications.
Quick conversations from everyday observations, delivering practical marketing
ideas you can carry with you.

(00:23):
I'm Paul Chaglett, Video Production Specialist at Sutherland
Weston.
You can have audio without video.
That's called radio.
It's been with us for eons.
You can have video without audio these days,
but it's not nearly as attractive.
But if we're going to have audio, it
better be solid.

(00:44):
Yeah, because a lot of people are actually
watching these videos with their ears.
We would talk about that in the broadcast
business all the time.
People have the TV on as they're getting
ready for work, getting the kids lunch, getting
ready, cleaning the house.
Now it's the same with YouTube videos, social
media videos.
People are just listening.
I think especially at work, because the headphones

(01:04):
are on, boss doesn't mind if you're multitasking
so you can listen to what you want
to listen to.
Well, how do you ensure you have the
audio that's going to keep the ears locked
in?
Good audio, like natural sounds or even a
great soundbite, can really grab attention.
And that will lock in people to listen
to what you have to say and to
pay attention.
Of course, vocals aren't the only thing you

(01:26):
need to think about.
A good backing music track can also add
emotion to your videos.
I have been accused by my ruggedly handsome
and professionally minded colleague, whom I'm looking at,
that I sometimes play my music a little
too loud in my videos.
The music should be there to help it
along, but it can't overpower whatever the vocals
are.
Yeah, it's there as a supporting piece and

(01:49):
having that emotional backing.
You're bringing the viewer with you on this
ride.
Even if you're talking about a problem in
your video, you can have that underlying music
and then transition to the more upbeat as
you bring the solution there.
And that'll give that natural flow to your
video, which will help people along that journey
with you.

(02:09):
Someone once told me that music is the
A1 that's on the steak, which is the
video.
It's the au jus to the prime rib.
It's the dressing to the salad.
Yeah, it helps prove the point.
It helps move the story along.
And utilizing sound effects in your video will
help drive points.

(02:30):
See, I love that, especially in a comedic
opportunity.
Yeah, comedic opportunity, transition opportunities.
Just as good audio can grab attention, bad
audio quality can detract from your videos.
It's important to be clear and concise in
your messaging.
If somebody's struggling to understand what you're saying,
if you're talking too fast, if you're garbled,

(02:53):
as I often do, if you have noise
going on in the background, people will just
assume, skip the video or tune out, then
rewind to try to catch what you said.
So good clean audio, music, and even sound
effects should help enhance your videos, not detract
from them, catch more eyes, and more importantly,
more ears.

(03:13):
You have been listening to The Briefcase from
Sutherland Weston Marketing Communications.
Got a question for the Sutherland Weston team?
Email us at sutherlandweston.com