ENTERING SIDEWAYS
Freeman entered the realm of video soundtrack production somewhat by coincidence. British Parliamentarian George Galloway, (after, and in response to being slimed in the Senate,) toured the US. He was to speak at Faneuil Hall, Boston, and 492 Cafe had been asked to record the event on behalf of both Truth and Justice Radio and the Traprock Peace Center.
Camera Operators for Documenting Dissent East requested an audio feed. Freeman suggested waiting for a mixed-down version of the speech, as It's a simple matter to make an unedited soundtrack for the Videographers.
VIDEO SOUNDTRACK VS. "STAND-ALONE" AUDIO
In audio production, we can make extensive edits to make a recording, such as a speech, truly shine. (Sometimes hundreds of cuts per hour!) However, in video soundtracks, we can't (yet) cut stutters and goofs more than a pinch here and there, or the video will be jumpy. To clean up a speech section aggressively, we need to switch momentarily to some other camera shot, such as graphic, or an audience reaction. (Sometimes called "B-Roll.")
VIDEO SOUNDTRACKS: WHAT WORKS
"A good video without sound is a technical difficulty. A good soundtrack without pictures...is just Radio." -Freeman Z
The importance of soundtrack to video cannot be overemphasized. The secret of movie making, as proven by the pay rates in Hollywood, is sound design. Most movies can be understood as a way to trick an audience into listening. The fact that they don't know this makes the soundtrack extremely influential. While the mind is "distracted" with pictures, the sound (often in simultaneous layers, as Hollywood Soundman Mark Mangini likes to do,) conveys most of the information.
For documentary purposes, we w ant to convey presence and to ensure intelligibility. This is often best achieved by using more mics. The mic tracks are usually mixed live to a camera feed. (Freeman often works alone, -Budget!- and prefers to record everything in 8-channels for mixing and editing in post-production.)
ESSENTIALS FOR SUCCESSFUL SOUNDTRACK