There’s nothing worse than walking into a room on a shoot — and realising there is a horrific echo. You ask the client if there is another room to use and they shake their head.
“Oh no problem” you reply – trying to sound upbeat.
Minutes later you are setting up your interview shot desperately trying to remember how good you are at audio post production – and if that filter you once used ages ago… was actually any good or not at reducing echo.
Echo happens when the mic picks up sound bouncing off hard surfaces — walls, ceilings, floors, tables. You can try to fix it later with EQ or noise reduction, but once the reflections are baked into the recording, its basically an uphill struggle.
It’s a common problem – and when you are out of options (i.e. there are no other rooms to use for your interview) these desperate times call for desperate measures. I’m talking blankets and sheets… or any old material – jumpers, coats. They’re not glamorous, but they work.
The trick isn’t just throwing fabric everywhere — it’s thinking about what the speaker’s voice is hitting. Strategically positioning material so that you cover as much surface area as possible – without turning the place into a teenagers bedroom.
Sound projects forward from the mouth, so the goal is to soften the first surface it hits. If the person’s sat at a table, throw a blanket over the front of it. That’s usually where the nastiest reflections come from.
Also cover the floor if it’s hard or shiny — just outside the camera frame — to stop audio reflections from bouncing back up. Sometimes those same blankets double as light tools: white ones bounce, black ones block, grey ones do a bit of both.
The only thing to avoid is bright green or blue fabric, unless you fancy giving your contributor a mild alien glow.
It’s not about expensive gear or fancy panels — it’s about understanding where the sound’s coming from, where it’s going, and softening the path in between. A few blankets can turn a nightmare room into a perfectly usable recording space.