Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538091
22 FA L L 2 0 2 5 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y b y D a n i e l V a s q u e z V . C A S Mixing with Perspective Microphones often make sound sources seem farther away than they are perceived in real life, as our brain is tricked into hearing real-life sounds closer. That's how sound behaves in reality. However, we have the power of using and manipulating sound to tell stories and convey emotions, and we have technical tools to achieve creative intentions with sound and can modify the characteristics of sound to change how its perspective is perceived. It's interesting how the prevalence of close-miking techniques in platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok might be shaping audience perceptions of audio quality. One may argue that the rise of online video content has shaped audience expectations. The common use of lavs and handheld mics in online videos seems to lead some viewers to correlate "close mic" with superior quality. This trend pushes emerging filmmakers and content creators toward a more upfront sound, a situation similar to the loudness war. And it worries me that some audiences, especially younger viewers, might find older films which exhibit a greater sonic perspective as less appealing simply because they sound "too distant" since they're used to something different. Film and TV Different audiovisual formats and genres have different aesthetics and conventions. For example, a news presenter with distant sound would feel unnatural and might lack clarity, even if it matches the visual. Similarly, many content types favor a closer sound perspective. Some unscripted content like reality Going back to the basics of sound physics: As sound travels, its overall level and, especially, its high- frequency content, decrease. This follows the inverse square law, where sound energy spreads out in all directions and decreases in intensity in inverse proportion to the square of the distance. Consequently, doubling the distance from a source results in a 6 dB drop. On top of that, some energy is absorbed by the medium and converted to heat, further attenuating the sound. That's the theory, but how does it translate for us?