Now watch the film with both audio and image present. Does the music work with [he image? Do the sound elements of dialog and effects sound natural in the aural landscape and match ihe physical landscape? Carefully watch the film to try to determine how the audio director miked the actors.
When you want your talent to appear to sound far from the camera (such as in a wide shot), switch the lavalier mic (top image) for a boom mic (bottom) with a few feet of distance between the mic and talent.
Finally, did the director maintain good screen direction and continuity in images? Screen direction is very important; it allows your audience to follow the action without getting lost. Following the 180 Degree Rule and maintaining a good sense of time and continuity enable your audience to become part of the action and immerse themselves in the film experience.
To really give a film your total critical attention, you have to distance yourself and become a totally objective viewer. This can be difficult to do. especially if the film is well done and pulls you into the story with characters that you begin to care about, thrust into a situation that seems insurmountable. Will they escape? Will they fall in love?
