Video Production Terms Defined: Room Tone

Our industry uses a lot of specific jargon, and every once in a while some of those terms make their way into more everyday usage. But, that doesn’t mean people are using those terms correctly. So, we figured that from time to time we’d try to help clarify some of these terms in case you ever find yourself a part of a production and don’t want to feel out of the loop.

Today’s topic is everyone’s favorite awkward moment on set: room tone.

No room is completely silent. Every room, no matter how quiet it seems, has a unique sound of its own. Air conditioners, refrigerators, lights, even the camera you’re using can add very subtle, low-volume sounds in a room. And when you’re editing audio recorded in that room, you often need clean room tone to use as a sound bed underneath dialogue, sound design, etc.

So, at the end of filming, the crew will often ask everyone to remain perfectly silent for 30-60 seconds just so they can record that unique “silence”. 

It’s always interesting to see how different people handle that stillness. Some people get anxious, some get a little silly, others embrace it and close their eyes and relax. It’s one of the more unique elements of our business and it’s always fascinated me.

That’s why I was really excited to find this recent clip from The Criterion Collection called “The Gift of Room Tone.” It’s a very authentic glimpse of this very specific moment from many of their productions. It’s absolutely worth a watch.