[Private_collector]

Phil,

All the noise, provided it isn't artificially created by transfer through the Mount or tripod, can become a very useful background. Every package of editing software would have the ability to bring down the sound of the original video, and a soundtrack is added, to play in tandem. This, I did quite successfully, when assembling the raw video segments of our Hawaiian holiday. There will always be some something in the original sound recording that you may find desirable to muffle or eliminate entirely. When we were travelling on the trolley bus system, MOST of the background sound was good to keep. I.E: traffic noise, clanging of the buses bell, and engine noise. What wasn't desirable was chatter in foreign languages (mostly Japanese) because it wasn't understandable. By lowering the video soundtrack, and playing something over it slightly louder at times, it became a fairly interesting video to watch. When we were at the Pacific Aviation Museum, on Ford Island, my Son had a go at the flight simulator they had. I shot the screen from above and behind, so that it was possible to see Bryces head and arms on the joystick as well. During editing, when back home, I brought down the engine and gun noise slightly, and added the Battle of Britain March, with rather good results.

My takeaway message is simple, let all the noise be your friend, and you can use it to advantage, rather than have it a nuisance.

If you PM me your address, I can send a copy of the Hawaii video, for you to see/hear what I mean.

Incidentally, the lowering or masking of background sound has another very distinct advantage which I wouldn't expect to be quite so necessary in your case. One piece of the Hawaiian footage involved shooting constantly as I walked through the Thurstan Lava Tube, on The Big Island. The tube is about 20 feet across, and descends slightly from the end we walked into. It is obviously open to the weather, and has a large number of puddles through the length of the walk. I did my very best to avoid the water, but didn't see one, and stood right into the middle of a puddle of approx 2 inches depth. What followed was something best not heard by man nor beast. I'm ashamed to say my vocal retort would have made the most hardened truck driver blush with embarrassment. All that outburst was nicely eliminated by raising an alternative piece of original sound, which was part of another scene in the tunnel that I did not use in final editing. Amusingly (and slightly embarrassingly) sound in the Lava Tube gets amplified as it travels the length. I think some of my profanity was heard on Oahu. I was VERY grateful the tube was quite near darkness, as it hid the origin of the foul langage. Not my finest hour!