In this article, we’re going to discuss what a sound designer does in film and we’ll explore why sound is important in the film industry. Let’s get started!
What is Sound Design in Film?
Before we flesh out what a sound designer is, let’s explore what sound design is and how it plays a role in the film industry. Sound design includes elements such as dialogue, music tracks, sound effects, Foley sounds, and mixing—to name a few. The sound of a film has the power to make or break a creative production. The Dark Knight, Inception, and Mad Max: Fury Road are just a few examples of award-winning films with epic sound design elements. These blockbuster movies are commonly recognized not only for their cinematography but also for the sound effects and music that quickly transport the audience into the story.
As you can see, sound design is an important part of the production process. But who’s responsible for editing and implementing the sound of a film? That’s where the sound designer comes in.
What Does a Sound Designer Do?
Now that you have a grasp on what sound design is, let’s outline who’s responsible for all this hard work—the sound designer. This technical artist creates and controls every piece of sound you hear in a variety of interactive media forms. It’s not unusual to find an entire team of these creatives on the set of a TV or film production. With countless sound design elements, producers regularly delegate each type of sound design to different artists.
The tasks a sound designer is responsible for depend on what they specialize in. Here are a few common sound design elements that varying artists help out with:
- Foley Sounds: A Foley artist uses mics and other objects to create and record real-world sounds. Let’s say a character is ice skating and takes a massive fall through the ice. To make the scenario feel real, a Foley artist will use real objects or outdoor environments to recreate the sound of the skates gliding on the ice, the shocking sound of ice shattering during the crash, and the sound of the water splashing as the actor falls into its icy depths.
- Music: A composer and sound designer will collaborate to create a film’s entire soundtrack. A composer’s score and sound designers’ audio compilations (Foley sounds, dialogue, sound effects, and more) will come together to create a cinematic masterpiece.
- Sound Effects: Sound effects (SFX) are sounds that don’t occur in the natural world, or are impossible to record in nature. Sound designers commonly use SFX to represent otherworldly sounds such as Jurassic World’s terrifying dinosaur roars or Star Wars’ world-famous lightsaber hum.
- Dialogue: During filming, sound designers will use boom mics or lapel microphones to catch every word the actors are saying. In the post-production process, sound designers may need to edit and improve the audio with professional equipment, or replace it altogether with sounds recorded in a professional studio.
This is only a glimpse at what sound designers do. Other elements including voice-overs, mixing, ambient sounds, and more are taken on by different sound designers on a production team. Are each of these elements really that important in the grand scheme of a creative project? We think sound design is a game changer. Let’s take a look at how sound actually impacts the trajectory of a film.
3 Reasons Why Sound Design is Important
While a production’s directors and cast are important, the sound design team could be the missing piece for a film’s success. Below are a few reasons your next creative production needs sound designers:
1. Sound design determines the flow of the film
Depending on the sound design choices, you can create the pace of a story whether it’s slow and drawn out or fast-paced, keeping the audience on the edge of their seat. For example, adding suspenseful music can hint that the epic climax is coming in a film’s storyline or the sound effects of an other-worldly monster instills dread in the audience and communicates that an intense jump scare is coming. Even a moment of silence or wind blowing in the breeze represents the calm after the storm in your film’s story. Using sound design elements can change your project from an average creation to a mind-blowing and exhilarating tale from start to finish.
2. Varying sounds tell the audience how to feel
Sound design tells the audience how to feel before they even know what’s going to happen. A main character’s heavy breathing after running from the antagonist, for instance, causes viewers to feel stress along with the actor. Frantic, quick-paced symphony scores make the audience panic and wonder what’s going to happen next. The crunch of footsteps behind a film’s character instills fear in the audience, knowing that the predator is right behind the individual. Without sound, we wouldn’t feel the same connection to the film or its characters. Instead of a drawn-out creative production that leaves little to be desired, sound design elements grab the audience’s attention and guide their emotions from the get-go.
3. Sound contributes to world-building
The bustle of a city, vibrating effects of bombs landing, rain hitting cobblestone streets, cars speeding by, outer space alien noises; these sounds take world-building to an entirely new level. What exactly does that mean? World-building is the process of creating a fictional world (i.e., something that’s not real) and inviting the audience to experience it as if they’re a character in the storyline. Sound design elements transport viewers from their couches and into the screen. With the help of Foley sounds, SFX, ambient sounds, music, and dialogue your audience won’t know the difference between the real world and the environments you’ve created in your production.
Add Sound Design to Your Next Production With The Avalanche Studios Team
Do you want to see how sound can transform your film project? The best way to implement the innovation of sound design is to hire a professional sound design team for your next creative production. For 40 years, Avalanche Studios’ team of sound designers has captured a variety of sounds ranging from voiceovers to musical pieces for film projects. With our industry connections, high-end equipment, and award-winning team of directors, artists, and producers, our sound design services capture your vision from day one.
Based in northern Utah, Avalanche Studios’ crew can travel around the globe to meet your unique sound design needs. Request a quote from us and we’ll get back to you shortly.
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