My apologies for any typos, Leyla. No offense intended. I hope you enjoyed the article’s content regardless.

Thank you for your comment and I agree with everything you wrote in your reply.

My usage of the word “reality” was in a very limited sense, and I can see how that could lead to potential confusion. To clarify what I meant by “audibly simulate reality” was that if we see a boulder rolling in Raiders of the Lost Ark (for instance) than we need to “simulate reality” by giving that action a sound that completes the “reality” of the image for the viewer. I really like the comment that you added (it provides the needed clarity). The goal of film sound as an overall concept is much more complex than I made it sound in the article.

The last thing I wanted to do was perpetuate a misconception, so thank you once again for your post, and added clarification.

All the best,

Doron

I do have a problem with this sentence:
“When we mix to picture (either for film, or even through game audio implementation), we are trying to simulate (and sometimes audibly enhance) reality.”

It’s a common misconception that the goal, even in “realistic” films, is to mimic reality. Instead, the goal is to sonically suggest something plausible, given the context and story needs of the film. Feeling compelled to mimic reality would put you into a creative straight jacket.

Nevertheless, learning to listen carefully and critically to the world around us is a fundamental part of being a sound designer. The next step is to get good at identifying useful sonic analogues…… The sound of the giant boulder chasing Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark is actually mostly the sound of a car tire rolling over gravel. It ain’t reality, but it’s damn plausible, and compelling.