Guest Contribution by James Bretz The documentary Out of Nothing is my first feature, and the first feature for our entire P-51 Pictures team. It’s more than just a story about motorcycles. It’s a human story. It follows four men who follow their passions and dreams, and it tells one of many stories that are a part of a larger community of individuals and teams involved in … [Read more...]
Documentary Sound – A Discussion with James LeBrecht
Designing Sound: Would you mind giving our readers a little bit about your background and how long you’ve been working in audio post? James LeBrecht: I’m the owner of Berkeley Sound Artists, and we’re located in the Saul Zaentz Media Center in Berkeley. We’re kind of a small company. I think the term “boutique shop” would sound little bit pretentious, but we’re kind of the … [Read more...]
Invasive Insects and Immersive Sonics – Ren Klyce on the Sound of Gone Girl
Director David Fincher and sound designer Ren Klyce has worked together for more than 20 years, and their ongoing partnership is one of most acclaimed collaborations in the modern film sound community. Klyce has been nominated for five Oscars – one for Fight Club, one for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, one for The Social Network and two for The Girl with the Dragon … [Read more...]
Expectations of Noise
(This one fell through the cracks for our noise feature last month, we bring it to you now...better late than never. ;) SF) I’ve spent most of my engineering career (the last 13 years or so) doing my best to eradicate noise from my work. Working to tape as a music engineer I became well acquainted with noise gates and expanders (equipment I haven’t made any serious use of in … [Read more...]
An introduction to Alvin Lucier – and his impact on the sound of Se7en
Better late than never. Last month’s theme at Designing Sound was Acoustics but one person we really wanted to include during July had to get moved slightly – so here is a belated feature on one of the world’s true pioneers when it comes to exploring acoustic phenomena and auditory perception: Alvin Lucier. The American avant-garde composer was born in 1931 and composed … [Read more...]
Collaborating with the Music Team – An Interview with Randy Thom
When we talk about the blurry lines that exist between sound design and music, it's important to remember that we don't work in a vacuum. Media is collaborative. The more effectively we work with our counterparts, the greater a project's potential becomes. So, I asked Randy Thom to discuss the ins and outs building a working relationship the music department. DS: I know … [Read more...]
Ideas in Sound Design: Deprivation and Barriers – Part 2
Cross-posting from my personal blog. This article is the follow up to Part 1 of Ideas in Sound Design: Deprivation and Barriers. I've gathered a selection of media to discuss the ideas presented in the original article. I will focus on three films and one video game trailer: Saving Private Ryan, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Fight Club and Mass Effect 3's Take Earth … [Read more...]