Every film I work on generally goes the same way. I enter into a creative mode for the entire sound editing process where I endlessly try to answer these questions, even when I’m not working.
- What is the sound vocabulary of the film, the main ideas, what makes it different?
- Can we improve upon the emotional aspect of the dialogue in relation to the characters and their actions?
- What are the sound requirements, knowing what I have and what would be worth recording?
- How can the sound be at its best to tell this story technically and creatively?
- How can we be different and surprising?
- Did we get the most out of these tracks?
- Are we missing something?
- Is there too much?
This is the creative drive that follows me through the process, but as the sound postproduction evolves, it has a lot to do with listening to the others – the director, co-workers, editors, mixers, and producers – and attaining the final result together.
Is the director happy? We don’t go anywhere creatively without the director. I share my opinions honestly but I am always there to serve him or her. If we disagree, I listen and adjust accordingly.
I am convinced of the power of original recordings. Sound effects libraries appear to be the most important tool of a sound designer. I have been using commercial libraries a lot through the years relying on my sound library for specifity.
The evolution of technologies and recording techniques has brought us new creative challenges and possibilities that are becoming more and more affordable.
As a sound designer, I’m very excited about what is happening on the Internet with what we can call the sound design community. By sharing our thoughts and experiences and by being all connected together, we are growing stronger collectively and individually.