Sound Design Thesis
Sci-fi Sound Design for Action Sequences
This thesis explores the art of designing original sci-fi sound effects
for action sequences by recording, editing, and processing sounds to create an immersive storytelling experience. I redesigned the sound for two movie scenes, the slow-motion fight scene from "Sherlock Holmes" (2009) and the reactor detonation scene at the end of "Sunshine" (2007).
Both scenes were analyzed. Original sounds were designed using unique editing techniques, elastic audio, and signal processing using Pro Tools and plug-ins I am accustomed to. I analyzed the difference between an action scene and a sci-fi scene, creating sounds specifically designed for sci-fi.
There is a distinct difference in meaning and purpose when designing the sound for one genre. My aim was to repurpose different objects and brass instruments to create unique sci-fi sound design for the action and sci-fi genres.
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"Sunshine" (2007)
Reactor Detonation
Sound Redesign
Focus: SFX Edit
The stakes are as high as they go in this scene! "Cappa", the last surviving crew member of the Icarus II. He is now being flung into the sun inside a "Stellar Bomb". This bomb is humanity's only hope to illuminate and bring back their dying sun. He is Earth's last hope.
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Cinematically, there is a lot happening. There are numerous cuts between the character inside the “Stellar Bomb”, arming the payload, and the exterior shots of the bomb rocketing into the sun. Environmental sounds and rhythmic metals were the main ideas for all the backgrounds, creating a constant sound battle between both the interior and exterior of the bomb while utilizing foley to maintain a primary focus on what is happening to the main character.
I used a lot of SFX from libraries to create the primary sync point (the explosion), as well as recorded sounds from three instruments, a mellophone, a trumpet, and a shofar. The mellophone and trumpet are both beautifully melodic, yet powerful and impactful. The mellophone is a portable version of the French horn. It helped set the entire tone of the scene. The shofar was used to create anticipation.
"Sherlock Holmes" (2009)
Slow Motion Action Scene
Sound Redesign
Focus: SFX Edit
This movie is and never was meant to feel futuristic in any way. Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds can easily be challenged. Sounds used during the slow motion section would not typically be used during the real-time fight.
I utilized the sounds of many different objects in this redesign. Elastic audio was heavily used for precise timing. ​This was the first project where I experimented with elastic audio, so this took me much longer to finish than the scene from "Sunshine" (above).
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Many metals were used such as pans, lids, a large bell, and a fidget spinner. They were put onto the ground, spun, and swirled to a natural stop. The fidget spinner was spun around inside a metal pan lid from a slow to fast pace. These were mostly used for transitions. SFX were also pulled from a past sound redesign of the same scene for most of the hits.
There is a sort of "push and pull" going on. Sherlock Holme's movements are seen fluctuating in velocity. This does not normally happen during the real-time fight. I time compressed every SFX I could from the slow motion section and made them heard in a different atmosphere.
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