Listen Up: Why Sound Design Matters
Sound design and audio post production may well be the Cinderellas of the advertising world. The last stage in the production process, they’re often treated as an afterthought or squeezed when other elements of a project overrun. With shrinking deadlines and budgets to contend with, as well as the fact that they’re so often left out of credits, it can be tough. Thankfully there’s a Fairy Godmother on the horizon, in the shape of new technologies that are putting good sound design centre stage. LBB’s Laura Swinton finds out more.
Advances in technology mean that good sound design matters more than ever. Whether it’s the surge in binaural sound design, the introduction of Dolby’s new Atmos sound system or the growing demand for virtual reality-ready projects from brands and game developers, contemporary sound design is both more complex and more exposed. That means sound designers have to think more ‘three dimensionally’ than before and also that anything that doesn’t quite sound right risks yanking audiences out of an immersive experience. Just as HD and 4K expose scuffed up soap opera sets and demand pixel perfect visuals, new audio technology also demands slicker, more skilful production.
Another development that’s really raising the bar for sound designers is the greater demand for consistency in broadcast commercials. In 2011 the European Broadcasting Union introduced R-128, a set of regulations around normalisation of audio and maximum audio signals. It was created to address the perceived jump in loudness during commercial breaks, inconsistent volumes between ads and the ‘wall of sound’ effect that occurs when an ad is blasted at the maximum permitted volume and with little dynamic range. It’s an issue that’s far more complicated than mere decibels – it also takes into account audience perception and dynamics. The rules rolled out throughout Europe in 2012 and 2013 – and for Jungle’s Chris Turner they’ve really upped the game. “Changing over to R-128 loudness metering will allow much better dynamic range for mixing commercials and really separate good mix engineers from bad,” he says.
However, despite the increased demands, many sound design companies argue that shrinking budgets and timescales are amplifying the pressure that they work under.
“Budgets and schedules are getting tighter, sometimes leaving less time for experimentation, finessing and craft,” argues Anthony Moore, partner, company director and sound designer at Factory. “Great work takes time, collaboration and trust.”
Leaps in technology aside, the thing that’s getting Anthony most excited is growing appreciation of audio as a strategic asset. “Creatives, producers and directors involving sound designers and composers at script stage to help formulate an audio concept makes for a massively stronger piece of work.”
Nicola Gilbert, deputy MD at Grand Central Recording Studios (GCRS), agrees. “The best projects involve us from the pre-production phase. We want to help the agency, production company and the brand get the most from their sound design. The earlier we can collaborate on a project the better. Talk to your chosen facility in advance, send scripts, seek advice,” she says, arguing that there is a lot that can be done in advance to ensure that sound design doesn’t end up rushed or squeezed as a result of an overrunning production schedule. “Make sure you are briefing your sound designer and discussing what you want to achieve. Allow the studio time to prepare SFX and music in advance and time your script in character, if possible, allowing for any SFX or pauses.”
For Anthony at Factory, great sound design can be ‘magic’ – but he also cautions against extraneous and over-enthusiastic, poorly thought-through sound. “It should elevate the emotional impact of a piece, draw you in and fully immerse you in the narrative. It should help the core idea at all times – tell the story, not just be sound for sound’s sake,” he says.
In the past year, however, there have been signs that sound design may finally be taken seriously as an integral part of the creative process. There’s Honda Hands, from Factory, which has been the most awarded film for sound design over the past 12 months, the recent WW1 centenary work for the Imperial War Museum which relied on GCRS recreating the stories of frontline soldiers and more. But perhaps the biggest game-changer is Dentsu’s award-busting experiment, Sound of Honda, which used the original driving data from Ayrton Senna’s 1989 Tokyo Grand Prix lap to recreate the sound of the lap and conjure up a ghostly sonic experience. The project stormed home from D&AD and Cannes with so many plaudits and awards and has hopefully brought to light the impact sound design can have when it’s more than just a finishing touch.
