Sound Design for Film Trailers

Introduction

• Sound design enhances the production value and quality of films.
• Focus on sound designing for a film trailer with tips and techniques from experience.
• Example used: the trailer for the short film Will the Machine.

Sound Design Basics

• Great audio starts on set, but can be enhanced significantly in post-production.
• Difference between sound design, sound mixing, and dialogue cleanup.
  • Sound Mixing/Dialogue Cleanup: More objective, making right or wrong choices.
  • Sound Design: Creative storytelling choices.
• Example from short film Last Laugh Inc: Over-the-top sound design for a cinematic introduction.

Software and Tools

• Using Premiere (applicable techniques in other editing software: Final Cut, Vegas, Avid, Resolve).
• Main Tool: Soundly for sourcing sound effects.
  • Soundly advantages: speeds up sound design, large library, free trial available.
  • Feature: Save files directly into project-specific folders in Premiere.

Practical Steps for Sound Design

1. Adding Ambience to a Drone Shot: Wind, Birds, Water

• Tool: Soundly
  • Cross dissolve technique for smooth audio transitions.
  • Keyframe vs. Cross dissolve: Keyframe allows effects like reverb to decay naturally.

2. Layering Sounds for Depth

• Example: Drone shot with wind sounds.
  • Use low pass and reverb effects to adjust sound proximity.
  • Adding birds chirping with reverb for consistency.

3. Handling Crowds and Quick Shots

• Use of sound effects like camera flashes, making sounds progressively louder or altering speed.
  • Adding crowd sounds with significant reverb.

4. Creating Impact with Risers and Swells

• Finding the correct riser sound to build tension.
  • Layering different sounds for a unique effect.

5. Using Whooshes and Drones

• Whoosh Sounds: Used sparingly to transition shots.
  • Drones: Create consistent background tone (sinister, ethereal).

6. Building Scenes with Dialogue and Effects

• Using delay for echo effects on important lines.
  • Metallic sound effects for character-related sounds.
  • Using pitch shifter and impact sounds for visual consistency.

Organizational Tips for Timeline

• Dialogue and production audio at the top, regular sound effects in the middle, ambience and music at the bottom.
• Keep work organized, clean up project timeline after initial sound design.

Conclusion

• Layering and reverb are key to creating rich and dynamic sound design.
• Using unique sounds makes your film stand out.
• Additional Learning: Patreon with long-form, in-depth videos and one-on-one consultations.
• Encouragement to follow for more tips and support for the channel.