Sound Story Network

321 – The Sound of The Last Of Us & The Penguin

Timothy Muirhead — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 20:31:55 +0200

The audio post teams from both The Penguin and Season 2 of The Last Of Us, sit down together to hash out the work they did on their respective series. Workflows are discussed and compared, favourite sound moments are shared and many other challenges, that must be overcome in these…

Making Murderbot’s Mind-Blowing Sound – a sonic deep-dive with Tyler Whitham, Danielle McBride, Alexandra Fehrman and Emilie Corpuz

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 15:40:11 +0200

Apple TV+ sci-fi action-comedy series 'Murderbot' — streaming now — is a smorgasbord of sound artfully crafted by sound supervisors Tyler Whitham and Danielle McBride, and re-recording mixers Alexandra Fehrman and Emilie Corpuz. Here, they talk about creating a signature sound for the series's reluctant protagonist Murderbot, designing ships, sandworms, HUD/UI effects, high-tech medical equipment, alien planets, a space soap opera that's a series inside the series, and mixing scenes with overlapping dialogue, double dialogue processing, tons of effects and score, and so much more!

The post Making Murderbot’s Mind-Blowing Sound – a sonic deep-dive with Tyler Whitham, Danielle McBride, Alexandra Fehrman and Emilie Corpuz appeared first on A Sound Effect.

320 – Adolescence

Timothy Muirhead — Thu, 07 Aug 2025 06:38:55 +0200

Adolescence is a limited series on Netflix consisting of 4 episodes, each made up of a single continuous hour long take. This “one-er” format presented tremendous challenges to the sound team, both on set and in post production. Intense planning was needed in order to capture everything in production, and…

Want to showcase your sound skills (& win prizes)? Take part in the new Airwiggles Audio Challenge!

Asbjoern Andersen — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 13:15:35 +0200

Get the chance to showcase your skills and win excellent prizes here:

The post Want to showcase your sound skills (& win prizes)? Take part in the new Airwiggles Audio Challenge! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

319 – How Will A.I. Affect Sound Designers?

Timothy Muirhead — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 17:53:32 +0200

This episode has been a long time coming. I have been trying to figure out how to tackle a discussion about A.I. and it’s influence on how sound editors will all be able to do our work in the future. So when the MPSE put out a press release about…

20 great new audio jobs at Hexany Audio, Universal Studios, Nintendo, Fun Waffle, FuturLab, Sledgehammer, Berklee, GoReel, KWS Taiwan, Sonologic Design, Sound Particles, The Audio Programmer, Carnegie Mellon, Cundall, Epidemic Sound, Native Instruments, P

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 01 Aug 2025 09:49:17 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at Fun Waffle, FuturLab, and Sledgehammer Games:

Fun Waffle is looking for an Audio Composer to design and implement a rich and immersive soundscape that includes original music, sound effects, and ambient audio (Remote)
FuturLab is seeking a Technical Audio Designer to create and implement of all the audio in an exciting new project – driving the audio identity of their new ‘ultra satisfying’ IP (England)
Sledgehammer Games is recruiting a Sound Designer to be involved in virtually every aspect of AAA game audio content development alongside one of the most passionate and experienced audio teams in the industry (England)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Designing THE MIDNIGHT WALK’s Dark Fantasy Game Audio – with Ola Sivefäldt and Christian Björklund

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:38:22 +0200

'The Midnight Walk' Lead Audio Designer/Lead Programmer Ola Sivefäldt and Senior Sound Designer Christian Björklund break down their approach to sound designing and mixing one of the most unique-looking indie games released this year! 'The Midnight Walk' is available for PS5 and Steam (fully playable in both flatscreen and VR modes), and the game's sound is exactly the same for both. Here, they talk about the challenges of creating sounds that work for VR and flatscreen, working within UE5's audio environment, designing characters using organic sounds, working with composer Joel Bille, and much, much more!

The post Designing THE MIDNIGHT WALK’s Dark Fantasy Game Audio – with Ola Sivefäldt and Christian Björklund appeared first on A Sound Effect.

24 great new sound libraries: Bat caves, combat weapons, fierce Mustangs, kitchen objects, workshop tools, lots of new ambiences, and more

Adriane Kuzminski — Wed, 30 Jul 2025 20:40:08 +0200

Check out these 24 new sound effects libraries from the independent sound community:

The post 24 great new sound libraries: Bat caves, combat weapons, fierce Mustangs, kitchen objects, workshop tools, lots of new ambiences, and more appeared first on A Sound Effect.

19 great new audio jobs at Nintendo, NBCUniversal, Sound Particles, Apple, One More Level, BUTTER Music and Sound, Mirelo AI, Narratix, QLAB Digital Post, Riot Games LA, Riot Games Music, RUN Studios, Aristocrat, Avid, EA SPORTS, Frogwares, Google, Kassne

Adriane Kuzminski — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 20:39:08 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at Sound Particles, Nintendo, One More Level, and BUTTER Music and Sound:

Sound Particles is hiring a Researcher with a strong theoretical background combined with curiosity, creativity, and a desire to solve complex problems (Portugal)
Nintendo is looking for an Audio Director (NST) to manage the audio team directing the design, development, and implementation of all sound and music for Nintendo Software Technology (WA, US)
One More Level is seeking a Sound Designer to record and design sound assets and implement them using Wwise and Unreal Engine (Poland)
BUTTER Music and Sound is recruiting an Associate Music Editor to handle everything from downloading fresh composer tracks, laying them back to picture, sweetening the final mix, and packaging it all up with love (NY, US / Remote / Hybrid)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

318 – MPSE Presents: The Sound Legacy of James Bond

Timothy Muirhead — Tue, 29 Jul 2025 19:53:17 +0200

Recorded in the legendary Formosa Trident Studios, this talk features someone from the sound team from every James Bond film released since 1973?!!!! Michael Fenton ( Sound Editor on No Time To Die), Karen Baker Landers (Supervising Sound Editor on Skyfall & Spectre), Mike Prestwood Smith (Re-recording Mixer on Casino…

317 – The Bear Season 4

Timothy Muirhead — Fri, 25 Jul 2025 18:45:37 +0200

Fresh off of receiving 2 Emmy nominations, for Sound Mixing and Sound Editing, the audio team from The Bear sits down to talk about their work on the latest season of the acclaimed series. Re-Recording Mixer & Supervising Sound Editor Steve “Major” Giammaria, Dialog Editor Evan Benjamin and Production Sound…

Crafting the Unsettling Sound of ’28 Years Later’ – with Johnnie Burn

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 11:35:10 +0200

Oscar-winning Sound Supervisor/Re-Recording Mixer Johnnie Burn at Wave Studios talks about crafting a post-apocalyptic world ruled by nature for director Danny Boyle's '28 Years Later' — from recording his metal vocalist/mix tech for the Alpha infected's scream, recording rural locations in England and Wales for authentic ambiences, and designing the sound of wind through skulls by (poorly) playing recorders and flutes, to shaping the overall mix during sound editorial, and much more!

The post Crafting the Unsettling Sound of ’28 Years Later’ – with Johnnie Burn appeared first on A Sound Effect.

24 great new sound libraries: Emergency sirens, elemental mutations, sleek leopards, Formula 3 engine roars, Japanese festivals, inside beehives, visiting kushtopia, and so much more

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 24 Jul 2025 00:54:08 +0200

Discover the very latest in sound effects with these 24 new releases from the independent sound community:

The post 24 great new sound libraries: Emergency sirens, elemental mutations, sleek leopards, Formula 3 engine roars, Japanese festivals, inside beehives, visiting kushtopia, and so much more appeared first on A Sound Effect.

19 great new audio jobs at Dolby, Ka-boom, Gameloft Brisbane, 344 Audio, Meta, Spotify, PikPok, Studio Drydock, Nordlings, One Line, Shiva Bayat, Skillsearch, Sonatune, Studio 52, Universal Music, Aalborg University, Erick Cifuentes, HeartLoop, and KWS B

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 08:59:26 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at 344 Audio, Ka-boom, PikPok, and Studio Drydock:

344 Audio is looking for a Sound Designer who lives and breathes soundwaves, knows their way around Pro Tools blindfolded, and isn’t afraid to get their hands dirty in foley, dialogue, or field recording (England)
Ka-boom is hiring a Sound Designer / Re-Recording Mixer to join them in delivering high-quality sound for a wide range of TV and film projects (Ireland)
PikPok is seeking a Junior Audio Designer to help create amazing games that engage and entertain (New Zealand)
Studio Drydock is recruiting a Senior Audio Designer with a proven track record in creating thrilling, soothing and immersive game audio experiences (Remote)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

24 great new sound libraries: WWII firearms, UK ambiences, nuanced typewriters, soldier vocals, aquatic motions, and much, much more

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 17 Jul 2025 19:21:22 +0200

Get the freshest sounds available with these new releases from the independent sound community:

The post 24 great new sound libraries: WWII firearms, UK ambiences, nuanced typewriters, soldier vocals, aquatic motions, and much, much more appeared first on A Sound Effect.

Fireworks with a Gorgeous View

Richard — Sat, 12 Jul 2025 01:36:43 +0200

I had high hopes for the soundscape you’re about to hear in the YouTube video below. Off and on for several years, I have been recording the sound of exploding fireworks, both up close and distant. Examples of my up-close work can be heard and purchased via my blog post entitled Commercial Fireworks: Up Close and Loud. As you’ll hear, I’m still working on the distant fireworks library. On Independence Day, or rather, that night, I convinced my wife to drive with me down poorly-lit gravel roads to listen to fireworks with a gorgeous view. The view in this case is from the gorge overlook at Mohican State Park.… Read More

The post Fireworks with a Gorgeous View appeared first on Evocative Sound and Visuals.

20 great new audio jobs at Disneyland Paris, HeartLoop Games, Clear Music, Qualcomm, Rovio, Apple, Bluecadet, Bose, Gameloft Brisbane, Mysteria Studio, Side, Sporty Group, Dolby, EA Create, EA SPORTS, Gameloft Montreal, PlayStation, All Ages of Geek, and

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 11 Jul 2025 10:58:48 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at HeartLoop Games, Clear Music, All Ages of Geek, and Qualcomm:

HeartLoop Games is hiring a Musician / Audio Designer for contract work on their combat-focused game (Remote)
Clear Music is looking for a Freelance Audio Post to collaborate on music briefs, custom SFX requests, and freelance sound supervision projects (Netherlands)
All Ages of Geek is seeking a Deaf / HoH Voice Actor to voice a small role with the opportunity to appear in many future episodes (Remote)
Qualcomm is recruiting a Acoustics Engineer who has a passion for audio/acoustics, is self-motivated, and comfortable working within an acoustics R&D lab environment (CA, US)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

Recording the Gorge Dam

Richard — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 23:36:22 +0200

Yesterday, I drove down to Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, to record the sound of water pouring over the Gorge Dam. This massive 70-foot-high concrete dam, constructed in 1913 by Northern Ohio Traction & Light Co. to generate hydroelectric power, was decommissioned … Read More

The post Recording the Gorge Dam appeared first on Evocative Sound and Visuals.

The SUMMER SALE is here! Get huge savings on sound effects libraries, plugins & instruments + free sounds with ANY order!

Asbjoern Andersen — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 14:15:48 +0200

Land excellent deals on sound libraries, plugins and instruments here - while you have the chance!

The post The SUMMER SALE is here! Get huge savings on sound effects libraries, plugins & instruments + free sounds with ANY order! appeared first on A Sound Effect.

Cleaning Up Your Soundminer database with SMDB Companion app: Tips from Designer Tim Farrell

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 09:00:34 +0200

Award-winning sound designer Tim Farrell developed the SMDB Companion (Soundminer Database Companion) app that makes it easy to find and remove duplicate files in your database. Here, he shares his inspiration for creating the SMDB Companion, explains how it works, shares different ways to narrow searches, offers tips on useful features, and more!

The post Cleaning Up Your Soundminer database with SMDB Companion app: Tips from Designer Tim Farrell appeared first on A Sound Effect.

20 great new audio jobs at Netflix, Cloud Imperium, Huawei, Audiotonix, BandLab, ArenaNet, Forever Audio, HoYoverse, Impulse Audio Lab, inMusic, Native Instruments, nDreams, ROOST, The Audio Programmer, Creative Recruitment, Deluxe, Global Media Operation

Adriane Kuzminski — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 00:24:53 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at ArenaNet, Cloud Imperium Games, Huawei, and Forever Audio:

ArenaNet is hiring a Music Lead who is talented and collaborative and can drive all music efforts for an unannounced title (WA, US)
Cloud Imperium Games is looking for a Junior Sound Designer to record, design and implement audio for our Star Citizen and Squadron 42 projects (England)
Huawei is seeking a Senior Research Engineer – Spatial Audio to conduct applied research in spatial audio technologies (Germany)
Forever Audio is recruiting a US Team Assistant to provide support for our US audio teams in every element of production (Remote / US)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

316 – Field Recording Stories With Tim

Timothy Muirhead — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 21:31:31 +0200

Tonebenders’ host, Tim Muirhead, tells the tales of some of his favourite field recording (mis)adventures and invites all the podcasts’ listeners to send in their own stories of capturing interesting sounds out in the wild. Full details on how to submit your own recordings here. Tim shares stories of recording…

The Sound of The Last of Us S2: Inside the Epic Battles, Infected Hordes & Hidden Details

Jennifer Walden — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 17:47:32 +0200

Max's hit series The Last of Us raises the intensity to new heights in Season 2. Here’s Michael Benavente, Christopher Battaglia, and Chris Terhune on how the sound team designed massive hordes of infected using only three voice actors, kept rain interesting using bespoke water recordings, re-created the Seraphites' whistle-based communication, and so much more!

The post The Sound of The Last of Us S2: Inside the Epic Battles, Infected Hordes & Hidden Details appeared first on A Sound Effect.

One Year Alone in the Forest: Day 1

Jared Blake — Tue, 01 Jul 2025 06:44:18 +0200

What I’m Doing

For the next year, I’m leaving a sound recorder alone, untouched, and always listening in the heart of a remote wilderness.

This project is a departure from my intentional series, where I’m on-site, ears open, immersed in the environment as I carefully choose every moment to capture.

Recently, I’ve been craving something different. A different relationship with time, with listening, and with the soundscape itself.

I was deeply inspired by Joshua Bonnetta’s The Pines, a meditative exploration of place, sound, and change that evokes stillness and invites patience. His work reminded me that the most profound shifts in a landscape often happen slowly—too slowly for a single visit, or even a single season to reveal.

At the same time, I’ve been reckoning with the growing difficulty of finding pure, uninterrupted nature sounds.

My current field trips are short and not always remote enough to escape the hum of distant highways, overhead planes, or human activity.

So, this long-term project is my way of adapting. By setting up a Wildlife Acoustics SM4 recorder and returning at least once a month to retrieve the SD cards and replace the 10Ah batteries, I can listen without interruption to the rise and fall of seasons, the shift in bird calls, the hush of snowfall, and the sudden bloom of spring insects.

It’s a commitment to deep listening, to staying with one place for a full year. And while I won’t be there physically for every sound that gets recorded, I’m still choosing to be in a relationship with this soundscape—listening to it unfold, one month at a time.

This is still an intentional recording. Just slower, quieter, and different.

The Gear Setup

For this project to work, the gear needs to be rugged, reliable, and capable of running unattended for weeks at a time in harsh conditions.

The centerpiece of my setup is the Wildlife Acoustics SM4, a professional-grade field recorder built specifically for long-term deployments in the wild.

It records low-noise 16-bit WAV files and is designed to sip power over long stretches of time, making it the ideal choice for year-round passive recording.

Wind Protection

Even the best mics are useless without proper wind protection, especially in exposed wilderness.

For this build, I hand-sewed custom furry wind covers using material salvaged from a broken Rycote WS AE blimp windjammer.

Rycote generously replaced the original when it failed, so the old one was just sitting in a drawer collecting dust.

I repurposed the fur, stitching together snug-fitting wind protection tailored to the generous curves of foam around the SM4 mics.

Power

To keep the SM4 running continuously between monthly check-ins, I’m using two 10Ah IP67-rated waterproof batteries linked here.

I have a total of four in rotation—two out in the field powering the unit, and two charging at home, ready for the next swap.

These batteries are built tough and rated for water submersion, but I didn’t want to take any chances, so I went a step further.

Custom Battery Enclosure

Using my 3D printer, I designed and built a custom enclosure that houses both batteries.

It’s probably overkill, but the peace of mind is worth it.

The case ensures protection from heavy rains, snow, mud, and the occasional curious animal.

Monthly Returns: A Ritual of Listening

As I walked away from the recorder for the first time, I felt a strange mix of relief, excitement, and vulnerability.

The SM4 is now out there, recording nonstop—alone in the forest, exposed to weather, wildlife, and time.

Starting next month, I’ll begin a new routine: hiking back to the site to retrieve the SD cards and replace the batteries.

These monthly visits will be the only human presence the recorder experiences, but I’m not just planning to hike in, swap gear, and leave.

Whenever possible, I’ll camp near the SM4, setting up quietly at a respectful distance.

I want to spend time with this land—not just through recordings, but through my own direct senses.

I want to fall asleep to the same night sounds the recorder is capturing, wake with the same birdsong, and feel the temperature, texture, and rhythm of the environment firsthand.

This is part of how I learn a place—by simply being in it, with no agenda beyond observation.

These overnight stays won’t be about making new recordings. They’ll be about building familiarity—about grounding the digital data in lived experience.

I want to know this place, not just through the lens of the recorder, but through direct encounter. To hear what the SM4 hears while lying under the stars. To feel the breeze the mics are catching. To watch the light shift across the forest floor and smell the damp earth after rain.

By camping near the recorder each month, I’m hoping to form a sensory connection to the land, so that when I later sit down to listen, weeks or months removed from the moment, I’m not just hearing anonymous nature sounds; I’m experiencing memories.

This monthly return will become a ritual of listening and witnessing. One location. Twelve visits. A year-long dialogue between the recorder, the landscape, and me.

What’s Next

With the recorder now set and the first SD cards quietly filling up, all that’s left to do, for now, is wait.

In about a month, I’ll hike back to the site for the first return visit.

I’ll bring fresh batteries and empty cards, but more importantly, I’ll bring a sense of curiosity.

What has the recorder heard in my absence? Has it survived the elements? Did it capture the first insects of spring? A migrating flock overhead? A passing storm? Do I need to adjust the gain? I won’t know until I sit down, load the files, and begin to listen.

As the year unfolds, I’ll be sharing updates here and on YouTube—reflections from each trip, highlights from the recordings, and insights into how the soundscape is changing month by month.

My goal is to create more than just a library of audio. I want to tell the story of a place through sound: its rhythms, its silences, its wild, unpredictable voice.

This is just the beginning.

If you’re interested in following this project, I’d love for you to subscribe to my YouTube channel or bookmark this blog. You’ll hear everything I hear, one month at a time.

And as the seasons change, we’ll discover together what it means to truly listen to a single place with patience, attention, and care.

Let the year of stillness begin.

Disclaimer: This blog post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps support my work and allows me to continue providing valuable content. Thank you for your support!

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Thanks for reading,
-Jared

315 – Sound Effects Field Recording Round Table

Timothy Muirhead — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 05:42:16 +0200

While in Los Angeles I was able to get 3 of the city’s busiest sound effects recordists together, in the same room. We had a talk about their careers and some of their adventures in capturing the sounds for Hollywood’s biggest films. John Paul Fasal, Charlie Campagna & Eric Potter…

20 great new audio jobs at Criterion, BBC Studios, Google, HANCE, Zynga, The Washington Post, Jabsz Studios, Mob Entertainment, Skoove, Sonologic Design, University of Reading, Venchr, Vox, Inc., Yoto, Black Shamrock, Evolution, Instinct, Nowon, and Riot

Adriane Kuzminski — Thu, 26 Jun 2025 16:10:29 +0200

We came across interesting new jobs at Criterion Games, Jabsz Studios, and Mob Entertainment:

Criterion Games is hiring a Technical Audio Designer to work closely with the audio design and programming teams to create, implement, maintain and debug complex audio playback systems (England)
Jabsz Studios is seeking a Sound Effects Designer Intern to craft immersive audio experiences that enrich the gameplay (Remote)
Mob Entertainment is recruiting a Composer to be the architect of their game’s sonic unease – blending ambient dread, tense build-ups, and haunting melodies (Remote / US)

To learn more about these featured jobs, scroll down to see their full descriptions

314 – MPSE Presents: House Of The Dragon

Timothy Muirhead — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 23:06:37 +0200

House Of The Dragon is one of the biggest shows on TV and the sound of the show is one of the bog reasons for that success. Al Sirkett (Re-Recording Mixer/Supervising Sound Editor), Barnaby Smyth (Foley Artist /Foley Supervisor), Ruth Knight (Sound Editor) and Doug Cooper (Re-Recording Mixer) joined me…

Why the Sound in Adolescence Feels So Real #Netflix #Adolescence #sounddesign

A Sound Effect — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 14:27:50 +0200

How the Iron Golem sounds in A Minecraft Movie were made

A Sound Effect — Thu, 12 Jun 2025 12:25:53 +0200

312 – The Pitt

Timothy Muirhead — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 03:25:34 +0200

Hospitals are really hard to create sound design for. The walla and general soundscape of a hospital is very different than any other location, because they are dense but not necessarily loud. Plus there are lots of medical machines that need to be accounted for. In the new HBO emergency…

Dawn Chorus in Southwest Ohio

Richard — Tue, 10 Jun 2025 00:16:33 +0200

Over Memorial Day weekend 2025, my wife and I stayed in the guest house at the Murphin Ridge Inn, a bed and breakfast 13 miles due north of the Ohio River as the crow flies. Below, hear the dawn chorus … Read More

The post Dawn Chorus in Southwest Ohio appeared first on Evocative Sound and Visuals.

Earth FM interview with George Vlad

George Vlad — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 19:02:32 +0200

I recently had the pleasure of talking to Melissa at Earth FM. She had some very good questions and we touched on a range of topics including jam making! Listen at https://earth.fm/podcast/interview-george-vlad/ or wherever you get your podcasts.

The real dog sounds behind 'Dennis' in A Minecraft Movie

A Sound Effect — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 07:10:34 +0200

Here's How A Minecraft Movie's Wingsuit Sound Was Created

A Sound Effect — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 18:32:30 +0200

How The Skeleton Sounds In A Minecraft Movie Were Made

A Sound Effect — Thu, 05 Jun 2025 10:30:14 +0200

The Sound of Black Mirror Season 7: From Script to Screen

info@resurface.audio — Thu, 29 May 2025 09:12:43 +0200

The audio theatre at MPTS 2025 in London played host to an intimate and technically rich dive into one of television’s most sonically ambitious projects— Netflix’s Black Mirror Season 7. In a panel titled From Script to Screen: The Sound of Black Mirror, attendees got a rare behind-the-scenes look into how this anthology series crafts its immersive soundscapes.

Moderated by Resurface co-founder Ben Nemes, the session featured supervising sound editor Tom Jenkins, re-recording mixer James Ridgeway, and production sound mixer Jen Annor, each of whom helped bring the distinctive episodes of the latest season to life. With episodes as varied as a retro sci-fi homage (USS Callister) and the Casablanca-tinged Hotel Reverie, the trio unpacked the creative decisions and logistical complexities of shaping the Sound of Black Mirror.

Resurface · The Sound of Black Mirror Season 7

A World of One-Offs

What sets Black Mirror apart—beyond its existential dread and Charlie Brooker’s technological prophecy—is its anthology format. Each episode exists in its own universe, which means the audio team must start from scratch every time.

“There’s no Queen Vic, there’s no Rick Grimes,” said Nemes, referring to the usual TV constants. Jenkins elaborated, “Creatively, it’s incredibly exciting… the different genres are so broad.” But he was also candid about the challenges: “Whilst we are a consistent team, composers are often different. The directors are different. The whole production team could be different.”

Ridgeway added, “Tom and I are one of maybe 20 people who are consistent across episodes. It’s like doing a series of back-to-back feature films.”

A major constant, however, is creator and showrunner Charlie Brooker, whose fingerprints are all over the sound. “He’s got a fascination with sound,” said Ridgeway. “If you put in a video game sound, he’s there on YouTube checking that it’s the right one.”

This can be a blessing or a curse, depending on how right—or wrong—the team gets it. Jenkins recalled the ordeal of designing audio for the episode Plaything. “It was an 11-month process… hundreds of iterations… because I kept doing it wrong,” he said with a laugh.

But Brooker’s involvement is always story-driven. “Any conversation we’re having about the sound of video games or technology… it’s never just to be accurate,” Jenkins noted. “It’s, ‘How does it support the story? How does it make our characters feel?’”

A Deep Dive: Hotel Reverie

In particular, the discussion centred on Hotel Reverie, a standout episode that straddles a modern tech dystopia and 1940s Hollywood glamour. The episode features a contemporary actress inserted into a classic film using a fictional AI platform called Redream. The sound design had to toggle between these eras—sometimes within the same scene.

“There was a meeting quite early on where we were brought onto Zoom to discuss, ‘How far do we go?’” Ridgeway recalled. One key debate was whether to record dialogue using actual vintage microphones. “I said, ‘I don’t have those mics, and I wasn’t born then” Annor joked.

Ridgeway argued against the idea: “It’s not just the mic; it’s the old cables, the tape recorder… and we might not even use it in the mix.”

Instead, they opted to capture pristine production sound and then degrade it selectively in post. “We had to make it sound like 1940s cinema when we were in the film, but not be abrasive when cutting back to the control room or other modern-day environments,” Ridgeway said.

Mixing Worlds: Audio Inception

To maintain narrative clarity, the sound had to indicate not just where the characters were, but how they were experiencing that world. “It’s audio Inception” said Jenkins. “You’re either in the movie, in the control room watching the movie, or listening through an in-ear comms setup.”

The team created internal categories: the film score (for the 1940s sequences) and the Black Mirror score. “The film score was often in mono, thin and crunchy. But we allowed ourselves to break the rules toward the end for emotional effect,” Ridgeway said.

Jenkins emphasized the importance of emotional continuity. “It was never a one-size-fits-all treatment,” he said. “You needed to track the emotion of the characters.”

For Annor, the early collaboration was a rare and welcome change. “It was like a dream come true to actually be able to talk to the sound design team during the shoot,” she said. “On some jobs, you never even speak to them—they’re not hired yet.”

That early engagement paid off. “It meant we could experiment, make mistakes, and find happy accidents,” said Jenkins. “If you wait until the final mix to make those decisions, you don’t have the time.”

Advice for Creators: Start Early, Talk Often

Asked what advice they would offer producers or directors working with sound, the panelists were unanimous: involve your sound team early.

“Time should be given for these things,” said Annor. “People think, ‘You can hear it, it’s done.’ But there’s so much nuance.”

“Netflix has been supportive,” Ridgeway noted. “But what matters is adapting the process to the episode. These aren’t 22-minute sitcoms. Every episode is a different length, a different world.”

Sound Favorites from the Team

To close the session, an Audience member asked the panelists their favorite Black Mirror episode from an audio perspective.

Annor chose San Junipero: “It was just a beautiful piece of writing—and I could relate to the story.”

Ridgeway went with Bete Noir “Bete Noir is just an office drama… with a big sci-fi twist. And Callister had one of the most fun scores I’ve ever worked with—homages to so many sci-fi themes.”

Jenkins echoed the love for Callister: “I grew up a Star Trek and Star Wars nerd. Getting the script, realizing we’d get to do space battles with our own take on that sound—it was just exciting.”

Final Thoughts

Black Mirror may be known for its bleak outlook on technology, but for those behind the scenes, it’s a creative playground. Season 7 proves that audio storytelling isn’t just an afterthought—it’s essential to the emotional and narrative fabric of the series.

“We’re not just making things sound good,” Jenkins said. “We’re telling the story—with emotion, with clarity, and with the freedom to experiment.”

Thanks to Netflix, the panel participants and attendees. For more behind-the-scenes insight into Black Mirror, check out Netflix’s Tudum page.

MPTS Returns 13 and 14 May 2026. Register Here.

The post The Sound of Black Mirror Season 7: From Script to Screen appeared first on Resurface.

James Mather on craft, career and the sound of Mission:Impossible – The Final Reckoning.

info@resurface.audio — Fri, 23 May 2025 08:14:13 +0200

Resurface · James Mather and the Sound of Mission:Impossible – The FInal Reckoning

In a career that has moved in distinct instalments from picture cutting rooms to the Vanity Fair party with a Best Sound Oscar in hand, James Mather has remained defiantly committed to one principle: clarity. Whether shaping the sonic fabric of Harry Potter, the troubles of Belfast or the sprawling, high-wire action of Mission: Impossible, Mather’s work is less about spectacle, and more about control, discipline and emotional impact.

Speaking to Resurface co-founder Ben Nemes at the 2025 Media Production and Technology Show, Mather offered a candid, insightful account of his craft and career. With the sound of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning signed off just the night before, his reflections arrived fresh from the front lines of one of cinema’s most exacting workflows. Listen to the full 35 minute conversation on the link above, which is summarised below.

Defining the Job – and Then Redefining It

Mather is a Supervising Sound Editor, though he’s the first to admit the title is anachronistic. Originally a Stateside import, the label barely contains the breadth of the modern role. Today, it sits somewhere between sound designer, re-recording mixer, and producer—a pivot point connecting directors, editors and full sound teams across the post-production timeline.

He described his job as both managerial and creative, balancing responsibility for the overall sound vision with detailed involvement in its realisation. With DAWs now serving as both editorial and mix platforms, mixing is no longer a discrete phase; it begins early and happens continuously. For Mather, who handled temp dubs, pre-dubs and portions of the final mix on The Final Reckoning, this collapsing of roles is just the nature of contemporary post as a team sport.

Mather’s technical acumen wasn’t born in a university or training scheme. It emerged—somewhat accidentally—in a Bristol post-production facility that specialised in two formats with one thing in common: silence. With animation and natural history both being devoid of production sound, every element is built from scratch. There are no booms on set, no room tone, no sync—only footage and the requirement to make it tell the story.

That constraint turned into creative freedom. In Mather’s early years, he learned not only how to lay believable effects, but how to reinforce editorial rhythm and emotional pacing with audio alone. He recalls working for Aardman, where real conversations recorded in old people’s homes had to be reframed sonically into imagined environments. Those early years taught him not only the technicalities of track laying, but how to shape narrative with sound before the visuals were even finalised.

Escaping Picture, Embracing Audio

Though he started as an assistant in picture editorial, Mather cynically followed the money into the more lucrative world of audio Read More

The post Sounds of Idaho appeared first on Evocative Sound and Visuals.

2015 Lake Providence Baptism

Richard — Sat, 10 May 2025 20:32:20 +0200

Look and listen to sights and sounds from the 2015 Lake Providence joint Black Baptist church baptism.… Read More

The post 2015 Lake Providence Baptism appeared first on Evocative Sound and Visuals.

Force Mono Peaks Display In Reaper 7.38

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Long-form listening

George Vlad — Fri, 02 May 2025 11:06:37 +0200

This article was originally written for Earth FM.

How long is a dawn chorus? How about a thunderstorm? Can you capture the essence of a soundscape in a few minutes, or do you need more than that to accurately portray such natural phenomena? Does it matter if you only listen for a few seconds or minutes? Important questions worth exploring.

Background

I’ve been recording natural soundscapes for about 15 years, and before that I’ve been paying attention to them for close to four decades. Some of my most cherished childhood memories are related to sounds and biophony, and active listening has always been a part of my life.

Having said that, when I got my first sound recorder around 2010 I only recorded short snippets here and there for quite a while. Most of my recordings from that time are five to 15 seconds in length. When I go back and listen to those files, I am surprised and frustrated with myself, because there are some nice gems in there but they don’t give you enough time to understand what you’re listening to.

Recording open country in Gabon’s Bateke Plateaux

This is by no means a unique experience. I’ve seen it happen time and time again – someone learns about field recording, gets their hands on some equipment, and the recordings they capture are mostly short snippets. This can be caused by impatience, or by the effects of our visually-focused, scroll-happy culture. What’s certain is that long-form recording (and listening) requires a serious change of mindset.

Recording sounds and soundscapes

One of the main subjects of my early recording years was dawn choruses. I would wake up at 3am, drive to the outskirts of Iași, Romania, or Edinburgh, Scotland, set up a recording rig in the dark, and lay 100m of cable back to my car. This allowed me to monitor what I was capturing, and of course to record continuously for a few hours.

Initially I was worried about the amount of data I was collecting, and about the time it would take to listen, edit and manage it. As I did more and more of these sessions, I realised how much information and audio content I was missing by only recording for a few minutes at a time. That’s when I realised that it’s preferable to have file size and storage issues rather than failing to record good soundscapes.

Another phenomenon I find very interesting for sound recording is thunderstorms. While in some places you can pinpoint the moments that a thunderstorm starts and ends (or moves in and out of hearing range), in others this is much more fuzzy. A few years ago I was in the Javari valley of the Amazon rainforest, and I spent a whole day watching a thunderstorm circle our little hut, just within hearing range. When it eventually hit, the sun had set and it came with a massive light show and a huge downpour. I had several rigs recording at various distances from camp, and looking back at those recordings I can say I recorded a 12 hour+ thunderstorm on that day, with no clear beginning or end.

Recording wildlife in Zambia

Lastly, how about animal calls? With some animals it’s very easy to tell when their call starts and when it stops. Think about a series of lion roars, a wren’s song or the drumming of a woodpecker. Other species make more complex and much longer sounds, though. Black-and-white colobus monkeys call for tens of minutes at dawn, while a humpback whale’s song can take hours. Some insects can call all night long.

Of course there are many more sounds and soundscapes I could include here, like wind, rain, glaciers moving, volcanoes erupting etc. Can you realistically say that you’ve captured these sounds if you only record for a few minutes?

My approach is to use drop rigs and to record for at least a full day/night cycle where possible. While this might be too much for some applications, it is an excellent way to observe the ebb and flow of biophony. You are guaranteed to capture a full dawn chorus this way, no matter how long. Moreover, it’s much easier to retrospectively look at a waveform and/or spectrogram and to select the beginning and end of a certain natural phenomenon than to try and piece together something from several short recordings. Even if you have to choose a small excerpt, it’s easier done when you have so much material to work with.

Mana Pools in the rainy season

Once you get out of the short-snippet mindset, there is a lot to discover. It might not be as exciting as moving around every few minutes and finding new and shiny things to point your mics at, but it allows a much deeper glimpse into the ecology of a space.

Listening to soundscape recordings

It’s no secret that listening to nature sounds and immersing yourself in nature is beneficial. Many studies have shown this, but I don’t know of any research that has focused on the minimum amount of listening that you need to do for this to be effective. Having said that, there has to be a sweet spot somewhere between one microsecond and 100% of your time spent listening.

Without going into too much detail, natural soundscapes have this effect on us because they have been the soundtrack to our ancestors’ lives for aeons. Proto-humans which evolved on the African savanna would hear birdsong, soft wind, rain, thunderstorms etc. every day of their lives, and these would signal ‘business as usual’ to their ears.

In the last hundred years or so, natural sounds have been replaced by traffic, aircraft, combustion engines, alarms and other anthropogenic noise. There might be some birdsong included, but unfortunately it’s often drowned out. This ‘new’ and grating element in our soundscape is perceived by our auditory cortex as a continuous cause of stress, because of its harsh and relatively novel nature.

Listening to nature soundscapes for 10 minutes a day (while blocking out or minimizing anthropogenic noise) is a great step, but probably not enough to reverse the damage and stress that urban anthropophony is causing. One hour a day might be better, more hours even more so.

In my experience, two hours of exposure to nature sounds per day is a good middle ground. I like to wake up to the sounds of a lively dawn chorus, and in the evening I spend at least one hour reading while listening to the sounds of soft wind or a thunderstorm. During daytime I like to take breaks and to reset my ears, especially if I’ve been doing work that requires a lot of conscious listening.

Sun setting in Chizarira NP

Brief, shallow experiences have their place, and a quick 10-minute break from the chaos of urban life is very welcome if that’s all your time allows for. But once you’ve made a habit of this, it’s worth exploring longer and more immersive experiences.

Listening for longer might also be an antidote to our stimulus-rich but fractured lives. Sometimes I spend an entire day switching from small task to small task, constantly being bombarded with notifications and requests, shifting focus and mindset quickly. I will be completely drained at the end of such a day, even though I’ve been mostly sat at my desk. The best antidote I’ve found is listening to nature sounds for a while, ideally while walking but even while reading a book or just lying on the sofa with my cat.

Lastly, and this is purely subjective, listening to a short snippet of something (dawn chorus, thunderstorm etc.) makes me feel a bit uneasy, like reading a book only halfway through. I need this experience to develop naturally and to last for a while before I can consider it complete. Enjoy, and happy listening!

This Wolf Helped Voice an Alien in Mickey 17 #soundeffects #recording #filmsound #sounddesign

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