For many viewers, Best Sound Mixing is often overlooked by all of the other categories at the Oscars. But it is a highly technical craft that is also incredibly creative. Mixing is the process of matching audio levels of every single sound in order to make the film sound seamless, realistic, and sharp. Sound mixers… Continue reading Best Sound Mixing — 20 Oscar-Winning Movies Ranked (2022)
Historically, sound effects were used as comic relief or to signify an action happening off-screen. But as cinematography has evolved, so too has sound design. Sound design has become a powerful tool and if you’re a filmmaker looking to increase the production value of your projects, these sound effect techniques can help get you there.… Continue reading Movie Sound — A Filmmaker’s Guide to Sound Effect Techniques
What makes a great music score? Does it need to dominate the soundtrack or can go unnoticed in the background? Should a contemporary movie always use modern music or is it blasphemy for a period piece to include pop songs? Whether you have answers to these questions or not, there’s no denying the power of… Continue reading 23 Best Movie Scores of All Time — Filmmaker Playlist
Never-ending. Eternal. Infinite. People speak in hyperbole quite often but, in real life, everything does come to an end. Everything, that is, except The Shepard Tone, which may be the one thing that truly doesn’t stop. This audio illusion is more than just a novelty, however, and filmmakers like Christopher Nolan have embraced it in… Continue reading What is The Shepard Tone? The Audio Illusion Explained with Examples
It is impossible to overstate how important a role audio plays in the film viewing experience. While it’s perfectly natural to be drawn to the visual side of filmmaking, those striking visuals don’t hold the same weight without strong cinematic sound design to back them up. Whereas a painting is purely visual and a song… Continue reading What is Sound Design for Film? Definition and Examples
Being a filmmaker, it’s essential to know what diegetic sound is and how to use it. In this article, we’re going to define diegetic sound in a short and simple way. Then we’re going to look at key examples from film to show you how experts incorporate diegetic sound into their works. Continue reading What… Continue reading What is Diegetic Sound? Diegetic Definition and Examples
Storytelling may start with an idea and a script. Along the way, it may garner tons of attention and praise for its directing and star-studded cast. But what can sound do for a story? Sound design involves much more than level dialogue and explosions. It’s highly technical, but requires an enormous amount of creativity. If… Continue reading Sound Editing vs Sound Mixing — What’s the Difference?
Using non-diegetic sound is a great way for filmmakers to support the worlds that they build. You may have heard this fancy term before but what is non-diegetic sound? The answer is much less complicated than you think. In this article, we’re going to define what non-diegetic sound is. Then, we’ll look at examples from… Continue reading What is Non-Diegetic Sound? Definition and Examples
There are three things in this life you can be certain of — death, taxes, and awesome Quentin Tarantino soundtracks. Tarantino is the master of the needle drop and knows how to place an existing song perfectly within a scene. It’s tough to narrow down the best Quentin Tarantino songs in his filmography, but that’s… Continue reading The Best Quentin Tarantino Songs Used in His Movies
One of the main reasons I personally love cinema is because it transports me to a world outside of my own. One of the ways it does that best is by manipulating sounds. I don’t know about you, but when I open a door at home, it does not sound like it does in the… Continue reading What is a Foley Artist? How They Bring Movies to Life
Finding the perfect background music can make or break a good piece of video content. Copyright laws closely protect against the unauthorized use of music in film and video projects, and licensing music tracks the old-fashioned way can be both extremely costly and time-consuming. The following 12 websites make this process easier and cheaper.Continue reading… Continue reading Free Background Music for Video — 12 Sites You Need to Know
What is asynchronous sound? Unless you work in the audio field, then there’s a decent chance the term “asynchronous sound” is new to you. We’ll be breaking down the term, comparing and contrasting synchronous and asynchronous sound, exploring the creative application of asynchronous sound, and taking a look at examples of asynchronous sound in popular… Continue reading What is Asynchronous Sound
If you’ve ever been on a set, you know how important it is to stay quiet when the 1st assistant director signals action. Unfortunately, there are some sounds that can’t be controlled. Planes overhead, unexpected cast or crew coughs, or even car horns, all contribute to the need for re-recording sound. So what is ADR… Continue reading What is ADR in Film? Will it Save or Ruin Your Film?
From 2001: A Space Odyssey to pretty much every Edgar Wright film, some of the best films of all time have effectively used needle drops to take their films to the next level. This list runs through the best movie songs of all time, and as you go through the scenes, you will find they… Continue reading 60 Best Movie Songs Of All Time — Top Needle Drops, Ranked
Do you hear any disembodied voices right now? How about when you’re watching a movie, show, or commercial? Have you considered that what you’re hearing is known as a voice-over? They show up all over media, either for entertainment or informative reasons; from your television to even your phone when you’re put on hold. So… Continue reading What is Voice Over? Definition and Examples in Film
Composer Claude Debussy said, “Works of art make rules; rules do not make works of art.” This struggle is especially true in the world of a cinematic score, where traditional orchestration dominates.Continue reading How to Design a Surreal Film Score like Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
We all know that a great soundtrack can stir emotions in the audience. But few genres have a direct line to the emotional centers of our brain than suspense and horror. Suspenseful music, when done right, can make all the difference. Great horror movie music doesn’t often win Oscars, but it does stay with us long… Continue reading How to Use Suspenseful Music: Mastering the Film Score
A lot of debate always surges about who should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture. But for this list, we’re turning our attention to the Best Original Song category. There have been plenty of classics and just as many duds over the years, but which one do you think should top the list… Continue reading Best Original Song — Every Oscar-Winning Song, Ranked
John Williams once said, “Composing music is hard work.” From Jaws to Harry Potter, the composer’s ability to both enchant and captivate has made his sound one of the most recognizable in Hollywood filmmaking.Continue reading Mastering the Film Score: John Williams
