What Is Sound Design?
Sound design is the process of creating sound effects for films, advertisements, games, and other media. Accordingly, a sound designer is the person who performs this work.
There are many definitions and interpretations of the term “sound design” (and “sound designer”), so it’s important to clarify what sound design actually entails.
What Does a Sound Designer Do?
The term “sound design” is quite broad, so sound designers are often expected to handle everything from the initial creation of sounds to the final product. Many freelancers online offer this full-cycle service for small commercials or other promotional videos.
This isn’t surprising, given the rise of social media and the increasing volume of advertisements. A compelling, “selling” sound is a key component of a commercial’s marketing success.
Sound Design in Film
While full-cycle work is suitable for small online ad projects, audio post-production for films operates differently. Sound in films (or TV shows) consists of multiple layers. Let’s break them down:
Custom Sound Effects : These are sounds created “from scratch.” They are often associated with sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and other genres requiring unique sounds for objects that don’t exist in the real world.
Foley: Sounds recorded specifically for a project to reproduce on-screen actions. These include footsteps, clothing rustles, and interactions with objects. (We delve deeper into the importance of Foley in another article.)
Library Effects (SFX): Pre-recorded sound effects designed for various purposes, such as ambient backgrounds (city noises, forest sounds, the hum of a New York apartment). These effects are purchased from professional libraries and are used to create realistic and artistic atmospheres. Additionally, they may include impactful hard sound effects, such as explosions, punches, and more.
Music: While music is not strictly part of sound design, its elements often blend with sound design to enhance the overall soundscape.
As you can imagine, for a large project—be it a film or a series—it’s impossible for one person to handle all this work.
For example, Foley for a single scene might involve over 100 sound cues (or even more), and background layers can span hundreds of tracks. All of this must be carefully edited and synchronized to meet the artistic and realistic demands of the film.
Sound cue: An audio fragment or cue on a project’s audio track.
Who Is a Sound Designer in Film?
In filmmaking, the term “sound designer” often refers to those responsible for creating sound effects from scratch, such as the sound of a spaceship or a monster’s roar. Sometimes, it’s also used for the supervising sound editor—an individual who oversees the entire audio post-production process. They handle the creation and selection of sound effects for the film and manage the sound team.
For example, supervising sound editors might add sounds like doors creaking, explosions, punches, or car engines.
On large projects, the work is segmented: one person handles ambiences, another designs custom sound effects, a third edits pre-existing effects, and so on.
“Sound Effects are often created using synthesizers”
Foley
Foley is often considered part of sound design, leading some filmmakers to believe that a freelance sound designer they find online can handle Foley as well.
It’s important to note that in such cases, the sound designer would likely record Foley using makeshift materials. Professional Foley studios, have an extensive inventory of props, footwear, and clothing to meet any Foley needs.
Additionally, Foley studios are acoustically treated and meet specific requirements for flooring (e.g., massive concrete slabs poured on the ground floor). Foley also requires a team of specialists working together.
When planning the sound for your project, keep in mind that different tasks require different experts.
The Versatility of Sound Design
As you can see, sound design is a broad term that can mean different things depending on the context. Sound designers might create and program sound for games, record and design sounds from scratch for films, or produce sound for commercials.
When searching for a specialist, ensure their expertise and experience align with your project’s requirements. If your project needs detailed Foley coverage, reach out to Foley Makers. Have a great day! :)
