Listen carefully: The fine art of sound designing
Sound is not just heard but can also be felt. George Lucas once said, “Sound is half the experience,” and it is sound that holds the power to enhance the experience of a film by adding texture, depth and detail to the scenes depicted.
Great sound has the power to make or break a spectacular production. Understanding the importance of quality sound in movies or TV shows, music and games, is a crucial part of understanding what it means to be a successful – and memorable – filmmaker, music producer or a game designer. With rapidly changing content consumption habits, consumers are paying closer attention to sound as it is sound that can make their experience more meaningful.
Sound design is a creative art form used in various disciplines like filmmaking, television production, theatre, live performance, video game development, sound recording and reproduction, post-production, radio and in music.
An actor can give a great performance, and the script can be clever and inventive with great plot and pacing, but if a film lacks great sound design and music, the experience for the viewer will be less than the filmmaker intended.
Sound design can transport an audience to a fantastic world, and it can put the audience inside the head of a character by allowing them to hear what the character hears, literally to experience the world through the character’s senses. For all of these reasons, the role of the sound designer is critical to effective storytelling.
Similarly, from controlling microphones, sound levels, and outputs, sound engineers also combine their well-trained ears with their knowledge of acoustics to produce the best quality of sound for a variety of purposes. Hence, they play an equally instrumental role in the making of films, radio, television, creating content for OTT, music and in gaming.
Course requirements
Students with keen interest in the art and science of sound and with a passion for good storytelling, can explore a career in this field and gain expertise, build skills, and gain technical knowledge, a prerequisite in this profession.
With various diploma level courses available, the time span ranges from 6 months to 3 years, in India.
Having a background in physics and mathematics is beneficial as the course will subject them to deal with sound and be involved in a range of calculations and conversion of soundwaves into electric energy along with other technicalities.
However, a lot of sound experts have created a niche for themselves without a specialized background or degree in sound engineering. Their drive, enthusiasm and keen interest towards the art and science of sound has led them in achieving greater heights in the profession.
As for sound designers, it is essential to strengthen their creative abilities which will help them design sound that are appropriate to the story envisaged by the storyteller.
Along with knowledge, interest, eagerness and a good ear for music will be a bonus!
In order to acquire the right skillset for this vocation, there are numerous institutes offering sought after courses internationally as well as in India. One of the most renowned institutes in India is – The Film and Television Institute of India, Pune, which offers courses on Sound Design & Sound Engineering, under both their Film wing & the Television wing.
These institutes provide a broader overview of filmmaking and allow students to experience multiple aspects of the production process.
Likewise, Whistling Woods International, Mumbai, MIT School Of Film and Television, Pune, Satyajit Ray Film & Television Institute of India, Kolkata, Ramoji Academy of Film and Television in Hyderabad, Annapurna College of Film and Media in Hyderabad and SAE Technology College (various campuses in India) are some such institutes that are offering diploma courses in Recording Arts (audio engineering).
The road less taken
There are various career paths that can be explored by students after completing their studies in sound engineering. For example, studio audio engineer, sound engineer, live sound engineer, mixing engineer, mastering engineer, audio post-production, digital media entrepreneur, sound recordist, dialogue and music editor, studio designer, location recordist amongst others.
Whereas, a career in sound designing requires individuals to be creative and create work that captures the emotion, environment, or message within a piece.
This results in demonstrating imagination, independence, and focus. It is the choice of sound used, and the intertwining of different layers that produces a soundtrack that gives the viewer an immersive experience and transports them to the world of the spectacular.