Sound Design for Film
SOUND DESIGN IS LIKE COLOR GRADING…
FOR YOUR EARS.
If you’re a filmmaker and you’re trying to take your work to the next level, there are few skills more important to master than sound design.
So whether you’re just starting out with sound design, you want to add some new tips and tricks to your utility belt, or you just want some killer sound design inspiration, we’ve got you covered.
Bookmark this page to have everything you need for amazing sound design all in one place.
What is Sound Design?
Sound design is the art and practice of creating sound tracks by acquiring or creating auditory elements using audio production techniques and tools. This can be accomplished through the manipulation of pre-existing sounds, or by recording and manipulating instruments, synthesizers, vocals, or environmental sounds.
Don’t let that technical jargon overwhelm you. Sound design in regards to filmmaking is basically just creating what the audience hears.
For example, all those sounds that make your favorite movie trailers awesome… that’s sound design.
Jump down to the Sound Design Inspiration section for some examples that will blow you away.
HOw to Get Started
First, check out some of the amazing tutorials below to learn the basics or add some new tips and tricks to your repertoire.
Next, get inspired by checking out some of the incredible work down in the Sound Design Inspiration section.
Then, get some sound effects to start using in your projects. Our popular cinematic sound effects library SINGULARITY has everything you need.
Finally, start making some of your best work! Thank us later.
Sound Design Tutorials
Below is a curated collection of sound design tutorials from some of our favorite filmmakers and sound designers (including us of course).
By the time you’re done watching these, your sound design skills will have improved dramatically.
Daniel Schiffer
Daniel Schiffer has become insanely popular over the last few years, and for good reason.
You’ve probably seen countless videos inspired by his signature style pop up all over Instagram, YouTube and TikTok as of late.
Just as important as his visual style however, is the prominence of his sound design.
He uses it to take his films to another level, and this video perfectly illustrates just how big a difference sound design can make.
This video is especially good if you want to get started with foley (the process of creating or augmenting sounds for objects, characters and environments in your films).
film crux
“I’ve learned more in the last 4 and a half minutes than in the last 30 days searching for this material myself…”
That’s what one of the comments on this video said.
A lot of filmmakers want to get started with sound design, but just don’t know where to start.
This video solves that.
We put together all of our must useful sound design tips in a single video so you never have to search around again.
Perfect for beginners, or even if your skills are more advanced.
If you want to get the sounds used in this video to start making your own incredible sound design right now, you can check it out here.
Matt Komo
Matt Komo is a filmmaker, director, and head of Social Content at GoPro, and his style of sound design is both understated and sleek.
This is a great watch if you make travel films, vlogs, documentaries, or even wedding films.
Sound design doesn’t have to be in your face. In fact, if you’re doing it right, people should just be left with the feeling you want to convey, and they shouldn’t even know that the sound is what’s evoking that feeling.
This is also a very good example of how layering different sounds can help you to create a rich soundscape with more depth than individual sounds would be able to create on their own.
Andrew Huang
Sound design isn’t just for filmmakers.
In fact, it’s a major aspect of many different disciplines, including music production, theater, video game development and more.
If you really want to get good at something, sometimes it’s good to look outside of your direct niche for expertise.
For sound design, that’s music producers and engineers.
Andrew Huang is a hyper-talented music producer with over 2 million subscribers on YouTube.
In this video he breaks down some of his best sound design tips and secrets, which definitely carry over into filmmaking.
Matti Haapoja
The most crucial advice that Matti shares is that you want to accentuate onscreen elements by augmenting the sounds they’d make with your own sound design.
This will help to fully immerse viewers in a way that video alone simply can’t do.
He also explains that you never want your sound design to be distracting, and stresses the importance of subtlety to that end.
Bryn north
Bryn North is a travel filmmaker and YouTuber who travels all over the world filming his adventures.
In this video, he breaks down many of the most common types of sound design elements, including risers, drones and atmospheres, and ambiences.
One thing he outlines is that sound design is such a powerful tool, that you can essentially use it to replace the need for a traditional music track in your films.
That’s not to say that some of the best work doesn’t incorporate traditional music tracks, but it does speak to the utility of great sound design, especially when finding the perfect song for your project proves difficult.
Artlist
In this tutorial by Artlist, they give a step-by-step walkthrough of a basic sound design session.
One great thing they show is how the video works both ways; only with sound effects, and only with music.
But when both sound effects and music are combined, it can make for some truly incredible edits.
They also show how well sound design can help bring a project together.
Shots that you would never assume would be able to follow one another, feel cohesive and fluid when sound design is used as the glue for the entire edit.
Peter McKinnon
If you don’t know Peter Mckinnon, you’ve probably been living under a rock.
He blew up quickly for his high quality videos, skill, and likeable personality, and this video encapsulates all of that.
This video is great because he shows his process for doing sound design, while editing his world class b-roll as well.
Remember, a great project is the perfect combination of audio and visuals.
JR Alli
JR Alli, is known for his mindbending edits and visual style, so it may come as a surprise that he stresses the importance of great sound design as well.
He uses it as a tool to transport the viewer to another place, which is a theme across much of his work.
“It is one thing to show someone an experience, and it is another thing to have them feel like they are there.”
Don’t think of sound design as something you have to do. Think of it as part of your style.
One more way to flex your creativity in ways you may not have otherwise.
sound design inspiration
The best way to improve your own sound design is by studying great sound design.
Here are some unbelievable examples of impressive sound design that you can reference when creating your own work.
Corona “Flow”
Penzoil - JOyride Baja
Watchtower of Turkey
Yugo / Wild Food
Land
Penzoil - Joyride Prequel
Hennessy ‘The Piccards’
Ford Everest DC
ComHem “Above And Beyond”
chevrolet “The hunt alone”
SWAN LAKE - Royal Danish Ballet
Lincoln | Life. Mastered.
Projections in the Forest
Sound Design Tools
Most filmmakers have spent countless hours scouring the internet for the perfect sounds to use in their films.
Luckily, you don’t have to do that.
Here are the best and most cost effective sound effects libraries available so you can easily jump right in and start making amazing work.
SINGULARITY - Cinematic Sound Effects Library
