"Tales of Scale" is an engaging short film where I took on the roles of Sound Designer and Foley Artist. My mission was to bring the film's acoustic world to life and create an immersive soundscape.
Goals and Requirements
Project Goal 🥅
The goal was to enhance the emotional impact and narrative depth of the film through detailed sound design and Foley art.
Requirements 🤲
- High-quality recording and creation of sound effects
- Seamless integration of sound effects into the film mix
- Ensuring clear and balanced audio quality
Work Process
Planning and Preparation 📝
I collaborated closely with Cris Wiegandt (Creative Director) and Ru Warner from Hu_sh London (Executive Producer) to understand their vision and expectations and to be able to match them in the best way possible.
Recording and Creating Sound Effects (Foley Art) 🎤
Using various Materials and techniques, I created realistic sound effects. For example, for one scene, I repeatedly dropped a large poster onto the floor and recorded the resulting sounds in the studio with as much detail as possible.
Sound Design Process 🎛️
I combined recorded foley sounds with digitally created effects like reverb, EQ and compression, using Ableton Live and a bunch of Plugins to craft a dynamic and engaging soundscape.
Final steps ☑️
In the end, I sent the so-called SFX stem to the project partners, who forwarded it to the mastering studio where it is ensured that voice-over, music, and sound effects harmonize perfectly. Mastering also guarantees consistent volume and clarity.
Challenges and solutions
Challenge 🪫
One major challenge was creating sound effects that were both realistic and creatively stimulating for the audience. Especially with this modelled world the sounds had to fit the overall look and feel of the design and be realistic but also playful.
Solution 💡
Through experimental Foley techniques, the use of several sound effects libraries and the possibilities of modern audio software, I was able to produce unique sounds that perfectly matched the tone and style of the film.
Results and Feedback
Feedback 🤝
In the words of director Cris Wiegandt: "As a sound designer, Gerd brings a lot of creativity to the table, crafting unique and engaging sound effects that perfectly match a project's visuals. He is highly adaptable, quickly and effectively responding to changes and adjustments while bringing fresh ideas and musical solutions. Since Gerd can also animate, he has an extra level of understanding of what animations need. His sound design makes the motion in animations feel natural."
Personal Reflection 🤔
This project was a valuable experience that further honed my skills in sound design and foley art. I'm proud to have been part of such a creative and successful project.
Media and Demonstrations
Credits
Year of production: 2020
Director : Cris Wiegandt
Production Company : HUSH London hush-london.com
Executive Producer : Ru Warner
Animation & Post Production : Cruiser VFX
Character Design, Animatic : Cris Wiegandt
Storyboard : James Gifford
Sound Effects : Gerd Böttler
Speaker : Jason Levine
Production Company : HUSH London hush-london.com
Executive Producer : Ru Warner
Animation & Post Production : Cruiser VFX
Character Design, Animatic : Cris Wiegandt
Storyboard : James Gifford
Sound Effects : Gerd Böttler
Speaker : Jason Levine