Luke Pietnik - Sounds of the Future

Building on the content of my last post, I thought I'd delve into the world of sound. There's been very little talk of that, which seems odd, as I'll be designing and editing all the sound on this project. It is as much a part of any film as are the visuals.

As well as basic foley and spot effects for things like footsteps and general ambiences, our film requires some rather other-worldy, futuristic sound design. Gareth's TMD (Temporal Manipulation Device) should have a distinctive, ambient hum. His materialisations should also signify a mystical crossing, from one time to another. Building on the content of my last post, I thought I'd use those three programmes as examples.

Quantum Leap employs a range of sound effects including those of Al's Handlink and, of course, the actual Leap effect, linked here:

>> Quantum Leap Sound <<

The sound is recognisable, and fits the explosive light burst on screen very well. The sounds give an over-all continuity to the concepts and technology within the world of the show.

The beam sound from Star Trek is also instantly recongnisable, and has become iconic, often mimicked and re-created. Even in later incarnations of the series, the sound effect, while updated, has remained largely the same:

>> Star Trek Sound <<

Finally, it's my favourite show again, yes, Doctor Who. The TARDIS sound effect is one of the most prolific in TV history. Created by the Radiophonic Workshop, the effect was achieved by scraping a front door key along the wires inside a piano. This recording was then taken and reversed, reverb and distortion were added to it, and out came the most peculiar noise, once described as 'the sound of the universe':

>> TARDIS Sound <<

It's going to be my responsibilty, then, to design a sound that makes us think of the future, of time and space, and of course, of the void that seperates Gareth and Jenny. I'm keen, rather than dragging all the sounds from a library, to create them myself from various elements. It's a personal goal.

Right. Generate tone...