18. Sound Effects in Use

There are both creative and technical aspects to working with sound effects. On the creative side, it’s all about finding and/or creating the right sound for the project. The technical aspects revolve around placing the effects on the DAW timeline and making sure they are in sync with the visuals. Additionally, there are ways to treat sounds—and some of this falls into the realm of mixing—to make them work in the soundtrack. What follows are several important points to consider—some creative and others technical—as you work on the sound effects side of your soundtrack.

No soundtrack happens accidentally. Crafting a soundtrack is a conscious, deliberate process. And it’s hard work: 3 percent inspiration and 97 percent perspiration. When I show project timelines to other people, the level of detail often shocks them. A first-time project generally has a VO, a couple of SFX, a BG, and maybe music—8 to 10 tracks, tops. For a similar project, I may have 60 to 80 tracks!