Five ways sound effects can make or break your film or video project

When it comes to visual content, be that a feature film, a video, or a social media post, one would never consider visuals as merely an image on a screen. The images are there to set the scene, to tell a story to connect with a viewer. Not enough people think of sound in the same way as it’s something a lot of us take for granted.

Putting together the ideal score or soundtrack and selecting the right sound effects is crucial to the overall production of your film or video. It’s something you can’t afford to get wrong because an educated audience will know straight away if something is awry. 

As viewers, we are now watching more content than ever; the sheer weight of hours spent doing so is far beyond levels we’ve ever, as a society, consumed. We do so on our phones, on various devices, and our TVs; we watch hours of social media feeds at all hours of the day and typically are signed up to a myriad of streaming services to watch an astounding amount of shows. 

Our ears, almost as much as our eyes, are now in tune with what we perceive to be correct, and that means if we watch something that has a musical backing, or SFX (sound effects) that don’t seamlessly fit, then we’ll know and we’ll stop watching.

Getting the suitable SFX for your project is crucial, and there are five ways to make sure you get that correct marrying of sound and visuals.

Mood

Sound effects can be a great way to give your project the mood you want. Stark use of sound can build up tension, and a more playful approach is more conducive to romantic or comedic intentions. Ambient sound has a lot to offer here. The sounds of wind or a burning fireplace can help conjure up the right mood. 

The array of sound effects you draw from should be large, as you want to be in a position of being able to select the precise piece that suits the mood of your project and not just be choosing what’s available.

Niche

You should know, hopefully definitively, what your project’s niche is, and then it’s time to borrow and replicate those sound effect styles that are associated with it. Projects that are in the horror realm tend to look to punctuate periods of eerie calm with strong use of sharp sound effects to really ratchet up the atmosphere. 

Make sure your approach is consistent, and be aware that less is traditionally more when it comes to building up a fantastic soundscape. 

Realism

Sound effects are commonly associated with the act of replicating a sound, either because it was poorly captured on the shoot or because you want to score something that isn’t really there. Realism is a great way to use sound effects but don’t be afraid to be a little abstract. 

Unique

Find yourself a great sound effects provider that offers you a wide range of options that allows you the space to be unique and diverse. Sound effects come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They can be ambient and incidental as well as entirely larger in scale and scope.

For transitions, intros, and titles, sound effects can be a perfect tool to help push your social media-driven content also. These catchy and effective samples can help make your brand more professional in demeanor. These, too, are crucial sound effect tools that need to be unique and compelling.

Cost

Your budget will almost certainly play a vital role in the scoring of your productions, and you should take that into account from the start. There are some who hope to fill their soundscapes with soundtrack material made up of existing mainstream music, hoping to emulate Quentin Tarantino, but pretty soon, the realization of the sheer cost of this undertaking forces filmmakers to be more creative and frankly more adept. 

We’d strongly suggest signing up with a royalty-free music or footage service, which will offer a massive amount of musical output that will help you to score your entire project from start to finish.

These services are inexpensive and save the need to consider licenses and the additional costs associated with getting them. 

When it comes to approaching the sound effects for your project, above all else, you should do so from a considered standpoint. Don’t just half-heartedly score your visuals, as it will do a disservice to every aspect of your finished product.

By Catalin Constantine