Paths to a Career in Sound Design: Opportunities and Essential Skills
Entry Level Sound Design Jobs
Sound designers create auditory elements for various media like games, movies and apps. Salaries vary by location and years of experience.
If you’re interested in getting into the field, build your connections by joining online communities and attending industry events. Also, invest in a high-quality microphone and learn how to use a DAW like Pro Tools or Wwise.
1. Recording Engineer
In this role, you’ll help bring creative visions to life through sound. You can work in a variety of sectors, including video games, film and animation studios, and music production companies.
You’ll need to be well versed in recording equipment and editing software like Audacity or QLab. You should also keep your ears open to everything around you – the world is full of sounds waiting to be captured.
Many people begin their careers, and continue their training, as musicians before moving into sound design. Others start as runner or technical assistant and work their way up through the ranks, often taking on additional roles such as Foley artist or FX editor. Being able to communicate effectively with the director and creative team is essential.
2. Audio Editor
A sound editor plays an essential role in calibrating audio for a visual production. They select the final assortment of sounds and use plugins to manipulate them to make them fit the tone and style of the video or film. This includes removing background noise, enhancing voice clarity, and ensuring that the spoken words match up with mouth movements on screen.
Junior sound designers get hands-on experience with the production process under the guidance of senior sound designers. They can work on a variety of projects to develop their skills and build up a portfolio that shows their adaptability. Focusing on a particular area of expertise, such as Foley, spatial audio for VR, or sound synthesis, can help them stand out. They also need strong project management skills to ensure that they deliver high-quality finished products on time.
3. Sound Designer
The exact route into sound design varies depending on whether the focus is on film and television, theater, video games or other media. However, the two common prerequisites are perseverance and serendipity.
For example, some sound designers find their way into the field through their work in theatre, where they get experience working as an assistant editor or a foley artist before becoming a designer. Others may start as a music producer, creating SFX for movies and videos or producing soundtracks for theatre or student films.
A sound designer works closely with the director and picture editor to create the sonic palette, or the aural world of the production. They work within the game development cycle and can expect to spend long periods of time on set, ensuring all sounds are synchronized with the action on screen.
4. Sound Effects Editor
Sound editors are concerned with the film’s effects. They are responsible for the sound of guns firing live ammunition, helicopters and explosions (spot effects) as well as doors slamming, clocks ticking, dog barking or rain, wind, birdsong (atmosphere effects).
The sounds may be real-life captured in the field, sourced from libraries containing thousands of digitally stored sounds such as birdsong or traffic or designed by sound editors themselves. When a natural sound is too loud or too soft the effect editor will alter it.
They also work on audio descriptions for blind and partially sighted viewers of films, a job that requires an extraordinary level of concentration and attention to detail. They should be computer literate and have extensive knowledge of sound recording, playback, editing and mixing equipment.
5. Audio Mixer
Many of the sound effects you hear in movies, TV, video games and theater are created by Foley artists and recorded by sound mixers. During the filming of a scene, a sound mixer works to record clear audio that can later be used by sound editors and designers.
They also create a log of all the audio taken on the set, including detailed notes for each take. This is a necessary tool for post-production to match the audio to the footage.
The role of a sound designer varies by industry, reflecting creative and technical demands. In the world of film, a sound designer may use “Foley Artist” or “Film Sound Designer” in their title, while video game design might include the term “Game Audio Designer.” Build connections in your field and pursue internships to gain hands-on experience.