How to Sound Design a Short Film

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Sound design is the easiest (and cheapest) way to elevate the production value of any film, and create a more cinematic, engaging experience for your audience. Sound design can also elevate the storytelling in your films. Here's a breakdown of how I used sound effects, ambience, and music to create the soundscape of my latest short film Datsuzoku.
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I've been making short films for over 20 years, starting at age 11. I directed my first feature film, Bad is Bad, in 2010. Made for only $6,000, the film went on to reach over 7 million views and garner critical acclaim. More recently, my short film, Will "The Machine", screened and won awards at film festivals around the world. Released online in 2019, it reached over 1 million views in just a month. As an editor, I’ve done work for clients such as Apple, Netflix, and Beats by Dre.
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00:00 Introduction
00:48 Working Big to Small
01:29 Music
04:56 Adding Sound Design to Music
05:55 The most underrated part of Sound Design
09:03 Creating detailed Ambience (demo)
12:15 Audiostock free trial & 50% off
13:17 Getting abstract with Sound Effects

[@LearningJesus]

This man still has the most underrated channel on YT. The quality and feel of every video is supreme.

[@18percentphotographer]

Definitely! The “KZbin is spreading a filmmaking disease” popped up on my recommended videos a few weeks ago, I must have watched it at least 10 times, then I started going back through his other videos.

[@m.d.johnsoncreative1371]

So underrated!

[@Swole_Cole_]

Buy his short film course. Good stuff.

[@FrictionMakesFire]

Sound Design is kind of the sneaky most fun part of filmmaking. Its alot of trial and error, and when it finally works it feels like you just solved a puzzle. Very satisfying.

[@darkrehart]

I swear your videos is really informative to filmmakers and entertaining to a general audience

[@katie_shah]

Kent is the King of Sound Design! So excited to practice this with my next short.

[@MonsterS4R996]

I knew, the importance of sound design. I’ve heard about it before. Not just slapping a BGM and sound effects here and there, but, with “multiple layers of sounds”, to create the “depth”. Yet, I often forget, quickly finish the edit, think it’s okay, and upload. Then, the following day, this video shows up while eating my lunch, and now I know I forgot to do some important thing. REALLY appreciate you taking time to make videos like this.

[@Sn4fu]

idk why but I feel compelled to say this was a fun comment to read. cool writing style!

[@FromTheTeensMind]

Will forever be subbed to SSC because there is stuff that you will learn in the first two minutes that you may have not known before.

[@KevinDublin]

Thanks you for this! I got my first short in a festival, and I watched and really took this to heart before submitting it and focused on the sound design, and I won a noteworthy award at the festival / had someone specifically comment on the quality of the sound design.

[@okellocarlsonedwin]

Thanks, your lessons have improved my edits en storytelling.

[@soggybawsmoto]

Fantastic. I've just started multiplying/layering sfx on videos, and considering sound design. Recently added a "wall of chaos" to a scene of realisation. Defo keen to watch any production content of this short film

[@bertcano]

Dude this was gold. Thanks for this!

[@laughingwiththestorm]

I’d love to see a behind the scenes video on the stopped Newton’s Cradle and the Floating Todo List (that one really has me scratching my head)…and to know how much work went into lighting those shots. Think this short might be my new favorite among your stuff!

[@matthewward1346]

This is joining my very small list of saved videos that I'll be watching and rewatching for years to come. Thank you very much for this brilliant piece of content!

[@Joakimcomicscenter]

This video came out at a great time for me, thanks Kent, and I loved your minifilm! Very inspirational!

[@user-rw1rf2gg4t]

funny how you ended the video with the rest of the fight couple audio, You got us all invested HahaHA

[@ugochiart]

Best breakdown ever ❤

[@lumainero7967]

Thank you for this video! I just finished my fist short film and when I got to post production I realized I had no idea of what to do with the sound. It was filmed with a phone and not in the best locations so it really lacked the quality needed to make the ambiance. I wish I had seen this video sooner because if I knew how to work with sound it would have made the film much better. Thanks for the lesson! It was very clear and helpful.

[@providedperspective]

Great stuff dude!

[@andywood2062]

Awesome demonstration on sound design. It's something that I've mostly ignored to this point, but need to really improve on. Thanks.

[@NajSinghs]

Great job! I love more breakdown vids like this. 💪🔥

[@anthonycabrera4573]

This video is world class!

[@icyjaam]

Absolutely loved the video. Thanks for the breakdown of the audio. We would like to see the BTS of it too.

[@SpencerPhotography]

oof... this channel is pure gold!!! These tuts are awesome!

[@Yolocheese]

Wow loved the breakDown brother! Thanks! God bless ❤

[@ExitSeraphim125]

Really helpful, thanks!!

[@c_a_s_h]

I recently submitted a short film to Sundance at only 16 years old and I didn’t want to get copyrighted and disqualified. So I decided to make my own music to put in my short film. This video was very helpful and will save me a lot of time when It comes to making the music.

[@shireensingh2834]

This was invaluable . thanks

[@wendywitzig119]

Wow, newbie here. Lots of great info & packed with great tips!

[@koiaseb]

good shit. sat down and learned for once fr fr

[@Yeshi212]

Informative and helpful.

[@clarinetsaxist]

We are on the same page. When I was making my first video, I was thinking, "What's missing from this beautiful drone video?" Then I realized it was ambient sound!

So good... So good.

[@richardd9938]

Great video. Would you maybe be able to make a video about how when you're both the director and editor of your short film, how to try and give yourself some distance and not get too one-minded when working on it?

[@pipoyoussef8510]

GOOD WORK

[@SlamBradley]

Locked in

[@430PMProductions]

great video. I learned so much here. What levels do you recommend for each? Where would you add in roomtone?

[@globalmedia9ja]

Your video is inspiring

[@war6nheaven]

freakin awesome video, packed with a lot of useful info that piggybacks off of what i've learned at my college. i'm planning on giving your patreon a visit for sure

[@jordandudgeon]

Great video. You also remind me of Penn Badgley idk what it is lol.

[@omarwhab-wj3fj]

First of i love your video second please make a video about laptops for editing software please ❤❤

[@chris_walsh974]

Great video! Could you link to your DP‘s info?

[@Franciszeg]

thanks:D

[@CDStudios]

I'd love to watch a film break down for sure. I would really be into hearing more about how or why you chose to shoot this film with 3 people when it seems, maybe ignorantly on my part, you could have shot it solo.

[@smokeunderthesun]

We live laugh love standard story company

[@quockhanh768]

Hi Kent would you be able to make a video on budget filmmaking gears? cheerss

[@EricLefebvrePhotography]

Man ... that cowboy beebop theme is sooo good (I mean the real one) ... now I want to rewatch it. How much is Crunchy Roll again?

[@GRUBB-MUDD]

How do u screen record your timeline (obs)?

[@IndieverseProductions]

Can't thank you enough for giving out such valuable and informative filmmaking lessons I've made a one minute short film following your tips. No matter how it good or bad it may be It gave me the experience and practical knowledge I needed. (Hope atleast few of you might check out my film )

[@Coolshows101]

This is like what I did for the "movie" Scene in A Gummy Bears Life. A woman screaming, two gun sounds, and a dinosaur roar make a good movie you never see that I never heard while filming, but faked watching.

[@cliffsofmoherfilmreviews]

Love your content. I want to be a filmmaker someday. What would you suggest for someone living outside of America in Ireland, is it possible to make a career here as a filmmaker or will I have to move 🤔?

[@humphrydc]

Great video and perfect timing, Kent. I was just about to work on leveling up my sound design. Do you know how long the 50% off promo for audiostock lasts? Is it just for the first month?

[@StandardStoryCo]

Thanks! The promo is 50% off for the whole year (and that's after the 1 month free trial)

[@humphrydc]

@@StandardStoryCo That's awesome. Another question. Are you able to download individual stems from the music tracks?

[@StandardStoryCo]

@@humphrydc No stems unfortunately, but some tracks have variations you can download

[@craberman]

How do you find time for all of this behind the scenes and explanatory videos while continuing making films ?

[@X.F.P.]

You make filmmaking look like rocket science. Lol.

[@ItsMeDanielLol]

hey quick question, what DB do you set you're music around? also sound affects, ambience, and talking footage!

[@YushangChen]

Great comercial!

[@piklechris987]

Please do a making of video

[@Brew_Tube]

Euh, I hate how effortlessly you make all this seem. Feels like I spend an eternity on awful edits! Would really like to see a making of Datsuzoku which was brilliant too!

[@StandardStoryCo]

Just gotta practice practice! And memorize keyboard shortcuts. The making of video is coming Monday✌

[@Brew_Tube]

@@StandardStoryCo thanks! Looking forward to the making of 🤘🏻

[@celam1244]

14:38 It's a Waterphone! 😊

[@migueljuarez5485]

Question… if I decided to use copyright music, will I still be able to upload the short film on yt? What are the ups and downs?

[@jonahlang2731]

does the code not work anymore

[@StandardStoryCo]

Whoops it was down but it’s working again now

[@OsmoSis-xw1kz]

He's like "4" from divergent

[@jackielearnsandteaches]

Hey there! Great video! I have a couple of questions. I love making videos, but I’m working with a very low budget and a very old computer. Right now, the best that I’ve got is iMovie on a Mac laptop, and the computer lags a lot while I’m editing, which makes it very difficult to time the music with the moments in the video. Do you have any suggestions about minimum performance requirements for a computer that can do video editing? Or for software that will perform better than iMovie and have more options, but not be prohibitively expensive? Thank you for making great content! 💜

[@StandardStoryCo]

DaVinci Resolve is a free editing program that can do everything you'd ever need to do. If you're computer can't handle your footage, look up a youtube tutorial on how to use proxies in Resolve, then your project will run much smoother. Good luck!

[@MiguelGonzalez-ei9og]

Two words: Wilhelm Scream.

[@stevensonrf]

Really like your videos and your ideas. I know you try to present yourself as an amateur, but let’s be honest; you’re not.😎

[@emantheartist1243]

Amazing Content. DATSUZOKU is a great short. I'd love a making of video. Big Love from London. 🤝