SoundStart

In this episode we are joined by the sound team behind Wodow's Bay

How do you create one of the most unsettling cinematic soundscapes in recent memory?

In this episode, Stephen sits down with Supervising Sound Editor & Sound Designer Eugenio Battaglia and Production Sound Mixer Jan Hetmer to explore the making of Backrooms— the highly anticipated feature adaptation of Kane Parsons' internet phenomenon.

From capturing production sound in impossible 360° shots to designing an oppressive sonic world built almost entirely from buzzing fluorescent lights, this conversation is a fascinating deep dive into how sound shapes fear, tension and atmosphere.

Jan shares the unique challenges of recording production sound inside the endless, empty spaces of the Backrooms, while Eugenio reveals how stripping away traditional ambiences, embracing silence and building intensely detailed Foley helped create a world that feels both familiar and deeply unsettling.

Whether you're a filmmaker, sound professional or horror fan, this episode offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at one of the year's most ambitious soundtracks.

• How Backrooms evolved from a YouTube phenomenon into a feature film
• Capturing production sound with ultra-wide lenses and 360° camera moves
• Using camera-mounted microphones to preserve perspective in impossible shots
• Why realistic room acoustics became a key part of the post-production process
• Building tension by removing sound instead of adding it
• The role of silence, buzzing fluorescent lights and minimal ambiences in creating psychological horror
• Designing believable found-footage sound while maintaining cinematic impact
• Creating creature vocals that avoid familiar horror clichés
• Worldising audio using real CRT televisions and vintage equipment
• The importance of close-perspective Foley and subtle sonic detail
• Collaboration between production sound and post-production teams
• Practical advice for aspiring production sound mixers and sound designers
• Why relationships, curiosity and adaptability are just as important as technical skill

One of the biggest themes throughout the conversation is that great horror sound isn't about making everything louder—it's about knowing what to remove.

Eugenio explains how reducing traditional background ambiences, focusing almost exclusively on the iconic fluorescent buzz, and allowing silence to create anticipation made the Backrooms feel unnervingly empty while keeping audiences constantly on edge.

Jan discusses the importance of capturing as much authentic production sound as possible, even mounting microphones directly to cameras when boom operators couldn't physically appear in shot. Those recordings later became invaluable references for recreating the unique acoustics of the Backrooms during post-production.

The episode also explores how respecting an established fanbase influenced creative decisions, balancing Kane Parsons' original online vision with the demands of a theatrical feature film.

Eugenio Battaglia is an award-winning Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Designer whose recent credits include Longlegs and Backrooms. Known for his immersive, close-perspective sound design and richly detailed Foley work, Eugenio specialises in building atmospheric, story-driven soundscapes.

Jan Hetmer is an acclaimed Production Sound Mixer with credits including The Monkey and Backrooms. Renowned for his technical ingenuity and collaborative approach on set, Jan has developed a reputation for capturing exceptional production dialogue in some of the industry's most demanding filming environments.

If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe to The SoundStart Podcast, leave a review, and share it with a fellow filmmaker or sound professional.

What does it really take to build a career as an independent filmmaker?

This week I'm joined by writer and director Phil Claydon (Lesbian Vampire Killers, Alone, Within, Helloween) for a wide-ranging conversation about filmmaking, horror, storytelling and the changing landscape of independent cinema.

From directing studio features to making a micro-budget horror film with little more than determination, a MacBook and a huge amount of perseverance, Phil shares an honest look at what it really takes to keep creating in one of the toughest industries in the world.

We also explore why horror continues to launch exciting new filmmakers, whether the traditional distribution model still works for independent cinema, and why post-production and especially sound, is where films truly come to life.

In this episode we discuss:

• Why there's never been a more exciting time to be an independent filmmaker
• The success of films like Obsession and Backrooms
• Building a career through conversation rather than waiting for a "big break"
• The reality of directing Lesbian Vampire Killers
• Making Helloween on a micro-budget
• How directors should think about post-production
• Why sound is one of the most powerful storytelling tools in filmmaking
• Creating atmosphere, tension and world-building through sound
• The importance of film scores and sonic identity
• Why horror remains one of the best genres for emerging filmmakers

If you're an independent filmmaker, writer, producer or anyone passionate about telling better stories, there's a huge amount to take away from this conversation.

In this episode, Stephen Scott speaks with supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer Steve Fanagan about his work on Hokum.

They discuss:

• How Steve first became involved with the film
• Collaborating with director Damian McCarthy
• Building the sound of the old rural hotel
• Using subtle ambience, wind and creaks to create tension
• Why silence and restraint are so important in horror
• Recording bespoke sounds for environments, objects and supernatural moments
• Designing the “gates of hell” sequence
• The relationship between sound design and mixing
• Why cinema audiences are so important to horror
• Advice for emerging sound designers and mixers

A detailed, craft-led conversation about atmosphere, performance, fear and the invisible work that makes a film feel alive.

In this episode of SoundStart, Stephen sits down with members of the sound team behind Ready or Not 2: re-recording mixers Andrew Tay and Scott Hitchon, and supervising dialogue editor Mark Dejczak.

The conversation explores how the team approached the sound of a fast, chaotic horror-comedy where there are almost no simple “talking heads” scenes. They discuss rescuing production dialogue, cutting around overlapping breaths and reactions, preserving production effects, blending Foley with real set sounds, and building ADR that feels seamless.

They also dive into the film’s bigger sound moments, including the opening sequence, the ballroom fight, the industrial washing machine kill, the use of loop group, gore effects, Dolby Atmos mixing, and the pros and cons of working in large Pro Tools super sessions vs reels.

A generous, technical and very practical conversation for anyone interested in dialogue editing, sound design, Foley, re-recording mixing and the realities of modern feature film sound post.

Key topics covered:

• Dialogue editing in fast, chaotic action scenes
• Why production effects matter
• Blending Foley with production sound
• ADR for performance, breaths and reactions
• Loop group for crowds and world-building
• Cutting and mixing gore sounds
• Dolby Atmos for movement, chaos and perspective
• Mixing reel-by-reel versus super sessions
• Working with directors and picture editors on the dub stage
• Why monitoring format matters when giving notes

In this engaging conversation, Skip Lievsay and Paul Urmson, supervising sound editors and mixers, share their experiences working on the film 'Marty Supreme.' They discuss how their involvement began after their work on 'Uncut Gems,' highlighting the challenges and excitement of mixing sound for a film that demands a unique auditory experience. The duo explains their collaborative approach to sound editing, where one focuses on dialogue and the other on sound effects, ensuring a balanced and immersive soundscape. They emphasise the importance of adapting to the film's energy and the directors' vision, particularly in scenes that require a chaotic yet coherent sound design.

The SoundStart podcast is brought to you by Bigmouth Audio - a creative sound studio specialising in voice production and audio post for storytellers.

www.bigmouthaudio.com

The SoundStart podcast is sponsored by Film Insider - Film Insider is the new film industry, where indie filmmakers are networking, collaborating and helping each other bring their projects to market.

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In this episode of The Creative Leaders we are joined by Michael Babcock to talk about his work as the Supervising Sound Editor on Nuremberg.

Thanks to our sponsor Film Insider - join over 150 indie filmmakers and crew who are networking, collaborating and helping each other bring their projects to market.

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This conversation explores the evolving landscape of film production, particularly in the UK, highlighting the challenges faced by traditional media in engaging audiences who now prefer platforms like TikTok. Our guest, Hutch, emphasises the potential for indie filmmakers to thrive by adopting innovative marketing strategies that align with current audience behaviors.

Welcome to The Creative Leaders Podcast brought to you by Bigmouth Audio and Film Insider.

Film Insider is the online community for independent film professionals to network, collaborate and help bring their projects to market.

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This week Stephen is joined on the podcast by Paul Massey (Re-recording Mixer) and Eric Norris (Supervising Sound Editor) on Scott Cooper's film, Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

The Creative Leaders Podcast is brought to you by Bigmouth Audio - specialists in voice & audio post production for film, TV & Games.

Supervising Sound Editor and Re-Recording Mixer, Roland Heap, joins Stephen on the podcast this week to talk about the sound of The Strangers: Chapter 2.

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The podcast is brought to you by Bigmouth Audio - www.bigmouthaudio.com