Behind The The Fantastic Sound Of Avatar: The Way Of Water:

Posted January 17, 2023 by Asbjoern Andersen in Film sound

Audio Podcast Alliance member The Dolby Institute Podcast has just released an excellent interview on the sound of Avatar: The Way of Water - featuring Christopher Boyes (re-recording mixer, supervising sound editor, and sound designer), Dick Bernstein (supervising sound editor), Michael Hedges (re-recording mixer), Julian Howarth (sound mixer), and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle (supervising sound editor). We've also added some bonus material, including an interview with composer Simon Fraglen, the soundtrack for the film, and a feature on the sound for the original Avatar. Check it out below:

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Avatar: The Way of Water – the official introduction:

As we continue our 2023 Awards coverage, today we are talking to the sound team behind another film on the Best Sound Academy Awards shortlist — “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

Joining us is four-time Academy Award winning re-recording mixer, supervising sound editor, and sound designer Christopher Boyes; supervising sound editor Dick Bernstein; re-recording mixer Michael Hedges; sound mixer Julian Howarth; and supervising sound editor Gwendolyn Yates Whittle.

As you’ll hear about in detail in this interview, every member of the sound and music teams needed to work very closely together, in a concerted effort, to make the sound of this film as clean and as clear as possible. Or as James Cameron would often put it, “clarity is king.” Easier said than done with a movie this complex.

“In the end, Avatar — visually — is such a complicated image. And I think the human brain can easily take that in and enjoy it. But we — delivering the sound of Avatar — have to work against that, because the human brain can look at all those beautiful visuals, but can’t necessarily process a thousand different sonic notions. Really, we wanna simplify it and get the sound to speak to the story that we’re trying to tell. And it’s not part of the story, it doesn’t belong in the track.”

Watch the video below:

Bonus: More on the sound of the Avatar franchise:

The music of Avatar: Way of Water:

Composing the score for Avatar: The Way of Water – with Simon Franglen:

Twin Flicks has shared a great interview with Avatar composer Simon Franglen – check it out below:

Hear the score for Avatar: Way of Water:

Listen to the full score for the film here:

Gwendolyn Yates Whittle: Bringing clarity to dialogue in Pandora:

Supervising Sound Editor Gwendolyn Yates Whittle speaks with Gold Derby’s Sam Eckmann about the creative dialogue process for Avatar: The Way of Water:

Behind the sound of the original Avatar film:

Curious to hear how the sound for the original Avatar was made? Check out the Soundworks Collection video below:

The Dolby Institute Podcast and The Soundworks Collection are part of the Audio Podcast Alliance, featuring a hand-picked selection of the very best podcasts about sound. Check out the full list of Audio Podcast Alliance members below, and click a on podcast name to go directly to their latest episode:

AMPS Podcast • CAS In Conversation • Field & Foley • Immersive Audio Podcast • LA Post Production Sound Design • Level with Emily Reese • Location Sound Podcast • Sound Business • Soundbytes Podcast • SoundGirls Podcast • Soundtrack Show • Soundworks Collection • The A Sound Effect Podcast • The Dolby Institute Podcast • The Game Audio Journey • The Sound Architect Podcast • Tonebenders • Twenty Thousand Hertz

Hear more audio-related podcasts here

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