Sound Design
Welcome to my sound design world! I love creating immersive and dynamic soundscapes for animations and video games, and other forms of media. I've developed expertise in sound editing, mixing, and mastering to deliver top-notch soundtracks that transport audiences into the story's world. From subtle ambient sounds to explosive sound effects, my goal is to craft a cohesive and impactful sonic experience that enhances the overall production. Let's dive into the fascinating world of sound and explore its ability to transform the way we perceive the world around us.
Berlin International Sound Design Competition - Practice Work
Short Film Sketchpad 2022
Introducing "PW_Sketchpad_myMix" (2022), a captivating short film produced as part of the Soundtrack for Screen course. Directed by Meg Wriggles, this project brought together a group of five passionate individuals to create a powerful and immersive audio experience.
As one of the sound designer, I took charge of the Foley and dialogue recording, working alongside Sinclair and Philly who skillfully controlled the recorded sound effects using pad controllers. Meanwhile, Chen and Donny composed and produced an original music score that perfectly complemented the visuals.
After performing live as a group and refining the sound design, we teamed up to record new sounds. Then I create a unique remix version that takes the project to new heights. Be sure to check out "PW_Sketchpad_projectExplanation" for more information on this and other exciting projects.
This game is based on the fairy tale of the mermaid. The game seeks the clues of spells in different scenes, finds the sea witch through layers of checkpoints, and asks the witch to give the mermaid the story of human body. Combined with the swimming experience, my imagination of the underwater world is somewhat empty and mysterious. Owing to the fairy tale color of this story, I wanted to create a magical underwater sound world with some illusory elements.
I used multiple DAWs throughout the production process. I used Logic sound source to make some effects and music. Editing and designing are produced in Reaper. Most of them were recorded by me using Zoom H6. Such as the environment sounds (The rustling of leaves, the bubbling of water, the dripping of water), and some effects like typing keyboard, footsteps and so on. There are also many sound combinations of recorded sounds and synthesizers.
Each scene had different objects to move while searching for clues. I recorded the sounds of moving chairs, moving flowerpots and fidgeting with my hands in a box containing gravel on different material floors. I used different parameter of positioning and attenuation on different types of items
I tried a lot of combinations for footsteps. I used Weaponisor as the source of water's footsteps. I recorded the sound of my feet, brushing the leaves and grass. I combined each of them with the sound of water steps. In the end, I used a combination of sand and water which suit best.
All the NPC voices were from my roommate and me, I used De-Humanizer to change their pitch and make some strange sounds. To avoid overlap between sentences, the Event was stopped first and then played next.
I used RTPC to use Low Pass Filter when talking to NPCS, and the music became muddy and returned to normal when they are not talking. Use switch to change different scene music. Since the switch is only good for converting between single objects (something I discovered in the process). I use state to convert music between scenes.
"Aaly" 2022
Animation "Aaly" is an animation project that showcases my passion for sound design. In this project, I had the pleasure of composing the music and creating all sound effects, including the unique and futuristic sounds of the robotic protagonist. To capture the essence of the profound setting, I utilized plastic sounds to create the robot's action sound effects. The music style is predominantly strings, with a humorous and light-hearted tone in the first half, followed by a more reflective and heavy tone in the second half, creating a powerful contrast that complements the animation's themes. This project allowed me to showcase my skills in sound design and music composition, and I am excited to continue honing my craft in future projects.
Game - Finding Ursula
Ideas & Concepts:
This game draws inspiration from the enchanting fairy tale of the mermaid. The gameplay revolves around discovering spell clues in various scenes, navigating through multiple checkpoints to locate the sea witch, and requesting from her the secret of obtaining a human body for the mermaid. Immersed in my imaginative underwater world, I aim to create an ambiance that is both ethereal and mysterious. By infusing magical elements, I intend to transport players into a captivating and illusory underwater sound realm.
Influences:
During the development process, I found valuable inspiration from revisiting Disney's timeless classic, "The Little Mermaid," as well as the visually stunning computer-animated science fiction adventure film, "Deep," directed by Julio Soto Gurpide. The sound production in these movies proved immensely helpful, particularly in understanding the implementation of elements like bubbles and reverberation to evoke a sense of magic and mystery. This exploration greatly assisted me in achieving precise sound positioning within the game.
As for the music, I drew upon the orchestration elements of the captivating musical atmosphere found in Disney animated movies, and my own expertise in crafting gentle and soothing melodies. By combining these influences, I aimed to create a musical experience that perfectly complements the whimsical and enchanting nature of the game.
By integrating these ideas, concepts, and influences, I am excited to bring to life a captivating gaming experience that immerses players in the magical depths of the mermaid's world.
Player:
As the player embodies the mermaid character, I envisioned her movements accompanied by the sound of her tail rubbing against the environment. Given the underwater setting, I incorporated water strokes as the primary sound, but also combined it with textures like leaves and pebbles to create a unique and immersive footstep sound.
Clues:
To engage the player and indicate progress, I added a distinctive flashing sound to the three diamonds that needed to be collected in each scene. This sound effectively draws the player's attention and emphasizes their importance. Furthermore, I ensured that the sound had a positional effect, enhancing the spatial awareness of the player.
Music:
To enhance the overall player experience, I implemented a dynamic music system. When the player engages in conversations with NPCs, the music is programmed to have a low Real-Time Parameter Control (RTPC) value, making it quieter and incorporating a Low Pass effect. As the player progresses further into the game, the RTPC value gradually increases, intensifying the music. Additionally, different scenes are accompanied by background music that suits the specific style and ambiance of each scene, creating a more tailored and immersive experience.
NPCs and Other Objects:
To provide a cohesive and interactive gameplay experience, I meticulously matched all button interactions with corresponding UI sounds. For instance, when the player clicks on diamonds or gears, the associated UI sound seamlessly accompanies the action. Moreover, NPCs trigger random dialogues when clicked by the player, offering prompts and furthering the gameplay experience. The dialogues dynamically change based on whether the player has collected the necessary clues, adding depth and variety to the player's interactions.
Regarding the sound design for leading the player to find the digital password, there was an unfortunate bug during the export process that prevented its correct functionality. Furthermore, the water footsteps currently lack variety and may benefit from additional replacement files to enhance their realism and immersion.
DREAMOVER 2020
"DREAMOVER is an animated short film created by Liu Junnan, Li Hanting, and Zhao Beiqi, and I had the privilege of serving as the sound designer for the project. The film depicts a student's search for balance between themselves and the real world, with multiple inner and fighting scenes reflecting the storyline and character relationships. The entire film, which has no dialogue, is transitioned and described by sound effects and imagery. Utilizing various creative methods of sound effects design, I created an immersive and impactful soundscape for the film. Despite facing challenges such as large-scale revisions by the director before the deadline and a sound mixing modification in a short period of time before the screening, the film was successfully presented and released on the Bilibili platform, receiving wide acclaim."
Game Trailer 2019
This game introduction video is the final assignment of the course “Film and TV Music Editing” in 2019. All sounds in the film are personal edited sound designs. Narrate the story development and background of the short film through natural music clips and rich sound content. The sound content mainly comes from other people's sound libraries, as well as the re-creation of sound effects. Although it is an earlier period of work, it still reflects a lot of novel creative ideas and exciting ideas.