The wrap
What does a torpedo sound like? Watch a Greyhound scene with 3 different soundtracks
The tense Tom Hanks action movie “Greyhound” takes place in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean in 1942, while a convoy of battleships escapes enemy torpedoes. In fact, the entire film was filmed on sound stages or aboard the measured USS Kidd in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visual effects provided the aesthetic reality – but sound effects deliver the visceral, you-are-there quality that makes the scenes buzz. ‘Greyhound’ was awarded an Oscar nomination for best sound, the first film released by Apple TV + to garner Oscar attention. (The company’s “Wolfwalkers” were also nominated in the Animated Feature Race.) The four sound mixers, Warren Shaw, Michael Minkler, Beau Borders and David Wyman, spoke to TheWrap about the audience design of one particular scene, which you can see below see. in three different audio versions. At the scene, Hanks finds himself anxiously navigating through his giant ship while two simultaneous torpedoes fire at him. “The purpose in this scene is to portray the urgency and terror of the attack in combat,” Minkler said. “And then immediately have to go into defense to save the ship and crew.” Also read: the great lesson of ‘Greyhound’ Editors ‘: Trust the Power of Tom Hanks’ Face in Battleship Thriller Shaw made a comeback in the USS Kidd after the filming was filmed there. The visit was essential to the sound design of the film. “I was given a personal tour by a small group of World War II veterans,” he said. ‘I heard from these men what it was like to be on a ship like this: to feel the waves, to hear the guns and to shoot, to man the sonar, to be in the claustrophobic realm for weeks. survive. It was moving, humble and as important as any other investigation I have done. Wyman also spent time on board the moored ship. “The veterans working on this floating museum have shown great pride and knowledge,” he said. “The sonic environment we created for our actors was the key to their experience in filmmaking and it enabled us to do justice to the brave men who served.” Version 1: Without special sound effects Listen carefully to this first version of the scene for what you do not hear. You will hear the carefully recorded dialogue of the actors and the intense musical score by Blake Neely, but the special sound effects are absent. Look very early in the clip at the coffee mug falling and breaking without making a sound. $ bp (“Brid_17225868”, {“id”: “21259”, “width”: “640”, “height”: “400”, “video”: “749509”}); Enjoy the dialogue now, as it will not be as audible in the next two tracks. For their roles, the actors sought to achieve the authenticity of naval commands on a warship. The original communication equipment from the 1940s was also carefully adapted for all members of the team to use speakers and headphones in a live format. Also read: ‘Greyhound’ VFX team builds a CGI ocean and 1500 digital shots from scratch in 4 months (video) ‘What we hear is a series of commands for ships on the road, sonar reports and lookout reports,’ Wyman said. ‘Even when the actors were not seen by a camera, they were heard via our created channels directly to the actor’s ears via headphones, speakers and skeptical phones. The actors were regularly in areas that were completely out of order, using specially created voice channels that led directly to the original equipment from the 1940s. The net result was a real experience for the actors, which enabled a fast, continuous flow of dialogue and action. ”Version 2: with only the special sound effects Here you can hear everything that is missing in the previous clip. And in every way it is many: waves, wind, artillery fire, crackling metal, winding plowshares, the hiss of incoming torpedoes. And yes, the coffee mug falls to the floor. $ bp (“Brid_17225952”, {“id”: “21259”, “width”: “640”, “height”: “400”, “video”: “749510”}); Shaw singled out the main sound designers of the film for their work. “Ann Scibelli and Jon Title are two of the best sound designers in the world,” he said. ‘Ann focused on the water and waves and wind and weather during the film, and Jon concentrated on the weapons. Their work is extraordinary. The low layers contribute to a feeling of chaos and increase the tension. “This scene is an excellent example of how the very low sounds played an important role in maintaining the momentum,” Borders said. “We hear the constant firing of cannons and rifles, and the moaning and pounding by the waves of the ship serve as a response to the captain’s maneuvering instructions.” Also read: Is ‘greyhound’ based on a true story? Borders mentions that the whistling of the torpedoes subtly mimicked a ticking clock as the weapons stormed closer to the ship. When we see the torpedoes through the water, there is also the loud, disturbing noise of a high engine acceleration. “It’s such a fun challenge to keep the soundscape authentic,” he said, “while also choosing moments to bend reality for dramatic purposes.” Version 3: the completed scene Here you can see how elements from the previous two tracks combine to form the scene, as it appears in ‘Greyhound’. $ bp (“Brid_17226020”, {“id”: “21259”, “width”: “640”, “height”: “400”, “video”: “749525”}); The dialogue is overwhelmed by the sounds of the battle, and conversely, the sounds of the battle mix with voices and music to help create the frenetic pace of the scene. “It was a very rewarding experience for all of us in the end,” Minkler said. “We were all so full of joy and pride in what we had accomplished.” “Greyhound” is available for streaming on Apple TV +. The Oscars will be broadcast on April 25. Read original story What does a torpedo sound like? Watch ‘Greyhound’ scene with 3 different soundtracks at TheWrap