It might not be your first consideration when watching a film, but good sound design can take your movie viewing experience to the next level.
The most recent film to prove this point for me is Tuner. It follows Niki, a young man with a hearing sensitivity which makes everyday sounds seem much louder than they should – also known as hyperacusis.
The condition means he can’t pursue his rising career as a pianist, so instead works with his father figure, Harry, as a piano tuner. When Niki discovers he can use his sensitive hearing to open safes, a world of possibilities and danger opens up.
Niki often evokes Baby Driver’s Baby (played by Ansel Elgort), in exuding an aloof yet coy nature. Both films even have a song in common in the soundtrack, with Dave Brubeck’s Unsquare Dance playing as the two characters embark on their respective heists.
As you would imagine, that premise gives the sound team a lot to play with. Sound designer Johnnie Burn took the helm, with a back catalogue that spans a broad range of movies from The Zone Of Interest to Hamnet. Burn suffered from hyperacusis for a period, like Niki, which meant he could connect to the script on another level.
When watching the film in my local cinema, the sound design immediately gave me a taste of Niki's way of hearing.
As a motorbike passes him, the throbbing engine and squealing tyres make for an uncomfortable listen, which shows how difficult navigating the everyday is for our hero.
That’s taken to the next level when a fire alarm goes off, and the wailing sound completely fills the cinema. After the ear-splitting sound has stopped, our sound is muffled to match the shock that Niki is experiencing. Voices become vague and unclear, while a bothersome ringing persists in the foreground.
The safe-opening montages continue to bring us into Niki’s world. When methodically fiddling with the safe’s handle, we hear the subtle change in pitch as the metal clicks in and out of place. It becomes more like percussion thanks to the clever sound editing, and the lock’s clinking is placed with excellent precision around the soundfield.
This thoughtful sound design all creates an immersive and at times wince-inducing cinema experience that gives a glimpse into Niki’s hearing condition. The film is yet to be released on streaming or on 4K Blu-ray, but we can’t wait to get it in as a test disc to challenge all the latest home cinema kit.
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