Capturing the Wild: How Sound Designer Howard Sonnenburg Uses Krotos Software to Bring Nature Series to Life
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, August 12, 2024 — With over two decades of experience in sound engineering, Howard Sonnenburg has left his mark on numerous television and film projects, including the outdoor fishing series The New Fly Fisher and the horror film franchise Butchers. In these projects, Sonnenburg employs Krotos tools such as Reformer Pro and Krotos Studio, to produce professional sound design within strict deadlines.
"Fly fishing is less about the gear and more about the destinations and the beauty of being in nature," explains Sonnenburg. On The New Fly Fisher, he is tasked with bringing the excitement of each fishing experience to life through sound design. "It's the subtle details, like the rustle of cloth or the quiet clicks of equipment, that really enhance a scene," he continues. "With Krotos Studio, I'm able to capture essential sounds like river ambiances, bird calls, and wind, adding depth and realism. The ability to integrate these natural elements into our episodes is crucial for conveying the true essence of fly fishing."
Real-Time Sound Design
With Krotos Studio, Sonnenburg speeds up his workflow by performing the sound design in real time and dragging the recordings directly into his workstation. For instance, in The New Fly Fisher, capturing the natural sounds of water is crucial, especially for dynamic scenes like a six-pound salmon leaping from the water. Traditional microphones often miss these sounds, necessitating detailed post-production work. Sonnenburg explains, "Adding the splash sounds as fish move in and out of the boat, and the whooshes for slow-motion casting scenes, has become straightforward with Krotos Studio. I can easily select, play, and drag the sounds right into the timeline." This functionality reduces editing time, allowing Sonnenburg to focus on creative aspects of sound design.
Typically, Sonnenburg is allocated only about a day and a half to complete the sound design for a YouTube version of an episode, and an additional half day for the broadcast version, which is cut down to 23 minutes. This tight schedule makes the efficiency of Krotos Studio invaluable, allowing him to meet his deadlines comfortably.
Crafting the Sounds of Horror
Sonnenburg finds the combination of Reformer Pro, Krotos's tool for turning personalized sound libraries into performable sounds, and Krotos Studio, powered by AI, to be invaluable when working on gory horror films such as the Butchers franchise. Particularly for Butchers 3, Sonnenburg emphasizes, "There is not a scene in this movie that does not utilize these tools. Whether it's adding footsteps, enhancing Foley effects, or creating chilling gore effects, Krotos software is integral." Sonnenburg also appreciates the efficiency of these tools, noting how they allow him to quickly integrate and adjust sounds directly in his projects: "I can clean up, organize, and apply gore sounds with just a few clicks, which saves hours of manual work chopping up cabbages for effects. It’s about getting it right quickly and effectively, and Krotos delivers on that every time."
Innovative Sound for Film and Documentary
Sonnenburg also applies his expertise in sound design to the French version of Canada in the Rough, a hunting documentary show by the Beasley brothers. The series, which features hunts across Canada for game ranging from moose to bears using crossbows, presents unique challenges for audio post-production.
"Since it's a documentary, there isn’t a fully filled Foley track available, which means I often need to create and fill in the missing environmental sounds myself," explains Sonnenburg. Utilizing Reformer Pro, he has developed several presets tailored to the diverse Canadian landscapes — from grassy plains to wetlands. "I can take the dialogue track, duplicate it onto an effects track, and process it through Reformer Pro. This allows me to produce a sound layer that matches the visual action perfectly, making it sound as though the hunters are truly moving through the terrain," he says. This technique ensures that the sound levels are precisely aligned with the visuals, enhancing the realism of the hunters' movements across various terrains.
For more information on Krotos Studio and Refromer Pro, please visit the Krotos Website.
About Krotos
With a mission to change the way people work with sound, Krotos is the innovative technology company behind the award-winning Krotos Studio, Dehumaniser, Reformer Pro, Weaponiser, Igniter, and Concept 2. Krotos’ software allows content creators to perform and customize sound easily, saving hours of editing time and allowing them to focus on creativity while injecting more fun into the process. Krotos' award-winning software has wowed Hollywood and the video game industry and has been used in blockbusters like Game of Thrones, Avengers, The Lion King, The Jungle Book, Terminator, Star Trek, Frozen and Stranger Things.
Hunter Williams
