The power of deeply felt emotional recall is at the heart of compelling storytelling, and increasingly, filmmakers are turning to innovative sound design to unlock it for audiences.
“They are present as hell,” said Stewart. “And so,I am my 7-year-old self right now.I am every person I’ve ever been, if you let yourself drift into the waters of your physicalized memory, and thatS hard to do sometimes – we live in a world that’s so exterior, where we’re concerned about how we present ourselves.”
The Emotional Landscape of Sound in Film
This particular film operates as an exploration of how we store emotional memory within our bodies, and sound emerged as the most potent tool for accessing those deeply held experiences. The sound design, spearheaded by supervising sound editor Brent Kiser, was intentionally crafted to resemble a skipping record
, mirroring the protagonist’s fragmented journey through self-discovery, oscillating between comfort, confidence, self-doubt, and self-criticism.
“Your body emotionally connects,” Stewart explained.”And so it just feels like the movie is your memory as it starts to progress, and the sound becomes more complicated.”
This approach represents a departure from conventional sound practices. While the film incorporates some traditional voice-over narration, the vocal performances of Poots are remarkably diverse, ranging from subtle vocalizations to fully formed narration, often shifting within a single scene. I’ve found that this unconventionality initially presented challenges in post-production, as many sound professionals struggled to align with the artistic vision.
“It’s the eternal echo of the voices that oppress… until she finds a little bit of light at the end when she learns how to love herself,” Stewart shared. “I wanted anyone watching this movie to be able to have the whole ride with their eyes closed. It’s like a haunted house, the whole movie’s like an intrusive thought.”
For Stewart, discussing sound isn’t a technical exercise; it’s about uncovering the core ideas and emotions of the film. Her enthusiasm for sound fuels her desire to create more films that prioritize this immersive experience.
“I think female voiceover is [something] we are just really lacking, an externalized female perspective. I can’t wait to make another movie. I can’t wait to do the female ‘Taxi Driver’ where we just get like a real solid slew of inner perspective that never stops.”
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