Final Portfolio Showcase: Sound

I've decided to post all of the sound work I have done this term using the three tools SoundStudio, Logic Pro, and Audacity. They acted as the perfect combination, giving me nearly limitless boundaries in terms of what I could pull off. To me, this term has been a huge factor towards my knowledge and growth in sound. By going back to the basics, and understanding sound for what it is, I've been able to move forward and create some detailed, advanced tracks that have really blown me away. Sound design is a highly neglected area in the art of filmmaking, and it's a damn shame. What people hear can carry just as much emotion, significance, and color as what people see, and together sound and image form the most popular, influential form of media in the world. Transitioning my focus from layers to environmental to abstract really allowed me to look at things from different perspectives, which is the key to producing successful work. Like my focus, my work went through phases, where I produced abstract, harmonic, environmental, and appropriation tracks. It was a privilege crossing the border into sound design and honing my creative energy in a different field.


Hangul by Dan Blackson

"Abstract sound piece highlighting the emotions and themes of a divided country and a damaged people." A sound research product, I used synth sounds, dark tones, a monologue, and children recordings to create a very contrasting tone. It was a huge process, and there is a ton of significance behind the piece.


Read about the entire process here: http://dblackson.blogspot.com/sound-research-process.html

San Diego by Dan Blackson

"Euphoria, illusion, & empathy. The psychological cycle of life." This abstraction came together as a complete piece with guitar riffs, dark tones, and recordings from the zoo. It reflects on the contrasting emotions between ages, and the relationship of isolation between caged animals and adults.

Major by Dan Blackson

"Acoustics, guitar riffs, & sunlight." The first part of an experimentation with tempo, delay, pitch, and an electric guitar. Inspired by the album "Mylo Xyloto".

Minor by Dan Blackson

"Acoustics, guitar riffs, & heat strain." Part two of the experimentation, create more of a fractured, surreal sound by adjusting pitch and making the guitar riff creep along.

Archbold by Dan Blackson

"Gymnasiums, young adults, and a bittersweet illusion." This environmental sound piece was completed by adding a repeating piano composition. The ghostly, supernatural notes skip and change pace at times, and together team up with the natural gym soundscape for an interesting and significant piece.

Sea of Corruption by Dan Blackson

Surrealist appropriation of Joe Hisaishi's "In the Sea of Corruption" from his film Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind".


track used in "Reservation", by Dan Blackson

http://vimeo.com/29917555

Homecoming by Dan Blackson


Appropriation of original film score, John Powell's "Homecoming" delayed by 35%. Close your eyes and enjoy. From the film Face/Off by John Woo