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Otherzone required the recording, processing and designing of sound effects and atmospheres to form the sound design for the film. The film was being produced in 35mm which allowed for Dolby Surround mixing. The sounds design was developed by Philip based initially on David's storyboard and animatic. As there were numerous CGI sequences, the sound design was conceptually discussed so that work could progress while the CGI rendering was being completed.
Based on sound design in anime, Philip proposed the sound effects to be based around principles of energy generation. This required breaking-down the script into key actions and events, and then - in relation to David's production design and visualization - deciding upon the sonic means by which the sounds would be generated in the film's futuristic setting. To maintain this logic, a formula was developed and applied consistently, with each sound effect designed according to a 3-part energy propulsion:
Part 1 - build up of energy
Part 2 - peak expulsion of energy
Part 3 - dying-off of residual energyEach of these 'parts' was assembled via a discrete sound effect with its specific wave-sample editing and processing. The 3 wave samples are combined so that the final sound effects incongruously evoke different textures as the 3 energy phases fold into/dissolve/cut into one another.
Atmospheres were then designed around these effects, so that the sound effects retained their dynamic and presence within the mix. Following cues in the Otherzone story, two distinct 'sonic realms' were also developed. One represented the humans and the rebels, and was based around 'natural/organic' sounds, while the other represented the cyborgs and corporate lords whose sounds were overtly 'synthetic'.
Finally, spatialization issues were considered so that in many scenes sonic activity occurs off screen, or continues on into another scene but from a transformed spatial location.
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