Sound design and mix for UMBRA, a short film by Seb Gillmore exploring the world of bodybuilding via the story of Dan Avasilcai.

We worked closely with director Seb Gillmore to create two very distinct sound worlds in Umbra.

In the black and white sequences we wanted to enhance the sense of Dan’s body and mind under intense physical strain. We slowed down creaking wood and leather to characterise his body as a vessel struggling under pressure.

For the in-colour sequences we used real world sounds and breathing to bring use back to a more grounded reality. In order to maintain that sense of claustrophobia and stress we used the soundscape of prison as a reference for the gym scenes. For this we layered the sounds of rattling chains and metal, distant shouts and commotion.”