Talented sound designers need at least a few incentives to work on a project. Let’s start with workflow. In some ways, this is the most important determining factor when taking a project, because if it is too messy, it is not worth the trouble.

-The more organized the filmmaker is, the more likely a sound designer will take a project and do a good job. Provide a clean OMF to the sound designer. For an NTSC digital project, create a 16 bit, 48K OMF, with .aiff audio files. Export with large handles (ten second handles are preferred). Make sure all the pertinent audio files are included in the OMF!

-Have the film editor do the music edits. Most likely, the sound designer will receive the OMF with little time to spare, so take care of the edits so that the designer can clean them up as they see fit.

-Include all audio relevant to the on-screen activity, even if it is going to be replaced. The sound designer might be able to clean the audio up, or use it as a reference when replacing the audio.

-Keep in mind that a Hollywood blockbuster often has at least twenty people who do sound, so forget the idea of making it sound perfect! Go easy on the sound designer!

Other incentives to work on a project include desirable subject matter, desirable genre, building a reel, and making money. Obviously, most sound designers don’t do independent film projects for the sake of making money, but it is a good gesture to give the sound designer some form of financial compensation. A few bucks will possibly get you a talented sound designer, and will weed out all the unqualified sound designers who work for free. As a sound designer, I have never heard of a filmmaker being satisfied with the quality of work they got for free.

Aaron Diecker is a New York City-based sound designer for film, television, music, and multimedia. His clients include Nickelodeon, HBO Latino, CBS, and Lions Gate Entertainment. He also sound designed the popular children’s television shows Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go. His work can be viewed online at www.aarondiecker.com.