Sound Effects
Sound Effects are crucial, since the success of a radio
thriller hinges on the ability to create vivid mental images of the action.
"You need to look for settings that have sound effects that work," said
Oney. "A restaurant, for example, has recognizable sounds.
Oney and the crew generated all their own sound effects.
The low moan of a fog horn was simulated by blowing across the top of
a tequila bottle. The sharp crackle of flames was created by crinkling
plastic. And Steve mimicked the buzzing of mosquitos for one night time
scene.
Steve Oney will go to any lengths to find interesting
sounds. "We did recordings in a Jacuzzi tub, from inside a car wash and
in a World War turret in the backyard of an Osterville house for this
show," he explains.
Armed with a tape recorder while on a trip to Florida,
Oney got the idea of taking it into the hot tub with him. "I put the mic
in a plastic bag so it could go under water," Oney remebers. He then experimented,
placing it sometimes close to and other times away from the powerful jets.
"It made a variety of sounds. I'll use the sound where they're trapped
on the bottom in the sub and they have to set off some explosives to try
to free themselves," he says, obviously quite pleased with the results.
To create the sound of the bathysphere being lowered
into the ocean, Oney and his wife Debbie, late one night, secured microphones
to the back wheels of their Volvo wagon and put one down the gas tank.
They then rocked the car back and forth to find just the right sloshing
sound.
Steve oney is always thinking sound. When a reporter
rewinds film in an automatic camera, Oney likes the sound and stores away
the idea away for a future production. For one show, Oney needed sounds
of cars crossing a bridge. he went around his house pounding everything
with his fist to see what it sounded like. Finally he found hitting a
piece of rubber with a toilet bowl plunger gave him the effect he wanted.
For every 20 things that Oney tries, he uses one. He
sometimes prethinks effects that he needs. It's been said that Oney doesn't
watch a sunset, he "listens" to it, perceiving even the enviroment through
his ears.
Some sound is recorded on video tape on a digital recorder
which produces a quieter, more suitable sound for compact dicc and can
be more easily manipulated when edited. The sounds are then laid on six-track
tape along with the dialogue, other sound effects and original music.
"Quality and time are related," Oney says of the laborious process. "There
is a sculpting process to it."
We have compiled some of our favorite sound effects for you to listen
to. The below links are original sound effects from the shows. These files,
to retain quality can be quite large to download. They are listed with
the show and file size, and we will be adding more soon...Enjoy!
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