Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1538144
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 55 The second thing is ear training. Humans are taught to tune things out. A baby cries in a restaurant and you ignore it. But sound designers need to do the opposite. I don't necessarily hear better than others, but I listen better. I analyze and remember sounds. Whether it's a cartoon, a bullet train, a jet, or the difference between a C-Knight and an Osprey, I'm paying attention. You have to build that muscle. Listen to every movie and every game. Someone made every sound decision for a reason. Sometimes you'll be inspired, and sometimes you'll say, Let's not do that. When I interview people, I ask for their favorite games or films and then ask why. Saying it was cool is not enough. Tell me about the low end, how it's able to cut through the mix, or the dopplered tremolation, the saturation in the high frequencies that doesn't hurt. Or, more importantly, how did it move you emotionally? We all try to figure out how iconic sounds were made. Take Gary Rydstrom's raptor sounds. People tried to recreate them after learning they came from a baby elephant. Everyone rushed off to find that sound, but it was a one-time capture. And that curiosity is part of what makes us better. After doing this for a while, I can hear which sound studios or designers worked on something. I'll listen and think, That is definitely Skywalker, or that sounds like E Squared. It's like how guitarists can recognize tone. Sometimes I'll call a friend and ask what they used on a certain sound. We share information. Some are open, some are not. But the real artistry is not just in how you made the sound—it's why you chose to do it that way. The real brilliance is in the intention. If you cannot hear and recognize what others are doing, you are at a disadvantage. School is there to teach you how to listen and how to learn. The rest comes with time and experience. But you need to be able to hold a conversation, even if you're faking it a bit at first. I did that early in my career. People would mention a reverb unit like the Lexicon 224, and I would nod and listen until I was able to make my own assessment and have my own experience with the equipment. It's also about real connection. I was talking to the composer on one of my projects, and I commented on how much I enjoyed his work, which he took as a typical, meaningless Hollywood comment. So, he gave me a polite smile and a courteous thank you, which didn't mean much. No honest connection had just occurred. But as the conversation progressed, I commented that upon listening to the score, I heard a lot of fascinating influences within the music and wondered if he was a student of music. That caught his attention. I commented on how I liked his use of organic instruments and the melodic choices he made, and I mentioned the secondary and tertiary motifs weaving in and out of his score. I referenced some of the influences I thought I heard in the music. Suddenly, he's looking at me, smiling, and gave me a heartfelt thank you. That one comment opened up a meaningful, hour-long conversation. Being real and honest goes a long way. Sharing your passions only endears people to you and with you. I didn't want anything from him. Many of my clients get exhausted by friendships of convenience or relationships built on What can you do for me? I'm at a stage in my life and career where, as an artist, I want to share, contribute, and learn from other artists. I value relationships based on the exchange of ideas and the joy of creating something special together. Being honest and real—and less about what you can do for me. I owe my career to a music editor named Gene Gillette, who I met with before I started on this journey. He offered me a job as a music editor at Universal, cutting on mag. I thanked him but politely declined the offer while inquiring if he wanted to grab another lunch. He became my second dad and very special to me. He introduced me to a young, up-and-coming sound supervisor named Wylie Stateman, who he was equally impressed with and who was just starting a brand-new company called Soundelux. And the rest is history. So, if you want to stand out, learn your tools, train your ears, and learn how to articulate why something works. That is the real magic. You've worked across film, TV, games, and immersive media. Do you have a favorite medium to work in, or a project that stands out most to you creatively? Scott: When asked what my favorite project or medium is, I feel I have been able to tell stories in all the mediums I have worked in and have never been pigeonholed into a specific genre. I am proud of the diversity of projects and mediums that I have been able to lend my artistry to. Scott Gershin is one of the rare sound artists to have worked at the highest levels across film, television, games, and immersive media. His career is shaped by a deep curiosity and a relentless drive to push the boundaries of creative storytelling with sound. Whether he's supervising sound for Hollywood feature films, creating immersive audio for VR, building emotional moments in games, or mentoring up-and-coming talent, his focus remains the same: telling meaningful stories through sound. As the boundaries between film, games, and interactive media constantly shift, his influence is easy to spot. You hear it in the detail, the restraint, the bold choices, and the emotional weight his work carries. Scott approaches sound not just as a technical task, but as a creative language that can shape how we feel and how we play.