Connective

Dissonance
Answering a Creative Brief

Jonas Große
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9. January 2024

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 In undertaking the sound design for 'Connective Dissonance', a sci- lm set in a future
dominated by advanced technology and powerful corporations, I was presented with a
distinctive challenge. This project required me to create audio for two pivotal scenes, each
demanding a unique sonic atmosphere to re ect their individual narratives. This re ective
analysis aims to chronicle my journey from the inception of initial ideas to the
culmination of the nal product.

Embarking on this venture, I found myself inspired by a pantheon of iconic lms

renowned for their auditory landscapes. Films like Blade Runner (Scott,
1982), Tenet (Nolan, 2020), Transformers (Bay, 2007), Star Wars (Lucas, 1977-1983),
and WALL-E (Stanton, 2008) not only ignited my imagination but also offered a rich
tapestry of sounds that profoundly shaped my approach. The dystopian ambiance of Blade
Runner (Scott, 1982) set a benchmark for atmospheric soundscapes, guiding my efforts in
emulating a similar tone.

"In the realm of 'Connective Dissonance', a sci- narrative set against a backdrop of
technological dominance and corporate power, my role extended beyond creation of
immersion and storytelling. The challenge was to give life to two distinct scenes, each
with its own auditory identity and story.
The gritty and intense sonic elements of 'Tenet' signi cantly in uenced my approach to
creating tension. Richard King’s emphasis on using ambient sounds for a believable
reality resonated with my own efforts to immerse the audience in the world of 'Connective
Dissonance'. His approach to evolving ideas, especially for the unique inverted sounds
and explosions in 'Tenet', provided a blueprint for creating an engaging and believable
sound environment.
In contrast, 'Transformers' offered invaluable insights into depicting AI elements through
sound. The meticulous work of Erik Aadahl and Ethan Van der Ryn in giving each robot
character a unique sound identity, re ective of their 'souls' and personalities, informed my
approach to characterizing the AI elements in our lm. Their innovative differentiation
between 'good' and 'bad' robots through sound was particularly enlightening and
something I sought to emulate in creating the auditory landscape of 'Connective
Dissonance'.
Furthermore, the in uence of 'Star Wars' and 'WALL-E', both marked by Ben Burtt's
pioneering sound design, was instrumental in shaping my approach to sci- and futuristic
themes. Burtt’s innovative use of 'found sounds' in 'Star Wars' to create a more naturalistic
auditory experience, and his creation of iconic sounds like the voice of R2-D2 and the
hum of the lightsaber, offered a foundation for my own creative process. His work in
'WALL-E', particularly in creating the voices of the characters, provided additional
inspiration for developing the sound design of 'Connective Dissonance'.
This re ection will explore how these iconic auditory landscapes, coupled with my
creative interpretation, contributed to constructing a soundscape that enhances the
narrative and thematic depth of 'Connective Dissonance'. It is not only a journey through
the sounds I created but also an exploration of the creative decisions and technical
craftsmanship that shaped the auditory identity of the lm."
In the realm of 'Connective Dissonance', my journey as a sound designer was deeply
in uenced by the groundbreaking work of Hans Zimmer and Vangelis in the 'Blade
Runner' series. Zimmer's involvement in 'Blade Runner 2049' was somewhat
serendipitous, and his decision to join the project, despite initial reluctance, brought a
unique perspective to the lm's score. Drawing from his experience with lms like 'The

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 Dark Knight' and 'Inception', Zimmer, along with Benjamin Wall sch, aimed to honor
Vangelis' original score while infusing it with contemporary elements. Their use of the
Yamaha CS-80 synthesizer, a staple in Vangelis’ compositions, served to bridge the past
and present, creating a soundscape with 'a little dirt under the ngernails' (Lobenfeld,
2017). This approach mirrored my own in 'Connective Dissonance', where I sought to
blend the futuristic with the nostalgic.
Vangelis' original score for 'Blade Runner' (1982) remains a touchstone for its innovative
use of electronic music and its evocative portrayal of the lm's atmosphere. Vangelis
treated the soundtrack as a complete album, not just as background music, which added to
its appeal and standalone quality (Soulsby, 2017). The thematic and instrumental choices
in his score, particularly the use of synthesizers and dialogue samples, created a
soundscape that re ected the lm's fusion of sci- and lm noir elements (Soulsby, 2017).
In my work for 'Connective Dissonance', I was particularly inspired by Zimmer's piece
'Mesa' from 'Blade Runner 2049'. This composition's ability to transition between moods
seamlessly resonated with the project's requirements for emotional versatility. Zimmer's
and Wall sch's homage to Vangelis, while carving out their own identity in the score, was
crucial in my approach to sound design. Their work, especially in pieces like 'Mesa',
offered different moods, aligning with my project's goal of smooth transitions between
diverse emotional states (Filmtracks, 2017).
This re ective analysis aims to explore how these iconic soundscapes, coupled with my
creative interpretation, aided in sculpting an auditory world that enhances the lm’s
narrative and thematic essence. This essay is not merely a recount of the sounds I created;
it is an re ection of the creative decisions, technical challenges, and the overall journey in
the realm of composing for lmmaking.

In composing the score for the riot scene in 'Connective Dissonance', I embarked on a
journey to capture the essence of dystopian chaos through sound. The score begins with a
single sustained note, evolving into a complex pad composed of four distinct layers. This
foundation is crafted from a string pad made with a Yamaha CS-80 emulation,
accompanied by a lower sawtooth pad from the same instrument. Adding to the texture, a
mellotron emulation plays a top line, harmoniously intertwined with a layer from a
Yamaha DX7 emulation. This choice of synthesizers, reminiscent of those used in iconic
scores like 'Blade Runner', sets a thematic tone for the scene.
To infuse the score with a sense of dystopian grittiness, I incorporated a gritty bass sound
created using Arturia Pigments. This element added an unwelcoming yet strangely
beautiful quality to the piece. The use of suspended and augmented chords was
instrumental in creating a sense of dissonance, aligning with the scene's mood of terror
and anarchy.
A critical turning point in the score occurs at the 1:22-minute mark, symbolizing the
transition from protest to riot. Here, I intentionally stripped away most of the harmonic
and melodic parts, focusing instead on percussion and a distorted, pitch-bent white noise
bass. This transition leads into a heavy Taiko percussion pattern, which proved to be the
most challenging aspect of the composition. Although the Taikos recorded samples
effectively conveyed intensity, they presented a thematic divergence from the futuristic
dystopian setting.
Despite this, the Taikos, accompanied by pitch-bending synthesizers, a gritty bass, and a
heavily chorused pad, succeeded in portraying the scene's chaotic intensity. In my opinion,
the Taikos create a palpable sense of intensity, effectively mirroring the chaos of the riot

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 scene. However, I recognize that their traditional sound doesn’t fully align with the
envisioned futuristic AI-controlled setting.
Throughout the composition, I aimed to introduce a feeling of terror and anarchy, most
notably through a screech-like sound achieved with a Sequential Prophet-5 emulation.
This sound, with its pitch-bending distortion, became one of the main melodic elements in
the second part of the score, encapsulating the scene's escalating tension.

Composing the score for the spy robot scene in 'Connective Dissonance' presented a
unique challenge in sound design. I began by laying down a dynamic, ethereal pad that
carried an inherent dissonance, using augmented and suspended chords to amplify this
effect. To this foundation, I added a relatively quiet, atmospheric melody using a Yamaha
CS-80 emulation, aiming to create a sense of control and planning as portrayed by the
protagonists in the scene.
The initial part of the score also featured a deep, consecutive low foghorn sound, hinting
at impending danger. This element set the tone for the scene, suggesting a lurking,
ominous threat. To enhance the ethereal pad, I employed an Oberheim OB-Xa emulation,
layering it with a low layer at the start of each chord. Additionally, an atmospheric,
dystopian-sounding counter-melody was created using the Oberheim Matrix-12
emulation.
As the scene progressed to depict an argument and a growing sense of losing control, I
transitioned the score accordingly. The pattern of the foghorn was rearranged,
occasionally chopped up, and supplemented with volume automations to create a
frequency-sweeping, helicopter-like electronic sound. An arpeggiated bass was introduced
to pick up the pace, re ecting the shift in the mood of the score and the escalating tension
in the scene.
Incorporating Ben Burtt's technique of repurposing sounds, I sampled a recording of
helicopter blades, stretching and pitching it down to serve as a percussive and rhythmical
element. This sample was strategically placed right before the 'terror drop', where the
score plunges into a state of pure terror. Building up to this drop, I utilized dry, loud, and
frequency-rich sounds, chopping them up and aligning them in rhythmic patterns.
The transition into the peak of terror was marked by the introduction of occasional pitch-
bending synths, again using the Yamaha CS-80 emulation. Siren-like samples were added
to further enhance the dystopian and stressful atmosphere of the scene. The percussion in
this segment comprised fast-hitting kick drums created with an ARP 2600 emulation and
hi-hats with heavy delay, contributing to the frantic and chaotic mood as the protagonists
realize they've been spied on all along.

In crafting the sound design for 'Connective Dissonance', the inspiration drawn from the
mood board sources was pivotal. Roly Porter's atmospheric soundscapes (Porter)
in uenced the immersive, layered textures in the riot scene. Kuedo's synth-driven,
futuristic tones (Kuedo) guided the use of synthesizers in the spy robot scene, blending
nostalgia with futurism. Autechre's intricate, experimental electronic music (Autechre) is
echoed in the complex, tension- lled transitions of the riot scene. Cristian Vogel's
innovative electronic rhythms (Vogel) can be seen in the unique sound elements,
particularly the gritty bass in the riot scene. DJ Stingray's fast-paced electro (DJ Stingray)
in uenced the rhythmic intensity, especially in the Taiko percussion patterns. The
Exaltics' dark, brooding electro style (The Exaltics) inspired the foreboding, tense
atmosphere in the lm, while Optical's complex drum and bass rhythms (Optical) are
mirrored in the chaotic parts of the riot scene. Lastly, the high-energy intensity of Bad

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 Taste Recordings' work (Bad Taste Recordings) is re ected in the dynamic, dramatic
elements of the soundtrack. These mood board in uences were integral in shaping a
soundscape that enhanced the lm's futuristic setting and narrative depth.

In conclusion, the endeavor of creating the sound design for 'Connective Dissonance' has
been both an informative and intricate journey. Inspired by the auditory signatures of
seminal lms such as 'Blade Runner' and 'Star Wars', I endeavored to craft soundscapes
that were not only unique but also deeply resonant with the lm's thematic elements for
two crucial scenes.
In the riot scene, a careful blend of synthesizers was employed to encapsulate the
escalating tension and disorder. The amalgamation of diverse sound elements, including
the profound Taiko drums and the dissonant screech-like sounds, effectively evoked an
atmosphere of tumult and apprehension.
The spy robot scene presented a distinct challenge, requiring a transition from a subtle and
mysterious ambiance to a more intense and alarming mood, re ecting the characters'
sudden realization of being surveilled. This progression was achieved through a
meticulous layering of sounds, ranging from the subtle nuances of helicopter blades to the
more pronounced rhythms of rapid drum beats, thereby accentuating the scene's
suspenseful nature.
Throughout this project, the primary objective was to create a soundscape that not only
harmonized with the lm's futuristic setting but also signi cantly enhanced the
storytelling. This process has been a profound learning experience, underscoring the
pivotal role a movie score plays in accentuating a lm's narrative and emotional depth.

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 Reference List:

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