Pro Editor Sound Designs A Commercial (Tutorial)

When I was starting out as an editor I remember wishing I could just watch over a pro editor’s shoulder while they were working on something. 

Well, that’s what we’re going to do today. I’m going to go track by track to show you my process for sound designing a real broadcast commercial that I completed recently.

There’s a couple of things about this spot that made it an extra fun challenge in terms of sound design. First, the main character is animated, so sound will play a big part in bringing it to life.

 Second, it was shot on a virtual production stage. The background is actually a 70’ wall of LED panels, which is super impressive to see in person.

Because of this, I was virtually starting from scratch in terms of sound so I thought this would be a particularly cool example for you to see.

I’ll go track by track showing you all the individual sounds, and at the end I’ll show you the final mix.

Check out the full lesson at the video above.

If you'd like to check out two of my favorite online sound effects libraries you can go to Epidemic Sound (affiliate) and Artlist (affiliate).

Austen is an ADDY award-winning film & commercial editor with over 20 years of experience. He has worked with global brands like Meta, KPMG, SAP, and Christianity Today. His PSA work has championed causes like school safety (with Matthew McConaughey), driving safety, and anti-tobacco. A thought leader in the editing field, his online lessons quickly amassed over 100K views after launch.