Tonebenders Podcast 347 - Marty Supreme
Jan 29, 2026
Skip Lievsay, veteran supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer who has worked with the Safdie and Coen brothers, talks about crafting the ping-pong effects and keeping them simple. He contrasts collaborating with the Safdies together versus separately. He explains using background audio like racetrack radio to anchor time and place without distracting the audience.
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Simplify Sporting Sound Design
- When designing sport sounds, keep core ball hits distinct and simple rather than over-layering exotic textures.
- Let music and picture editing find a natural balance with those basic sounds to preserve flow.
Silence Can Undermine Drama
- Attempting to make a sound mysteriously silent can leave the scene feeling empty and missing stakes.
- Replacing 'mystery' effects with ordinary, character-driven sounds often improves storytelling clarity.
The Safdie Vetting Ritual
- Josh Safdie and Ronnie Bronstein collaborate like a rigorous vetting duo, often arguing to test ideas before signing off.
- Skip describes their process as a 'brutal, vicious' back-and-forth that hones the film's choices.