The Sound of Black Swan

December 13, 2010 - 12:00 AM

Darren Aronofsky’s (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) “Black Swan” is a ballet thriller that follows Nina (Natalie Portman) as she is given the lead role in Swan Lake.

As Nina sinks deeper and deeper into her role as the Black Swan, her life starts to spin out of control.

Aronofsky’s long time sound collaborator, Craig Henighan, (sound designer, supervising sound editor, sound re-recording mixer) discusses the detailed approach for crafting the sound for this cinematic thriller.

MOVIE STUDIO

Fox Searchlight Pictures

SOUND STUDIO

Fox Studios & Sound One

DIRECTOR

Darren Aronofsky

ORIGINAL MUSIC

Clint Mansell

Synopsis

A New York City ballet company is producing Swan Lake, and director Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth MacIntyre (Winona Ryder) and is in the process of casting for the lead role of the Swan Queen. Dancer Nina (Natalie Portman) lives with her overbearing mother and former ballerina Erica (Barbara Hershey), who puts pressure on her daughter to succeed where her career failed. Nina finds competition in new dancer Lily (Kunis) and struggles with the stress by apparently mutilating herself. Swan Lake requires a ballerina who can play the innocent White Swan, which fits Nina, and the sensual Black Swan, which fits Lily, but Nina gets the part after she violently rebuffs the sexual advances of Leroy. The dancers' rivalry changes into a bizarre friendship as the show's debut approaches, and Nina begins being overtaken by dark revenge fantasies against Lily and starts to lose her grip on reality.

Sound Credits

Coll Anderson
sfx recordist
Steve Baine
foley artist
Krissopher Chevannes
adr recordist (as Kris Chevannes)
Brian Emrich
sound designer
Nelson Ferreira
sfx recordist
Dror Gescheit
recordist (as Drew Gescheit)
Anguibe Guindo
boom person
Gina Gyles
foley assistant (as Gina Wark)
Jonathan E. Hatton
theatrical house sound
Craig Henighan
sound designer
Craig Henighan
sound re-recording mixer
Craig Henighan
supervising sound editor
Harry Higgins
recordist
Ken Ishii
production sound mixer
Bobby Johanson
adr mixer
Avi Laniado
sound mix engineer
Wayne Lemmer
sound effects editor
Brendan Jamieson O'Brien
additional boom person (as Brendan O'Brien)
Joe Origlieri
cable person
Peter Persaud
foley recordist
Jill Purdy
supervising adr editor
Jill Purdy
supervising dialogue editor
Seth Tallman
additional boom person
Dominick Tavella
sound re-recording mixer
Sean Byrne
post-production sound (uncredited)
Alfonso Calvo
dubbing re-recording mixer (uncredited)
Alan Freedman
adr mixer (uncredited)
Peter Gleaves
adr mixer (uncredited)
Benjamin Lécuyer
adr engineer (uncredited)
John Soukup
sound transfer (uncredited)
Andy Stallabrass
adr recordist (uncredited)

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