The award for Best Sound Design in a Series or Programme went to James Drake and Raoul Brand of Splice Post this year, honoured for their evocative and finely detailed work on the acclaimed series, Adolescence.
Drake takes us behind the scenes…
“When Director Phil Barantini and I first talked about Adolescence, the creative direction was very similar to that of our previous project we worked on together, Boiling Point, in that at all times we should stay grounded in reality, that the sound should be organic and true to the point of view we’re experiencing, and that there would be no score. However, during production, this direction began to evolve. Early on, we temped sound design for the van sequence in Episode 1, which later became an incredible piece of score from Composers Aaron May and David Ridley.
This really opened up the world of sound design for the project and allowed me to start making bolder creative choices; getting more inside the characters’ heads at times, adding more dynamism to the soundscape, and creating more bespoke sound design, particularly in the form of drones and tonal layers.
That being said, the aim for the diegetic sound was very much to keep it grounded. Sounds were quickly discarded for being too clean or too heightened; for everything to work together, each sound effect had to have a sense of realness and grit to it. Special mention must go to Sound Effects Editor, Raoul Brand, who worked alongside me on Episodes 2 and 4 and made such a brilliant contribution to the soundscape of those episodes.
The dialogue edit was, in itself, very challenging. With large amounts of mics being recorded for some episodes, the first stages were primarily focused on working through the material and bringing the episodes together. From there, the focus shifted to cleaning the dialogue, finding alternate takes to address technical issues, and panning the voices around the environment. Phil’s brief is always to preserve the performances from the take and limit ADR. Thanks to the excellent work done by Rob and Kiff on set, along with the time spent in the edit really digging deep, we recorded very little technical ADR.
The great joy of recording ten takes of almost every episode was having a wealth of material to draw from so we could make creative performance choices in the edit if needed and also find additional material to add the presence of characters back into scenes. One of my favourite discoveries was the snippet of Eddie Miller (Stephen Graham) and Manda Miller (Christine Tremarco) we hear when Paul Barlow (Mark Stanley) leaves them in the Family Room in Episode 1, it’s just subtly played in the mix but gave us the opportunity to keep hearing the emotional toll it was having on them throughout the story.”
Pre and Final Mix
James Drake on the Mixing process…
“This is by far and away my favourite project that I’ve mixed, and it was fantastic to be in the studio every day working alongside Jules, really getting into the minute details and bringing many months of work together.
More than any other project, we worked on making the mix sing on multiple output devices; on the mix stage in Dolby Atmos, on a soundbar, on a flat-screen television and on headphones. We were very aware that the audience would be watching on a range of devices, and it was crucial to us that the effect of immersive audio would be felt on all of them, and that the experience of listening in Dolby Atmos on the mix stage could be replicated as much as possible on, say, a laptop with headphones.”
Jules Woods on the Mixing process…
“The single-shot structure of Adolescence provides a distinct “first-person” perspective, immersing the viewer in the action rather than positioning them as an outside observer. Central to this experience were panning and perspective, which played a pivotal role in drawing the viewer into the world. The sound design and dialogue were mixed to mirror this approach – there’s never a moment where the sound feels static. Constant panning, along with dynamic level and reverb automation, creates a sense of perspective and draws the audience deeper into the emotional landscape. Mixing in Dolby Atmos expanded the possibilities, allowing us to fully utilise point-source panning to further enhance this effect.
In traditional TV shows, cuts between scenes offer a punchy way to establish new locations, both visually and audibly. These transitions mark changes and infuse character into the environments. However, with the seamless single-shot approach, we faced a unique challenge in maintaining the creative impact during these shifts between locations. James’ contributions were critical here – his use of subtle sound design during transitions, combined with carefully chosen and placed real-world sound effects, preserved the energy of each location while maintaining the flow of the narrative.
Realism was a central focus for me. The story itself is raw and emotionally charged, and the performances of the cast are incredibly powerful. To honour that, the dialogue needed to be front and centre without the mix becoming sterile or clinical. The world of Adolescence is alive – busy at times, eerily quiet at others. It was essential to capture this organic dynamism. My goal was for viewers to feel as though they were truly there, hearing only the sounds that would have been present around the camera in each moment.
The dialogue edit was pristinely clean, offering us the flexibility to have absolute control in the mix. Every sound you hear is intentionally placed; though it may sound organic, it’s the result of careful and thoughtful shaping and design.”
In conclusion, the auditory landscape of Adolescence was not only essential in complementing the stunning visuals but also in elevating the emotional depth of the story. Every sonic element, from the dialogue to ambient sounds, was carefully crafted to deepen the viewer’s engagement with the narrative. The Splice team ensured that the audience was not a mere observer but an active participant in the unfolding drama. This meticulous attention to audio, combined with the innovative single-shot structure, resulted in a series that resonates deeply, pulling viewers into its world and leaving a lasting emotional impact.
