S26 - Ep 7 - 98th Oscars - Sound

Sound is where performance, environment, and emotion converge — shaped first on set and refined in the mix. In Episode 7 of Below the Line’s 2026 Oscar series, Skid is joined by Steve Morrow (Production Sound Mixer) and Don Sylvester (Sound Editor) to examine the nominees for Achievement in Sound at the 98th Academy Awards. Together, they explore how production and post-production intersect to support performance, pacing, and dramatic tension. As with the rest of this year’s Oscar series, the conversation is available both as an audio podcast and as a full video episode on YouTube. Our discussion explores: The immersive racing soundscape of F1, and how layered engine recording, ambisonics, and dynamic mixing place audiences inside the cockpit The evolving vocal treatment and tonal balancing in Frankenstein, where horror, romance, and creature design must coexist within a unified sonic world How One Battle After Another uses vehicles, space, and environmental texture to reinforce character perspective Capturing live musical performance and choreographed chaos in Sinners, where production sound and post must move in lockstep The blurred boundary between music and environment in Sirāt, and how subtle soundscapes shape perception as much as spectacle Why production sound and sound editing are inseparable disciplines when it comes to protecting performance A brief look at shortlist contender Warfare, and what makes immersive combat sound both technically complex and emotionally overwhelming Throughout the conversation, Steve and Don reflect on the practical realities of their craft — from mic placement and set noise to mix decisions and audience psychology — offering a detailed look at how sound both grounds and elevates cinematic storytelling. 🎧 Press play — or watch the full conversation on YouTube — and join us Below the Line for Episode 7 of our 2026 Oscar series. For more, visit belowtheline.biz.