Winner
Night contemplation
Akhmet Nurgazin
Composer; Sound Designer
My work with the sound and score focuses mainly on ambience and immersion.
Atmosphere that enhances the nighttime setting and the character's introspective mood. The score is intentionally subtle, featuring a calm, low piano chord progression complemented by delicate woodwind textures. This combination aims to evoke a sense of tranquility and contemplation.
To answer a call of faith theme from visual language, I incorporated Bach's G major prelude played by myself as diegetic music.
RUNNERS-UP
While You Were Sleeping by Bryan Garbe
Untitled by Ringo Ma
Storytelling Through Sound | Presented by the
Sound and music are two of the most powerful instruments in a filmmaker’s toolkit, profoundly impacting the audience experience. Sound can be used in bold and imaginative ways to heighten the sense of reality, direct a viewer’s attention, and augment the visual experience. Music can also set the mood, enhance the emotional impact, or build tension and suspense. We challenge you to choose one of the three provided scenes from Chronicles of a Wandering Saint and design the sound and/or music to tell this story the way you see it...
Chronicles of a Wandering Saint, written and directed by Tomás Gómez Bustillo, was nominated for three 2024 Independent Spirit Awards including Best First Feature, Best First Screenplay, and Best Cinematography.
Film synopsis: In a tiny Argentinian town, a pious yet competitive woman decides that staging a miracle could be her ticket to sainthood. After discovering a lost statue, she orchestrates a grand reveal that will finally anoint her as the most admired woman in town. But before the unveiling, a jarring event illuminates the hidden magic of her world, forcing her to reevaluate everything she once took for granted.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
- Originality: The uniqueness demonstrated in the sound and/or music
- Synergy: The degree to which the sound/music and visuals harmonize
- Emotional Resonance: The effectiveness of the sound and music in enhancing the connection to the story.
- Technical Proficiency: The technical quality of the elements.
TECHNICAL DETAILS
- All sound and music must be original and submitted by the creators.
- Accepted video file formats: AVI, MOV, MP4, or MPEG-2.
- Note: If you choose to upload a .MOV file, make sure that it is not using the Apple ProRes compression. We do not support reading Apple ProRes files or raw camera formats like ARRI and RED at this time.
- The maximum file size you can upload is 4.9 GB.
CHALLENGE RULES
Our challenges are open to everyone in the Sundance Collab community. If you are not a member of the Sundance Collab community, you can sign up for free. One entry per person, per challenge. All submissions will be viewable to the worldwide Sundance Collab community. All submissions will be given equal consideration and the final winner will be determined by the consensus of the designated Jury. Only those submissions that meet the criteria outlined in the submission guidelines are eligible to be selected as a winner.
The challenge closed on Monday, July 15, 2024 at 5 p.m. PT.
If you have questions regarding the challenge, please email collabsupport@sundance.org. You may be disqualified if you contact members of the jury directly.
PRIZES
The Winner will receive:
- Their work featured on Sundance Collab as part of the Dolby Institute Series
- Sundance Collab winner course package, which includes:
- (1) free self-paced course ($325)
- (3) free on-demand courses ($345)
- (5) free Master Classes ($135)
- Total value: $805
Two selected Runners-up will receive:
- Their work featured on Sundance Collab as part of the Dolby Institute Series
- Sundance Collab runners-up course package, which includes:
- (1) free self-paced course ($325)
- (1) free on-demand course ($115)
- (1) free Master Class ($27)
- Total value: $467
Submission Guidelines
Technical Details
- All sound and music must be original and submitted by the creators.
- Participants will download the scene from our site and then submit a link or upload an MP4 file that marries their sound and/or music with the picture.
- Accepted video file formats: AVI, MOV, MP4, or MPEG-2.
- Note: If you choose to upload a .MOV file, make sure that it is not using the Apple ProRes compression. We do not support reading Apple ProRes files or raw camera formats like ARRI and RED at this time.
- The maximum file size you can upload is 4.9 GB.
Do not use copyrighted material as part of this monthly challenge (unless you are the copyright owner).
By submitting your work, you agree (1) to give Sundance Institute an irrevocable and perpetual limited license to display your work on the Sundance Collab website in connection with this competition, and (2) not to share or use the video submission outside of the Sundance Collab Dolby Sound & Music Challenge. You further warrant and represent that none of the sound elements or music in your work will violate the rights of any third party (including copyright).