Graham Reznick is a multifaceted sound designer, screenwriter, director, and musician, best known for his work on indie horror films like Ti West's X and the critically acclaimed video game Until Dawn. In this episode, Reznick discusses Rabbit Trap, a film based on Welsh folklore blending analog synthesis with supernatural soundscapes.

Host Mack Hagood and Reznick begin talking about horror sound design as a technical and creative process, examining how he crafted specific uncanny soundscapes in the film. The conversation then expands to the evolving relationship between sound design and musical scores in horror films, Reznick's limited series on Shudder called "Dead Wax: A Vinyl Hunter's Tale" and a discussion of haunted media, sensory deprivation, brainwave entrainment, self-improvement tapes from the 1970s, and other Halloween-appropriate topics!

Members of Phantom Power can hear our ad-free, extended version, which includes Reznick's world-record breaking work as a writer on the video game Until Dawn. Last but not least, we find ‘What’s Good?’ according to Graham, where he recommends things to read, do, and listen to!

Join us at phantompod.org or mackhagood.com]! That’s also where you can also sign up for our free Phantom Power newsletter, which will drop on the second Friday of every month and feature news, reviews, and interviews not found on the podcast.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Phantom Power

01:19 Meet Graham Reznick: Sound Designer Extraordinaire

01:59 Rabbit Trap: A Sound-Centric Horror Film

02:29 Graham Reznick's Career Highlights

04:00 Phantom Power Membership and Newsletter

04:52 Interview with Graham Reznick Begins

05:00 Rabbit Trap: Plot and Sound Design Insights

10:40 Creating the Uncanny Soundscape

14:11 The Evolution of Sound Design in Horror

20:56 Sound Design Techniques and Tools

26:33 Exploring the Fairy Circle Scene

35:48 Dead Wax: A Vinyl Hunter's Tale

39:58 The Allure of Forbidden Media

43:31 The Evolution of Online Culture

44:34 Magic, Dark Arts, and Haunted Media

46:54 Sensory Deprivation and Inner Worlds

49:25 The Power of Sound and Music

52:45 The Impact of Individualized Media

For the full transcript visit: https://www.mackhagood.com/podcast/inside-the-sound-of-the-uncanny-rabbit-trap-sound-design-and-haunted-media-w-graham-reznick/

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Horror Film Sound Designer Graham Reznick on Crafting the Uncanny