The walk through the Paramount Pictures lot to the plaza made me feel warm and welcomed. A huge Christmas tree was set up as a sign for good vibes, warmness, the anticipation to meeting people and having interesting conversations besides good food. Full disclosure: I did not watch The Last of Us yet, nor have I played the video game. The cozy feeling would soon make way for some creepily timed shockers and tense moments in the amazing Paramount theatre, filled with a 400+ people.
The Last of Us started as a video game that was released in 2013. In 2023 S1 aired at HBO/MAX. In a hostile, post-pandemic world, Joel and Ellie, brought together by desperate circumstances, must rely on each other to survive a brutal journey across what remains of the United States. (Source: IMDb)
A key sound element of this show is the sound of the Clickers, which you can have a peak behind the making of the sounds in this video:
Craig Mazin, co-creator would talk about how the sound team used actual voice recordings, that were recorded by voice actors and then blended with creative sounds, like the sound of dolphins. He also got help from his wife picking the closing title song for episode 1, Depeche Mode’s Never Let Me Down Again. He literally asked her to come up with an idea for a song that fits several criterias, like having a longer intro etc.
John Paino, production designer said that he was amazed by his team, how they took on challenges. They needed to built a large structure of the city and the answer that his team gave him was something in the veins of: Of course, and we also add a gas station to that, like on top of all the other work they had to do.
Timothy A. Good, editor of the show talked about how he and his co-editor formed a great team. The Last Of Us started as a video game. He did not play this video game to keep his ideas fresh. However, his co-editor played the game and could so guide him on his way of cutting the episodes. This way they could maintain the best of both worlds, having the knowledge of what fans expect and having a fresh approach.
Want to know more about we do to make stories sound great? Get in touch with us at hello@greatstorysound.com