Sound and Music for Screen Reimagine by Pablo Cano

Cinematic Redesign Reel: Dune (2021) & The Mirror (1975)

An exploration in the extremes of cinematic scale: from the colossal to the ethereal.

This reel features a comprehensive sound and music redesign for two iconic moments in cinema: the Sandworm encounter from Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part One and the burning barn sequence from Andrei Tarkovsky’s The Mirror. The objective was to replace the original score entirely and add some sound effects, creating a new sonic identity that honors the director’s vision while exploring my own avant-garde and modern technical approach.

Dune: Part One - The Sandworm Scene: For this sequence, the focus was on representing scale through frequency. I utilized custom synthesis to create the “voice” of the desert—a low-end, sub-bass presence that feels more like a geological event than a creature. Additionally, futuristic pads and synths that carry the pace and tension throughout the scene. By layering organic foley with synthetic textures, I aimed to capture the hostile, oppressive atmosphere of Arrakis and the sheer physical power of the Shai-Hulud.

The Mirror - Burning Barn Scene: In contrast, Tarkovsky’s The Mirror required a poetic, dreamlike delicacy. The sound design and score for the burning barn sequence moves away from literal fire effects into a more surrealist, psychological space. Using micro-tonal textures and processed acoustic recordings from Tina Guo’s VST (Sul-pont cello), the audio mirrors the protagonist’s internal state—focusing on the crackle of memory and the haunting, quiet intensity of a childhood hallucination.

Technical Focus:

Bespoke Foley: Crafting unique organic sounds for the futuristic yet raw environment of Arrakis.

Modern Synthesis: Using granular and wavetable synthesis to create “weird,” non-linear textures.

Atmospheric Contrast: Managing the dynamic range between the maximalist chaos of Dune and the minimalist tension of The Mirror.

Project Credits

Original Films: Dune: Part One (Dir. Denis Villeneuve), The Mirror (Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky).
Sound Design & Music Redesign: Pablo Cano

#SoundDesign #AudioPostProduction #SoundRedesign #Foley #MusicComposer