🎬 Behind the Sound of The Man Died – Designing for a Historical Epic
When a story is this powerful, sound must be more than a backdrop — it must become a character of its own.
The Man Died, produced by legendary filmmaker Femi Odugbemi, is a deeply introspective adaptation of Wole Soyinka’s prison memoir. For the audio team at Hovah Digital Sound, bringing this world to life wasn’t just a technical challenge — it was a creative responsibility.
Here’s how we sculpted the sonic landscape of a film where silence often speaks louder than words.
🧠 The Vision: Sound as Resistance
From the start, the director’s vision was clear: this film had to feel intimate, haunted, and real. It’s a story of confinement, reflection, and the quiet violence of injustice.
We approached the sound design with the goal of evoking psychological tension — without overwhelming the viewer. Subtlety would be our greatest strength.
🎙️ Location Sound: Capturing Vulnerability
Much of the film was dialogue-driven, set in sparse, confined locations. Clean location sound was crucial. We worked closely with the on-set sound team to ensure:
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Minimal ambient bleed
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Natural reverb from authentic prison walls
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Emotional vocal delivery from the actors, with mic placement optimized for intimacy
Later, we used iZotope RX and Pro Tools to isolate, clean, and EQ dialogue tracks to maintain both realism and clarity.
🎧 Building the Sonic Space
With little external noise or soundtrack, every detail mattered. Our process included:
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Room tones: Each prison scene had its own “silence,” designed with low-frequency rumbles and air vent hums to simulate tension.
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Footsteps, chains, distant echoes: Foley work gave each movement weight, while allowing emotional moments to breathe.
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Auditory hallucinations: For scenes of isolation, we created layered soundscapes that blurred the line between external and internal perception — wind morphing into whispers, distant voices dissolving into memory.
🥁 Music & Silence: The Balance
There’s a powerful score in The Man Died, but it’s used sparingly. We collaborated with the composer to blend music seamlessly with the sound design, ensuring:
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Transitions didn’t jar the viewer
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Scenes could resolve with sonic breath, not noise
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Silence was respected as part of the rhythm
In some cases, we deliberately pulled back all sound to let the emotional gravity of the visuals stand alone — a decision that heightened the impact of scenes without dialogue.
🛠️ Tools & Workflow
Software:
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Pro Tools Ultimate
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iZotope RX
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FabFilter Suite
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Waves for mastering
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Reaper for Foley syncing
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Dolby Atmos panning tools (pre-mix)
Hardware:
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Neumann & Sennheiser mics
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Sound Devices MixPre
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KRK studio monitors
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Slate Digital plugins for mastering
🎯 Results: Sound That Breathes with the Story
The final mix was mastered for theatrical and streaming release (Amazon Prime). The response from audiences and critics alike praised the emotional intimacy of the sound — especially in a film where every word, breath, and silence matters.
More importantly, it aligned with the creative vision: an experience that felt personal, historical, and deeply African.
🎬 Final Thoughts
Designing the sound for The Man Died wasn’t about adding noise — it was about finding the perfect spaces between it. At Hovah Digital Sound, we’re proud to have shaped a sonic journey that honors the weight of Wole Soyinka’s story.
Looking to elevate the emotional impact of your film?
Let’s create something unforgettable.
