Pro Tools is the software of choice in which I use to create my piece sound piece. I begin by opening a new session and splitting the session into several organised segments:
Below this I will all my ambient / background sounds. The top half of the section includes spots sounds which will include object within an environment often not seen on screen. Such as, birds, cars, dogs barking etc. These tracks will often be mono so they can be panned – unless I want the noise to take up the entire screen. The second half of the segment is built of ambience tracks. Mostly a more often these will be a series of stereo tracks layered up to create background layers. This Process will be repeated as a Ambience B and C section. When designing in a film session I will use a checkerboard approach – alternating between Ambience A, B and C sections for scenes. See below examples of Ambience B and C.
(|Whilst designing the soundscapes I only chose to use Ambience A sounds as this is not a scene divided project and instead just one continuous soundscape)
When designing the overall mix I will also include a foley section and dialogue section. Finally At the top of the session I will have my Video track, Guide track, Dialogue mix track, and Music track to work from.