SNIPER: THE LAST STAND

Composer Andries Smit and Head of Audio Kyle Koekemoer suffered our questions so we could gain a deeper understanding of the vision for the film, and how working together under one roof brings value.

ANDRIES SMIT: COMPOSER

What was the music brief for this film?
The music brief was quite straightforward and open-ended. Danishka wanted a modern, “masculine” score with three main themes: Becket’s theme, the battle theme, and the family theme. Becket’s theme had to be heroic and emotional, encompassing his story arc from being just a soldier to becoming the leader of the group. The battle theme needed to be heavy, guitar-driven, and high-energy. The family theme had to be melancholic, minimal, and not melodramatic. This was quite an open-ended brief, but one element Danishka really wanted to feature in the score was the bugle horn, which we primarily used for Becket’s theme.

How did you make this a reality?
We started with our “toolkit” process, which involves recording a variety of instruments, exporting the recordings as audio files, naming and categorizing them so that we can easily use them during the sketching and scoring phases. Since the interior of our newly acquired 6th floor was being demolished, we had a perfect, spacious area to record among the rubble. We ended up recording a lot of unconventional percussion, like chains and glass thrown to the floor, bricks, pots, and bucket hits – anything we could hit to get a grittier sound.

While the team was busy creating battle sketches and ideas using our toolkit, I got started on Becket’s theme to capture the emotional side of the score. Once we had sign-off from Danishka on our direction, we extrapolated the themes into different variations until it was time to start scoring. While scoring the film, we found that Becket’s theme needed to be more prevalent throughout, not just limited to his scenes. This led to a lot of variations based on his melody being sprinkled throughout the film.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have the budget to record a live orchestra, so we had to rely on samples as much as possible. The only instrument a sample couldn’t quite capture was the bugle horn, so we brought in a player to record all the parts once the first draft of the whole score was complete.

What is your process in working with the Audio team to deliver the final product?
We communicate and collaborate daily, sending our rough WIP cues to each other as we’re scoring and receiving their work-in-progress cues in return. By keeping each other updated on new versions or revisions, the entire process runs more smoothly, reducing the chance of surprises down the line. This is especially crucial in scenes with heavy sound design and music, where elements could clash dramatically. We’re fortunate to collaborate in-house, allowing us to find the best approach and minimize any chaos.
Additionally, our final mix engineer also benefits from having access to the score early in the temp mix. Once the score is approved and mixed by our score mixer, the stems are passed to the final mix engineer and we’re always available for any necessary tweaks during this stage.

KYLE KOEKEMOER: HEAD OF AUDIO

What was the audio brief for this film?
With the Sniper series carrying such a strong legacy, it was essential to stay true to the genre and the feel of the previous films, while also pushing the boundaries to keep the series evolving. This iteration of Sniper bends the norms of an action film, so we needed to emphasize that through the audio, all while staying authentic to the core of the series. At the heart of it, we knew we could really go all out on the action scenes. Danishka (The Director), in particular, loved the stairwell fight from Atomic Blonde, with its deep and dynamic sound. We used that as inspiration, applying it to all the major fight scenes to create perspective and show the audience the full scale of the sonic landscape.

Tell us more about the value of having Music and Audio handled under one roof for a project like this.
Towards the end of the mix, we had to swap out a music cue for a fight scene. Having the music team in-house meant we could collaborate quickly. We were able to brainstorm and present 8 versions for approval in just one day. There’s no way we could have pulled that off without both music and audio under one roof. Also, shoutout to Cobus for writing and performing an amazing track, he really nailed it.

What did you do differently on this film from an Audio POV, and what sets it apart?
One of the key things we focused on was conveying the vast scale of the physical spaces in the film. The characters are spread out, communicating over comms, while the enemy surrounds them. To bring this space to life, we used walla, distant sound effects, and a wide range of reverbs. I curated 14 unique reverb spaces to carefully place dialogue and sound effects in different environments, creating a more immersive experience that really draws the audience into the world of the film.
What did you enjoy most about working on this film?
I really enjoyed working on the beautifully choreographed fight scenes. From Denys’ sound design to Alec’s ADR and walla, everything came together perfectly to elevate the film’s sonic world. I also connected deeply with the individual background stories of the characters, and I wanted to dive into their emotional states during the scenes. With an incredible score and score mix, it was easy to bring those moments to life. Lastly, a big thank you to the Pressure Cookies who jumped into the studio to perform walla and fight scenes. You guys added that final touch to take the film to the next level. Muchas gracias!

Our Head of Production Astrid Iverson concludes this piece for us: “From the earliest stages of planning to the final moments of delivery, it was a testament to the power of collaboration where post-production relationships truly blossomed. Sniper exemplifies what’s possible when passion, trust, and dedication come together.”