The Art of Sonic Storytelling: Unveiling Luke Gibleon's Journey in Crafting Unforgettable Scores and Mesmerizing Needle Drops

Summary

The Continental delves into the origins of Winston Scott and explores his friendship with Charon, as well as other iconic aspects of the John Wick lore.

The storyline takes place in the 1970s, preceding the events of John Wick, and seamlessly integrates historical events from that time.

Sound designer Luke Gibleon delves into the distinct sound design of the John Wick universe, exploring the notion of "precision violence" and the meticulous incorporation of sound effects into musical cues.

The Continental unravels the backstory of Winston Scott, an ally of John Wick, as it explores how he rose to become the manager of The Continental Hotels' New York branch. These hotels, serving as sanctuaries for assassins belonging to the High Table, hold secrets about Winston's past and shed light on the origins of his friendship with Charon. This series, set in the 1970s well before the events of John Wick, incorporates real-world events from that time period while delving into the iconic elements of the John Wick mythology.

Starring Colin Woodell, Mel Gibson, Katie McGrath, Mishel Prada, Ben Robson, Hubert Point-Du Jour, and Nhung Kate, The Continental boasts a talented cast. The limited series is directed by Albert Hughes, who is also an executive producer for the first and third episodes, while the second episode is directed by Charlotte Brändström. Executive producers Chad Stahelski, David Leitch, Basil Iwanyk, and Erica Lee, known for their involvement in the John Wick films, make a return to ensure The Continental's success.

Luke Gibleon Talks The Continental

Screen Rant interviewed sound designer Luke Gibleon regarding his work on the John Wick films and The Continental series. He discussed the impact of the 1970s setting on the sound design and coined the term "precision violence" to describe the sound of John Wick. Gibleon also explained how he seamlessly incorporates sound effects into the musical cues and revealed his favorite needle-drop moment in The Continental. Please note that this interview took place during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, and the show being discussed would not have been possible without the contributions of the writers and actors from both unions. Minor edits have been made to enhance clarity and shorten the interview.

Screen Rant: My admiration for the John Wick universe knows no bounds, and The Continental is truly wonderful. Undoubtedly, the shift in era to the seventies brings about a change, but would you kindly enlighten me about the meticulous process of creating the unforgettable auditory experience of John Wick within The Continental?

Luke Gibleon: Of course. I've been involved with John Wick since the beginning, and it's truly my favorite universe. It has its own distinct sound, incorporating otherworldly elements that make the world feel different and unique. We enhance the environments with added tones that give them a sense of life or include sounds that are not natural to their surroundings. And, of course, we can't forget about the sound of the action itself.

The John Wick action is what I like to call "precision violence" - a term I personally use to describe it. It's extremely precise, aiming to make every moment impactful and in sync with the meticulously crafted choreography. It requires careful attention to detail, and at the same time, it's violent. However, it's a fun kind of violence, mirroring the style of a graphic novel and occasionally incorporating humor to lighten the intensity of the numerous headshots we witness.

Was there any inspiration taken from Winston in the John Wick movies when developing The Continental?

Luke Gibleon: Not really in terms of Winston's personality. He is a very calm and steady individual, so there wasn't much we felt needed to be altered or carried over from that character. Yes.

Can you discuss the specific audio cues for gunshots in relation to the good and bad guys? Are there any other sounds that can be associated with either the good or bad guys?

Luke Gibleon: Certainly. When it comes to designing the gun sounds, we prioritize creating a distinct sound for the hero's gun. This is typically the gun used by our main protagonist, especially if they are highly skilled. We make this sound more impactful and prominent compared to the gun sounds for the antagonists. We achieve this by carefully layering different elements in our sound design process.

We make an effort to use the actual firearms themselves, but we also enhance their impact by creating other elements like weight and sharpness. Additionally, we incorporate the environment to ensure a natural sound. When building these firearms and their layers, we make slight adjustments to the sounds each time they are fired to avoid repetition.

To create a sense of authenticity, we include certain details such as the trigger being heard before the actual gunshot, as well as the sound of a shell being ejected. These elements add clarity and create an immersive experience. Moreover, we put in a great deal of effort to craft the sounds of bullet shells landing after each shot.

Did you have to create a distinct soundscape for the 1970s setting, incorporating the sounds of cars and guns from that era?

Luke Gibleon: Absolutely. The cars from the seventies were larger, more powerful, and had a distinctive throaty sound. We had to ensure that the soundscape remained authentic, avoiding any high-pitched electric vehicles. Additionally, we needed to capture the gritty atmosphere of the show, so we were careful to only use vehicles and guns from the seventies, avoiding modern, overly mechanical, or suppressed sounds, unless it served a specific purpose for entertainment.

We'll push the boundaries of legality even further in our quest to faithfully recreate the exhilarating audio experience of John Wick's action-packed world. While we prioritize capturing authentic gun sounds, we are also meticulous in sourcing sounds from the same era for elements such as the environment and vehicles.

The Continental is set in the 1970s, while the John Wick films take place in the present day. Do you have any ideas for other time periods within the John Wick universe that you would like to explore, now that the seventies have been covered?

Luke Gibleon: I think any era could be interesting, such as the eighties or the nineties. You could even go as far back as the twenties if you wanted. One aspect that I find amazing about the world of John Wick is that it has a timeless quality, even in the present. The sounds we incorporate in the modern setting of John Wick are a blend of contemporary, analog, and vintage sounds, which adds to its unique charm.

It creates a sense of the world not being confined to a single location. It feels like the world has always been a mixture of the regular world and an underworld, and their way of operating hasn't necessarily changed based on our present timeline.

The Continental has numerous remarkable instances of perfectly timed musical accompaniment. How do you incorporate the sound design seamlessly with these musical cues?

Luke Gibleon: It was an incredibly enjoyable experience, especially because in many shows, when a song is played, the tendency is to lower the sound effects and focus solely on the song. However, Albert wanted the show to be immersive, so we put a lot of effort into designing sounds that would complement the needle drops. This involved adjusting pitch, tempo, and timing to ensure synchronization with the music. We even had a live spreadsheet provided by the post-production department, which updated every time a needle drop was licensed, so I knew exactly when to start working on it.

Essentially, almost all of the needle drops required us to design and modify various elements. For example, we altered the pitch and sound of the subway horns and synchronized Foley actions with the music. My personal favorite was in night three, where we incorporated the song "One Is The Loneliest Number" by Three Dog Night. I created a playful elevator movement that matched the clanking of the mechanical keyboard in the song. Additionally, as the character stepped out, we added interesting, heavy footsteps and included the sounds of air and water flowing through pipes in a unique and funky hallway.

I orchestrated it to generate a deceptive build-up aligned with the rhythm of the music, escalating further as Cormac operated the fascinating vault door, and it resonated, amplifying the impact. These are truly enjoyable and distinctive elements that we accomplished by combining sound design and music to enrich the overall experience.

This was my first time truly being aware of the sounds in the film. However, your hard work often goes unnoticed once the job is complete. What were some of the more challenging aspects of sound design in the world of The Continental?

Luke Gibleon: Well, it's all about the small details. Albert loves to create significant moments out of the smallest things, such as a light switch or a transition from one location or moment to another. He wanted the world itself, especially New York City, to always be bustling with activity. With all of these elements, it was important to manage them so that they seamlessly blend into the world without overpowering the dialogue.

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What were some of the most peculiar sounds you had to create for The Continental?

Luke Gibleon: The strangest sounds? Well, we had to work on several otherworldly and subjective elements, such as transitional sound design and delving into someone's headspace. The director referred to this as the "warble," where we entered a character's mind momentarily. Additionally, there were instances where we had to guide the audience in and out of experiences.

We created a thematic pulsing sound that is used repeatedly throughout the film, starting from the very beginning and continuing into a frenzied car chase later on. Another challenge was Albert's preference for creating moments of blackness, where the screen goes black for a moment and the sound becomes the storyteller.

These challenges also encompassed the need to conceive something that not only served a purpose but also had a specific effect. The sounds we created were not literal in nature; instead, they were subjective sounds that functioned like music. They included rises, hits, whooshes, and other tonal elements that guided us into and out of different scenes.

Could you discuss the process of creating a unique soundscape for specific locations within The Continental world?

Luke Gibleon: Certainly. When it came to New York City, our goal was to capture the essence of the seventies and ensure that the sounds reflected that time period. We were mindful of the activities that were prevalent back then and made sure our locations were accurate. We aimed to make Chinatown stand out with its distinct sounds, differentiating it from the rest of the city. Additionally, the space at the character's uncle's house featured an eerie atmosphere, with intriguing mechanical industrial pulsations accompanied by distant train sounds. Each location had its own distinct elements.

We wanted to incorporate cool tones into The Continental itself. Additionally, the hotel had its own distinct voice, enhanced by playful little chimes that would sound depending on the situation. We introduced these delightful hotel chimes, and then there was the escape pod, which was a truly enjoyable element to construct. It had its own unique character and even featured a breathing train that added a nostalgic pulse to its design.

One particularly exciting aspect was creating the sound of the building tearing itself apart. This involved using older, almost analog-like early digital computers with fascinating tubes and changing liquids. These elements formed a structure that was on the verge of collapsing, offering an exhilarating experience. Immersed in this world, we strived to design things that contributed to the creation of these immersive spaces and memorable moments.

Do projects within the world of The Continental stand up from other projects you worked on, either in the soundscapes themselves or the process of building them?

Luke Gibleon expressed his desire for every project to be unique, constantly seeking new and innovative ideas for each one. This particular project stood out due to its heavy emphasis on sound. Throughout the process, there was a continuous focus on adding sonic elements to create and immerse the audience in the world. Albert's creative choices added a sense of enjoyment and distinctiveness with storylines, transitions, and stylistic elements. Compared to other projects, this one required more emphasis on sound and its integration into the overall experience.

Luke Gibleon: Both episode one and three posed significant challenges in terms of sound design. Episode three in particular was a beast to work on, being an action-packed movie-like episode with various start-stop action sequences. Additionally, the task of creating the sound effects for the destruction of the hotel, the introduction of the pod, the gun battles, and the explosions added to the complexity.

There is a wide range of activities we are engaged in, and then there is the intense gunfight that takes place in the dark, right? I mean, that particular episode was probably the highlight in terms of importance and duration. It was also a lot of fun, but the first episode was equally challenging because it served as our foundation.

That's where you have to start laying all the groundwork. It presented a lot of obstacles as well. The first 10-minute segment of the show was a thrilling and immersive audio experience, so it required a significant effort to create. Additionally, we had another scene, a car chase, which was predominantly designed with sound effects and minimal dialogue. There were only a few seconds of music at the beginning and end, while the rest relied entirely on sound effects.

That was actually the initial focus of our work since we hadn't received any of the edited versions yet. It was the first aspect that Albert wanted to tackle, as he believed that sound played a crucial role in the project. The collaboration with Kirk Ward, the show runner, and the picture department, Ron and Armen, was incredibly enjoyable. They had already put together a director's cut with a plethora of creative ideas, which greatly supported my team and me in understanding the direction they were taking. Albert was particularly enthusiastic about pushing the boundaries and exploring the extremes, which made the experience even more enjoyable.

About The Continental

Witness the genesis of the legendary Continental, the enigmatic sanctuary for lethal professionals in the John Wick realm. Embark on a gripping journey alongside young Winston Scott, compelled to confront his forgotten history amidst the dystopian landscape of 1970's New York City.

The first episode of The Continental is available now on Peacock with episode 2 debuting on September 27.

Source: Screen Rant Plus