CV
DAVID SONNENSCHEIN
Producer – Director – Game Developer
Sound Designer – Author/Teacher/Coach
CONTACT
2417 Topanga Skyline Dr.
Topanga CA 90290
310 455-0750 office
310 963-0807 cell
EDUCATION
MFA Cinema/TV specializing in directing and sound, University of Southern California, 1983.
BA Biology (major) / Music (minor), University of California at San Diego, 1974.
COMPANIES
Developer, 3 DEAF MICE, music audio game
Director, SOUND DESIGN FOR PROS, educational services and products
President, SONIC STRATEGIES, sound for film, education and interactive media.
Partner, HELP KIDS MEDIA, audio programs for children.
PUBLICATIONS
Book, “Sound Design – The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects for Cinema”, 2001, 245 pages, publisher Michael Wiese Productions, distributed internationally by Butterworth-Heinemann. Theoretical and practical guide for the use of filmic sound, including psychoacoustics, music theory, human voice, sound-image interaction and analysis of narrative from an acoustic perspective. Adapted as the primary text for sound design by film schools around the world (US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom, Austria, Netherlands, Turkey, Norway, Finland, Cuba, Brazil, Hong Kong, Japan, China, Korea, Vietnam), translated into Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. #1 on Google and Amazon.com.
Book chapter, “Sound Spheres and the Human Voice”, 2013, Electrified Voices: Medial, Socio-Historical and Cultural Aspects of Voice Transfer, V&R Unipress in Gottingen.
Articles/Interviews, Featured Sound Designer – May 2011, interactive media, Sound Spheres, creativity and aesthetics, Designingsound.org.
Article, “Sound Spheres: A model of psychoacoustic space in cinema”, 2011, The New Soundtrack journal, Edinburgh University Press.
Article, “Designing with Sound to Enhance Learning: Four Recommendations from the Film Industry”, 2011, with Dr. M.J. Bishop, Lehigh University College of Education, The Journal of Applied Instructional Design.
Article, “The Keys to Creative Sound Design – Eight Steps to a Total Cinematic Experience”, 2008, MovieMaker Magazine, Complete Guide to Making Movies 2009.
Article, “Sound Design 101 – Adding Emotional Resonance through Sound”, 2005, MovieMaker Magazine, Guide to Making Movies 2006, Third Annual Edition.
Article, “Creating Our World With Sound”, 2004, Leeds School of Music Technology, England, academic journal. Analysis of structural similarities between sound design, neuroscience principles and storytelling elements.
Article, “Supersonic Creativity”, 2003, Filmmakers Alliance, Los Angeles, newsletter. Tools for the independent filmmaker to enrich their productions with inspired sound design, including “11 Supersonic Strategies”.
COURSE DESIGN, SEMINARS AND LECTURES
Online webinar leader, Sound Design Webinar series, 2010-12, including “Psychoacoustic Tools for Creativity,” “The Power of the Human Voice in Media,” “Secrets for Great Film Sound,” “Sound Design for Pros.”
Course designer and online instructor, Academy of Art University, San Francisco, 2011-12, “Creative Sound Design for Visual Media,” and “Music Television: MTV and the Montage,” 15 online sessions with interactive media.
Course designer and instructor, New York Film Academy, Los Angeles campus, 2011-12, “Sound Design for Documentary Film,” and “Directing and Producing Documentary Film.”
Course designer and instructor, Video Symphony, Burbank CA, 2005-12, Protools certification program, PT219 “Intermediate Aesthetics of Sound.”
Visiting lecturer, California State University Northridge, Los Angeles, 2002-12, Sound Design Principles.
Online lecturer, Berklee School of Music, Boston, 2012, Sound Design Principles, analysis of student projects.
Seminar Leader, Vietnam Cinema Association, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), Vietnam, 2011, 3-day seminar series.
Sound Design Lecturer, Bioware (Electronic Arts) game company, Canada, 2011, Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises.
Keynote speaker, University of Konstanz, Germany, 2011, conference “Electrified Voices: Medial, Socio-Historical and Cultural Aspects of Voice Transfer.”
Guest lecturer, University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Dortmund, Germany, 2011, Sound Design Principles.
Guest lecturer, FH Offenburg University, Germany, 2011, Sound Design Principles.
Guest lecturer, HFF Potsdam-Babelsberg University, Germany, 2011, Sound Design Principles.
Online lecturer, Huddersfield University, England, 2010-11, Sound Design Principles, analysis of student projects.
Presenter, Association for Educational Communication and Technology (AECT) International Convention, 2009, “Sound Design: What Instructional Designers Can Learn From the Film Industry About Incorporating Sound More Effectively”, with MJ Bishop Ed. D., Lehigh University.
Course designer and lecturer, Video Symphony, Burbank CA, 2004-8, Class 120 Introduction to Sound Design: From Theory to Practice, 8 hours.
Seminar leader, SoundDesignLA, Video Symphony, Burbank CA, 2005-9, founder of monthly meetings for film industry works-in-progress.
Visiting lecturer, ESMAE – Escola Superior de Música e das Artes do Espectáculo, Porto, Portugal, 2009, Sound Design Masters Program workshop.
Visiting lecturer, British Film Institute, England, 2009, Sound Design Principles.
Visiting lecturer, South East Essex College, England, 2009, Sound Design Principles.
Visiting lecturer, Huddersfield University, England, 2009, Sound Design Principles.
Visiting lecturer, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, 2009, Sound Design Principles.
Visiting Lecturer, UCLA, Architecture Dept., Los Angeles, 2003-8, How Sound Creates Environments.
Seminar leader, Academia Internacional de Cinema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sound Design for Cinema, 2008.
Seminar leader, Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Sound Design for Musical Creativity and the Environment, 2006.
Seminar leader, Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, Sound Design for Theatre and Film, 2006.
Visiting lecturer, San Francisco State University, Sound Design in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts, 2006.
Seminar leader, Globe Institute of Recording and Psychoacoustics, San Francisco, 2006.
Visiting lecturer, Cogswell Polytechnical College, Silicon Valley, 2006, Art and Engineering of Sound Design.
Visiting lecturer, ISELA (Institute of Spiritual Cinema – LA), Sound Design for Impact, Emotion and Transformation, 2005.
Visiting lecturer, MGLA (Motion Graphics LA), Sound Design Primer, 2005.
Seminar leader, NRK Broadcasting Studio, Oslo, Norway, 2005, Psychoacoustics for Sound Engineers.
Conference speaker, 22nd Nordic Sound Symposium, Bolkesjo, Norway, 2005
Visiting lecturer, KHM, Academy of Media Arts, Cologne, Germany, 2005.
Seminar leader, WDR Broadcasting Studio, Cologne, Germany, 2005, week-long interactive work with TV, Music and Radio producers.
Visiting lecturer, Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking, Sedona AZ, 2005, Sound Design for Independent Filmmakers
Seminar leader, Banff Mountain Film Festival, Canada, 2004, Sound Design for Independent Filmmakers.
Seminar leader, Audio Engineering Society, Canada, 2004, Psychoacoustics for Sound Editors and Engineers.
Keynote Speaker, Leeds International Music Technology Education Conference: Sound-Image-Space, England, 2004, Creating our World with Sound.
Seminar leader, Independent Feature Project West, Los Angeles, 2004, Supersonic Strategies for Independent Filmmakers.
Seminar leader, Winter Brain Conference, Palm Springs, 2004, The Science of Sound and Storytelling.
Seminar leader, Filmmakers Alliance, Los Angeles, 2003, Supersonic Strategies for Independent Filmmakers.
Seminar leader, StoryCon, Palm Springs, 2002-3, The Storytelling Impact of Sound.
Visiting Lecturer, American Film Institute, Los Angeles, 2002, Sound Design Principles.
Visiting Lecturer, Occidental College, Los Angeles, 2002-3, Sound Design Principles.
Seminar leader, Sounding Out, Staffordshire University, England, 2002, Sound Design for Film.
Seminar leader, Cyberarts International, San Francisco, 2001, Psychoacoustics, Technology and Storytelling.
Visiting Lecturer, Universidade Estacio de Sa, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1999. Sound Design Principles.
Course designer and lecturer, Escuela Internacional de Cine y TV, Cuba, 1998. Sound Design for Film, 60 hours, theory, recording, editing, mixing, Protools based.
FILMOGRAPHY
Sound Designer / Supervising Sound Editor, “DREAMS AWAKE”, feature, 2010
Sound Designer, “MAGIC TIME”, radio play, 2008
Sound Design Consultant, “WATERMELON MAN”, short, 2008
Sound Designer, “AWAKENING THE AMAZONS”, feature documentary, 2008
Sound Designer, “HALL OF PAST LIVES”, short, 2007
Sound Design Consultant, “The Irish Vampire Goes West”, feature, 2007
Sound Design Consultant, “HOLDING TREVOR”, feature, 2007
Sound Designer, “SERENE SAVERS”, computer meditation audio loops, 2006
Sound Designer, “LUNAR ROVER”, NASA-sponsored interactive virtual reality, 2006
Sound Designer, “ANGEL BEACH”, short, 2006
Director/Sound Designer, “CHOICES”, feature documentary, 2006
Sound Design Consultant, “PASSING DARKNESS”, short, 2005
Sound Designer/Editor, “I’D RATHER BE DANCING”, short, 2004
Sound Design Consultant, “ZALI’S CRUSH”, feature, 2004
Director/Sound Designer, “TANTRIC TWIST”, feature, 2004
Camera/Sound Recordist, “KUMBHA MELA PROJECT”, documentary, 2001
Sound Designer, “Jack Pierce: The Man Behind The Monsters”, documentary, 2000
Sound Design Consultant, “MAANGAMIZI, THE ANCIENT ONE”, feature, 1999
Sound Designer, “O DIA DA CAÇA”, feature, 1998
Sound Designer, “NEGOCIAÇÃO MORTAL”, feature, 1998
Director/Sound Recordist, “DR. FRITZ – HEALING THE BODY AND SPIRIT”, documentary, 1996
Dir. of Photography/Sound Designer, “DAUGHTERS OF ZUMBI”, musical / documentary, 1996
Director/Sound Designer/Sound Recordist, “SLAVE SHIP”, documentary, 1995
Director/Sound Designer, “PLANETA ÁGUA”, musical / documentary, 1992
Director/Producer, EARTH SUMMIT Global Forum, television and documentary, 1992
Director, “RIO SHOW FESTIVAL”, documentary, 1991
Producer, “BLACK GAUCHO”, feature, 1991
Producer, “INSPECTOR FAUSTÃO AND MALLANDRO”, feature, 1991
Producer, “SUMMER DREAM”, feature, 1990
Producer, “CRYSTAL MOON”, feature, 1990
Co-Producer, “THE MYSTERY OF ROBIN HOOD”, feature, 1990
Producer/Sound Recordist, “MUSIC AROUND THE WORLD”, documentary, 1989
Director/Sound Designer, “SUPER XUXA”, feature, 1988
Director/Producer, “ARACRUZ TV”, news and training, 1988
Director/Sound Recordist, “RIO NEW YEAR ‘86”, documentary, 1986
Director, “SUE WONG”, video clip, 1985
Director/Producer, “AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGERY”, educational, 1984
Producer/Sound Designer, “WHEN KIDS FLY KITES”, short, 1984
Director/Sound Designer, “THE OWL’S FLIGHT”, short, 1983
Director/Sound Designer, “THE HOODED WOODSMAN”, short, 1981
Director/Sound Designer, “CHRYSALIS”, short, 1981
Director/Sound Designer, “ELECTRIC NIGHT”, short, 1981
Director/Sound Designer, “GENERATIONS”, animation, 1981
Director/Sound Designer, “TEAM PLAY”, documentary, 1981
Director/Sound Designer, “GET YOUR MASSAGE RIGHT HERE”, short, 1981
Director/Sound Designer, “FAZE MAZE”, animation, 1983
Sound Effects Recordist, “SUMMERSPELL”, feature, 1983
Director, “BRAIN INTERGRATION SEMINAR”, documentary, 1980
Director/Sound Designer, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”, short, 1979
Director/Sound Designer, “PHAGE LAMBDA”, animation, 1976
AWARDS AND FESTIVALS
Conscious Life Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2008, “HALL OF PAST LIVES”
Reel Inspiration Film Festival, Tucson, Arizona 2007, “ANGEL BEACH”
Conscious Life Film Festival, Los Angeles, 2007, “ANGEL BEACH”
Araucária Special Jury Award, Fest Cine Vídeo Curatiba 1998, “DAUGHTERS OF ZUMBI”
THE BEST OF INPUT ’97, Berlin e Stuttgart, Alemanha, 1997, “DAUGHTERS OF ZUMBI”
INPUT ’97, Nantes, França, 1997, “DAUGHTERS OF ZUMBI”
Riocine Festival, 1996, “DAUGHTERS OF ZUMBI”
AFI Festival, Los Angeles, 1992, “SUPER XUXA”
Festival pour l’Enfance et la Jeunesse de Corbeil-Essonnes, França, 1990, “SUPER XUXA”
Le Carroussel International du Film de Rimouski, Quebec, Canada, 1990, “SUPER XUXA”
Fantasporto, Porto, Portugal, 1989, “SUPER XUXA”
Festival Internacional de Tomar, Portugal, 1989, “SUPER XUXA”
FestRio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1987, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
CINE Eagle Award, 1984, “THE OWL’S FLIGHT”
Verna Fields Trophy, Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel, 1983, “THE OWL’S FLIGHT”
Sinking Creek Film Celebration, 1983, “THE OWL’S FLIGHT”
CINEMAN Trophy, Melbourne, Australia, 1981, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
4-Star Certificate, Christchurch, New Zealand, 1981, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
Velden Film Festival, Belgium, 1980, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
CINE Eagle Award, 1980, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
Mill Valley Film Festival, 1980, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
San Francisco International Film Festival, 1980, “LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD: A BALINESE-OREGON ADAPTATION”
MUSIC PRODUCTION AND PERFORMANCE
Music producer/editor/mixer, “help kids media”, therapeutic audio programs for children using guided imagery, music and sound healing techniques.
Performer, Classical clarinet, Santa Monica Symphony Orchestra, Peter Meremblum Symphony Orchestra, Clarinet Institute.
Performer, Jazz and rock flute.
Performer, World music, didjeridoo, wind and percussion instruments from India, Bali, Thailand, Australia, Brazil.
Sound Therapist, music used for healing purposes in “Dare” group collaboration, based on the structure and principles of the Shona tribe of Zimbabwe.
Sound Design For Pros 
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