The Horror in What You Don’t See—How Sound and Rhythm Build Suspense in 'Undertone'

In this episode, No Film School host GG Hawkins speaks with editor Sonny Atkins about shaping fear through sound, rhythm, and restraint in the horror feature Undertone. Atkins breaks down how the film’s audio-first concept influenced everything from the script to the cut, why long pauses and musical timing can heighten dread, and how a deeply personal story about grief and caregiving evolved through the editorial process. He also shares practical insights into working scrappy on a low-budget feature, using Premiere Pro’s Productions workflow, speech-to-text, temp sound design, and test screenings to refine both story and suspense. In this episode, No Film School's GG Hawkins and guest Sonny Atkins discuss... How Undertone began as an audio-driven concept and why that immediately stood out in the script Why sound design became central to the edit, not just an atmospheric layer The challenge of building horror around what the audience hears instead of what they see How Ian Tuason’s personal experience with caregiving and grief shaped the emotional core of the film Discovering story solutions in post, including the addition of a saved voicemail from the protagonist’s mother Creating distinct sonic and visual worlds between the downstairs living space and the mother’s upstairs room What it took to make a low-budget Canadian horror feature feel polished and cinematic Why Atkins cut his first assembly extremely short, then built the film back up from its essential skeleton How rhythm, blank space, and even drum rudiments became part of the team’s language for suspense Using Premiere Pro’s Productions workflow to keep a feature edit organized and responsive How speech-to-text helped manage ADR, offscreen dialogue, and hundreds of audio files Why editors should mock up sound ideas early for test screenings instead of waiting for the final sound team How Frame.io helped organize notes with timecode-based feedback Why humor can be an important release valve inside horror Career advice on longevity, mentorship, process, and closing the gap between taste and ability Memorable Quotes: “Because in this film, sound isn't just part of the atmosphere, it's the engine of the story.” “A lot of it's about rhythm and where to leave blank space, and that kind of stuff.” “The people who make it in this business are the people who don't quit. It's a longevity game.” “If your focus is really just not about making the work really good and working a lot, you can sort of inoculate yourself against having your heart broken over and over again.” Guests: Sonny Atkins (IMDb) Resources: Undertone on IMDb The Gap by Ira Glass Taylor Mason on editing Him for No Film School Find No Film School everywhere: On the Web: No Film School Facebook: No Film School on Facebook Twitter: No Film School on Twitter YouTube: No Film School on YouTube Instagram: No Film School on Instagram 📩 Send us an email with questions or feedback: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices