LOS ANGELES — In an increasingly global film landscape, Los Angeles-based sound designer and mixer Oliver Boon has emerged as a versatile collaborator able to bridge language and culture through sound. With projects spanning three continents and multiple languages, Boon’s work demonstrates how sound can transcend dialogue and communicate emotion directly to the audience.
Boon has brought his approach to films including Tattoo Witch, a documentary about a Vietnamese tattooist navigating cultural taboos (directed by Lindsay Nyman); Zurich 2048, a Swiss sci-fi pilot set in a dystopian future (directed by Christian Jankowski); and Whispers of Home, an Iranian short film about a teenage girl confronting the pain of leaving her homeland (directed by Sahar Ghorishi). Each project presented unique linguistic and cultural challenges — along with opportunities to craft soundscapes that honor their distinct identities.
“When working in another language, you can’t rely purely on words to understand the rhythm of a scene,” Boon said. “You start to listen differently — to tone, pacing, breath and silence. That’s where the emotional language of sound really begins. I often bring in a native speaker to watch the film with me so I can preserve the intricacies of the dialect.”
In Tattoo Witch, a feminist story about transformation and courage, Boon used sparse ambient textures and restrained sound design to heighten emotion without overwhelming the dialogue. For Zurich 2048, an experimental sci-fi film blending English and German, he crafted metallic, industrial soundscapes that reflect the story’s themes of alienation and control. In Whispers of Home, Boon embraced naturalism, allowing overlapping dialogue to maintain its raw texture with only subtle edits.
“I see my job as translating emotion across borders,” Boon said. “Whether it’s Farsi, German or Vietnamese, the audience should feel the story even if they don’t understand every word. That’s the beauty of film — we share culture through emotion.”
As global co-productions and cross-cultural storytelling continue to grow, Boon’s adaptable, empathetic approach positions him as a sought-after sound artist for internationally minded filmmakers.
“The beauty of working in different languages,” he added, “is realizing that sound is its own language — and everyone understands it.”
Oliver Boon
Founder, Boon Box Productions
oliver@boonboxproductions.com
+1 (424) 386-0321
www.boonboxproductions.com
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