Yasen Kirilov
Role: Location Sound & Sound Design
After a mother and her two young daughters are forced to seek refuge in a women’s shelter, they struggle to adapt to the uncertainty of their new lives. Far from home and overwhelmed by confusion, the older sister attempts to grapple with this new reality and the changes to her daily life, until the answers she is searching for begin to find her instead.
For 'Splinters', my aim was to immerse the audience without necessarily imposing a specific emotion or making an explicit statement through the soundscape. The nature of the film lends itself more strongly to storytelling through the performances, which serve as the emotional and narrative core of the piece.
The cinematography and colour palette of 'Splinters' also made use of a more observational and grounded approach, which prompted me to search for subtle ways of enhancing the image on screen without directly guiding the viewer. The slight buzz of a room during a pause in conversation, the quiet emptiness of an unfamiliar place, and the ambience of city life just out of reach were some of the ideas I wanted to rely on throughout the post-production process.
I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked on this film, and I can confidently say that the process has deepened my understanding of both location sound and post-production audio, while also improving my ability to work collaboratively towards a common goal. The lessons I learned throughout the production will prove invaluable in the future, as I continue to apply these newly developed skills while further refining my craft, just as I did during my work on 'Splinters'.
This thesis explores the historical and cultural evolution of sound, from its emergence as a conceptual and artistic tool to its modern applications in media, arguing that film has enabled sound to reach its fullest potential as a storytelling device.
I am a film sound major with experience working as both a sound recordist and sound designer. Originally from Bulgaria, my years in Ireland at the National Film School have allowed me to develop a deep passion and understanding of sound as a storytelling tool, both on location and in post-production. My focus lies in maintaining high standards of recording quality while enhancing the narrative strength and emotional impact of a story.
