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

In this episode of the No Film School Podcast, host GG Hawkins speaks with editor Sonny Atkins about shaping fear through sound, rhythm, and restraint in the horror feature u ndertone. 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, we****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 __

Guests:

• Sonny Atkins****

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