Pack: Richard Portman sweeteners

These sounds were created by legendary sound recordist, mixer, and designer Richard Portman. He was active in Hollywood from 1962 to 2004. He has 185 sound credits on IMDB. He was nominated for 12 sound Oscars. More here: https://www.filmsound.org/richardportman/

These are unusual sound effects. Most were from loops of 35mm magnetic film, varying in length from 10 to 100 feet. They were kept in reserve for those moments in a mix when a little extra sound was needed very quickly. They could be put on a player and mixed as a “sweetener.”

Honestly, by themselves, they’re not the greatest sounds. Some of the loops are quite short and sound “loopy.”. But when combined with other sounds, they can really help to create a space. To me, they’re like chaos machines. For example, if you’ve got a wind track, try bringing in one of these wind sounds, and continuously vary the level somewhat randomly. The result should be more complex and interesting.

There are also a few normal sound effects thrown in too, such as vintage toilets and telephones. Enjoy.

My thanks to Jackie Portman for giving her permission to share these with the world.