Unlocking the Campy Sound Design of 'Barbie': An Interview

Dive into the whimsical world of 'Barbie' with a spotlight on its innovative sound design! Sound designer I-Ling Lee shares insights into the film’s camp aesthetic and her unique approach to creating an engaging and comedic soundscape. From subtle homages to iconic comedies to leveraging classic sound effects, Lee's work elevated 'Barbie' beyond typical cinematic experiences. Explore the clever techniques used to enhance humor, create atmosphere, and celebrate the joy of this hit movie.

Embracing the Camp Aesthetic in Sound Design

The 'Barbie' movie's sound design is notable for its embrace of the Camp aesthetic. Sound designer, I-Ling Lee deliberately amplified and exaggerated sound effects to create a heightened sense of comedy. This approach moved beyond simple realism, employing sound in a theatrical, almost cartoonish way, to Elicit laughter and accentuate the film's whimsical nature. It's about using sound to wink at the audience, making them aware of the artifice and inviting them to enjoy the playful construction of the film's world. I-Ling Lee wanted the audience to know it’s okay to laugh and that they are in on the joke. In addition to this heightened awareness of the joke, the Sonic world becomes as “plastic” as the world and characters presented on the screen.

Camp is not just about being funny; it's about being intentionally over-the-top and celebrating artifice. The use of obvious sound effects is a big part of camp aesthetic because it announces itself as a construction. This is a great way to communicate to an audience that is in a sonic space that is different than most other movies. By playing into the aesthetic, the sound design supports the visual design, allowing the sonic and visual worlds to feel unique.

A Nod to Monty Python: Incorporating Classic Comedy

A key element of 'Barbie's' camp aesthetic is a direct homage to comedy legends, Monty Python. Viewers noticed similarities in sound design to films from Monty Python, particularly the use of coconut shells to mimic horse gallops.

This was a conscious choice, as acknowledged by Lee, to infuse a specific kind of absurdity and self-awareness into the sound.

The coconut shell sound effect is immediately recognizable as a trope of low-budget filmmaking and the lack of sound design and sophistication. As such, Lee and her team were able to use the sound effect to great effect. The reference immediately injects humor and signals to the audience that the film is not taking itself too seriously. The addition of those coconut shells immediately lets the audience know the team isn’t necessarily invested in the realism of the sound as much as what makes the sound funny.

This subtle nod to comedic history served not only as an easter egg for savvy viewers but also reinforced the film's identity as a celebration of playful, exaggerated storytelling.

Leveraging Non-Literal Sounds in Barbieland

The artificiality of Barbieland is a central theme of the film, and the sound design supports this by using non-literal sounds to create the film’s ambiance. This means that sounds don't necessarily reflect their real-world counterparts but contribute to a sense of Whimsy and manufactured perfection. For example, Lee noted that during a shower scene, the sound of water was replaced with something lighter and more pleasant. As she said, “we used rain stick sound.” This adds a sonic flavor to the soundscape. There were many times during the movie where sounds were used to play to the unrealistic expectations that Barbie Land would have.

In the same way that everything has to be just right, pleasant sounds have to occur at every moment. Lee notes that “nothing is alive, it is an interior world.” With that as the mission, the sound design team could craft something that supports a visual space with few natural sounds. Even the nature needs to feel manufactured to properly Align with Barbie Land’s aesthetic.

Balancing Sound with Barbie’s Musicality

The 'Barbie' film contains many scenes that function very similarly to musical numbers and scenes in musical theater. In this way, the music and the sonic design work to complement each other. It is a world where the sounds, design, and Music need to complement. It is a holistic vision where all the ingredients need to line up.

This involved carefully timing sound effects to align with the film's rhythm, like using classical or stereotypical sounds, as it elevates particular comedic moments or enhances the overall energy of a scene. Lee and her team were able to create a uniquely musical soundscape by blending traditional sound design elements with a playful sensibility. The Blend created a rich and hilarious sonic world that audiences were clamoring to inhabit for two hours at a time.