Association of Austrian Sound Designers
The Association of Austrian Sound Designers (VOESD) is a professional representation of sound designers and sound editors working in the Austrian film industry. It is the only independent interest group for this professional group in Austria and one of 9 members in the umbrella organization of Austrian filmmakers . The association based in Vienna was founded in spring 2003.
History and activities
Until the mid-1990s, sound editing and sound design were considered part of the image editing of a film in Austrian filmmaking. Most of the films were produced in mono and the amount of post-production work was very limited. Only with the digitization of film post-production did the new job description of a "master editor for sound" - the sound designer - develop in Austria.
Since then, the aim of the professional association has been to consolidate the professional image of the sound designer as the creative designer of the sound level of a film and as the person responsible for the entire workflow of sound post-production in Austrian filmmaking. One of the greatest successes is therefore the inclusion of the sound design profession in the collective agreement of filmmakers, which came into effect on January 1, 2017. As part of the Diagonale film festival , the association annually donates prizes for the best sound design of a feature and documentary film and was also instrumental in installing the prizes for the best sound design at the Academy of Austrian Films ( Austrian Film Prize ).
The association maintains a lively exchange of information with related foreign professional associations, is actively involved in the establishment of an international umbrella organization of film sound associations and participates in numerous committees that strive to improve the working conditions of filmmakers in general.
dialog.ton and dialog.ton +
Since 2018, VOESD has held a symposium called dialog.ton every year at the beginning of March. Filmmakers from all areas are invited: set sound engineers and boom operators, sound designers, mixing sound engineers, recording studio operators and their employees, Foley artists and students from the Vienna Film Academy, the Institute for Electroacoustics and other relevant training institutions. As part of the half-day symposium, topics will be discussed that reflect current developments in the field of film sound and contribute to improving the workflow and interdisciplinary communication, as well as the general work situation of film sound professionals in Austria. The range of topics therefore ranges from technology to labor law, training and further education measures, etc. The symposium is rounded off by the evening industry meeting dialog.ton +
Membership in the professional association
There are different types of membership. A full member must have been working full-time as a sound designer in the film and television sector for at least 2 years and be able to professionally set the soundtrack to a feature film in terms of art, craftsmanship and organization. Extraordinary membership serves as a preliminary stage to regular membership. There are also associated members, supporting members and honorary members.