Spongebob Not Getting Sound Design

[disneybroadwayfan22]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 1:30pm

I genuinely don't understand how Spongebob didn't win for Best Sound Design and that's against anyone in general, not just TBV. Does anyone have a clue why it didn't win? I thought the work done was phenomenal with the sound effect choices, the speed, usage etc. 

[JSquared2]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 1:34pm

disneybroadwayfan22 said: "I genuinely don't understand how Spongebob didn't win for Best Sound Design and that's against anyone in general, not just TBV. Does anyone have a clue why it didn't win? I thought the work done was phenomenal with the sound effect choices, the speed, usage etc."

It didn't win because it didn't get the most votes.  Simple as that.

 

[Kad]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 1:39pm

It was a surprise to many, myself included, for sure, but without interviewing the people able to vote, we can only speculate.

I think that, frankly, having a live Foley artist, while impressive, does not necessarily equal great design. It's the same argument of "most sets" or "most costumes" versus "best set" and "best costumes."

The design awards also tend to be most likely to be caught up in a sweep.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:10pm

I think a lot of it also had to do with it now being a specific committee of sound designers voting on it, rather than the voting body as a whole.  Spongebob was definitely the most "obvious" sound design (with a large amount of effects, the foley artist, etc.) but I think these voters with a lot of experience with sound design probably looked a lot deeper than that (this isn't to say that Spongebob wasn't deserving, but it wasn't going to win just because it had a foley artist and a lot of different effects).

Also, someone else pointed out that the sound design for The Band's Visit was actually much more challenging and intricate than it may initially appear, with having to balance the levels for so many different instruments at so many different parts of the stage at the same time.  So if I had to guess, I'd say the voters recognized how difficult that mixing must have been and rewarded that rather than the more obvious effects and such.

[broadwaynerdnewbie]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:17pm

The one I was surprised about was spongebob not winning for costumes. I really thought that they had that one in the bag.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:18pm

Since this category was voted on by specific committee of sound designers, I think it's like a case of how directors' lists of the Best Film of all-time or whatever time period may differ from list from regular audiences, etc. They look for different and very specific things that they appreciate more as working in that same craft. Or maybe it was political, who knows?

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:22pm

For a lot of technical awards, I think it is reverse of an audience's viewpoint. If you leave a show and notice the lighting, sound design, etc., as something that stuck out as significant, then that could just as easily mean it was not good, since it didn't have cohesion with the rest of the show. Also, having a visible foley artist isn't sound design, lots of people do similar things hidden out of view in other shows.

[ScottyDoesn'tKnow2]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:46pm

haterobics said: "For a lot of technical awards, I think it is reverse of an audience's viewpoint. If you leave a show and notice the lighting, sound design, etc., as something that stuck out as significant, then that could just as easily mean it was not good, since it didn't have cohesion with the rest of the show. Also, having a visible foley artist isn't sound design, lots of people do similar things hidden out of view in other shows."

That's a great point. What impressed me with Yerma's sound design wasn't due to use of sound effects or whatever. It was that the sound quality was absolutely perfect and everything the actors said, even when they spoke concurrently and on top of each other, was crystal clear even as I sat in like the third to last row on the South Side. Everything just sounded perfectly even when there was thunder sound effects and rain and transitional/background music blaring. 

I have a feeling that the Sound Design for TBV impressed the voters because they were able to make an intimate show and all of its scenes work together cohesively.

Also, since somebody mentioned costume designs, I really wasn't impressed with Spongebob's costume designs at all. They looked like cheap Halloween versions of a knock-off Spongebob line based on the cartoon. I think if you appreciate the "cheaper" aesthetic over the classical lushness of say My Fair Lady then Once on this Island did a much better job with the actual design as they designed those costumes from the ground up with the designer's imagination and they just looked better.

[QueenAlice]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:49pm

For the above mentioned reasons, I think the sound design of BANDS VISIT was vastly superior to SPONGEBOB. I thought the sound at SB was actually well balanced from where I sat in the orchestra. The sound at Bands Visit was crystal clear

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 2:51pm

'Since this category was voted on by specific committee of sound designers ...'

Just curious: Why did this information come from?

According to Broadway News: 'Though all of the Tony nominators selected the nominees, now only a subset of voters will vote on the sound design categories as well as Best Orchestrations. Among Tony voters from The Broadway League, the category will be decided by 200 fewer voters and will be included on a second electronic ballot, as will the category of Best Orchestrations.''

I think Kad's theory about design awards being caught up in a sweep, is a likelier scenario. Clearly, the Tony voters preferred 'The Band's Visit' and/or showed an indifference or dislike of 'SpongeBob' and 'Mean Girls,' both of which scored 1 more Tony nomination than 'TBV.' The voters practically voted straight ticket for 'Band,' awarding it 10 out of 11 nominations. The only one it lost was Scenic Design, which was the only one 'SpongeBob' won.

It seems as if the Tony voters really like a show, they just start checking off the name. I can't imagine that even the producers of 'Band's Visit' thought they would win 10. (Last year's headstratcher to me was 'Dear Evan Hansen' for Orchestrations. To me, 'Great Comet' was the worthier candidate, but go figure!)

Updated On: 6/13/18 at 02:51 PM

[dramamama611]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 3:03pm

Wayman - I may be misunderstanding your post, but why, given the smaller pocket of voters (and those that are experts in the field) would you assume sound would be wrapped up in the clean sweep process?  Those voters actually had to go to a different ballot.

[Wayman_Wong]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 3:42pm

Purely, my take: If you're more predisposed to like one show over the others, you're probably more willing to reward it. Awards are so subjective. Some have theorized that ''The Band's Visit'' won so big because it allowed voters to thumb their nose at shows that were perceived (by many) as more commercial ventures.

I also think there's a snob factor on Broadway that often looks down at anything that smacks of pop culture. But who knows?

Updated On: 6/13/18 at 03:42 PM

[WaffleOnWheels]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 4:51pm

Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but when I was at Spongebob I got absolutely blasted with sound. Like, to a point where it was unbearable. I actually had to cover my ears for a lot of the higher songs and big orchestrations. It greatly lowered my enjoyment of the show. 

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 5:02pm

WaffleOnWheels said: "Not sure if this has anything to do with it, but when I was at Spongebob I got absolutelyblastedwith sound. Like, to a point where it was unbearable. I actually had to cover my ears for a lot of the higher songs and big orchestrations. It greatly lowered my enjoyment of the show."

That is sound volume, not design.

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 6:30pm

I think there are a lot of sharp comments in here, and I’ll only add that for me, SpongeBob had the MOST sound design, so it was assumed it would win. Which is a pretty fair assumption since that’s so often how these things go. Costumes go to whatever is huge and period. Scenic goes to whatever had the most moving parts. Lighting goes to whatever’s flashiest. Those aren’t ALWAYS true, though. I remember being thrilled by Eclipsed winning Costumes for subtle, exquisite contemporary work, for example.

Whether folks voted their heart or their head this year, I think the wins for The Band’s Visit, including Sound, rewarded some truly exquisite, subtle work. And I still think Carousel stole their costume nomination. And that Once on this Island or SpongeBob should have won. But ah well!

[haterobics]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 6:50pm

Sauja said: "And that Once on this Island or SpongeBob should have won."

Once DID win?

[itsjustmejonhotmailcom]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 7:08pm

I could be wrong, but I *believe* the foley artist on Spongebob is actually considered a musician in the rhythm section. So those actual sounds wouldn't be considered in sound design. 

[Sauja]

Posted: 6/13/18 at 7:22pm

haterobics said: "Sauja said: "And that Once on this Island or SpongeBob should have won."

Once DID win?"

I was talking costume design there, which was won by My Fair Ladyz