Lu Lu, the brilliant sound designer behind the critically acclaimed animated short Wild Animal, recently offered exclusive insights into her creative process in an interview with China Daily.
The 12-minute masterpiece claimed the prestigious Best Sound Design Award at the 15th Beijing International Film Festival’s ReelFocus segment in late April. This highly competitive category, designed to showcase emerging talents, saw 1,280 short films competing for just 11 awards this year.
Set against the breathtaking backdrop of Inner Mongolia’s expansive wilderness, Wild Animal tells the poignant story of a father instructing his son in wolf hunting to safeguard their livestock. The narrative takes an emotional turn when the boy, reluctant to harm animals, attempts to rescue a wolf cub and finds himself lost in a violent snowstorm – culminating in a dramatic encounter with a wolf pack and the appearance of a magnificent white wolf.
Lu, who previously practiced law, revealed her lifelong sensitivity to sound. ‘Cinema has always been my deepest passion, and I’ve consistently focused on how audio can evoke emotions and construct immersive worlds,’ she shared.
After transitioning from her legal career – despite holding a law degree from Tsinghua University – Lu pursued film and television production at the University of Southern California. There, she refined her craft under the guidance of Oscar-winning mentors and contributed to numerous independent short films.
The soundscape of Wild Animal was profoundly influenced by Lu’s childhood experiences in Inner Mongolia, where she developed an intimate understanding of the region’s unique acoustic environment. ‘The wind’s timbre transforms with temperature variations, and snow produces distinct auditory textures depending on the surfaces it contacts. The film’s emotional complexity provided us with incredibly rich material to develop the sound design,’ Lu elaborated.
