HOLLYWOOD — Per Hallberg, the two-time Academy Award-winner and supervising sound editor at Soundelux (www.soundelux.com), returned for a second tour of duty to create the audio for Activision’sSurprise trailer. The spot was designed to support the November 13th launch of the game Call of Duty: Black Ops II.  

Led by Los Angeles and Amsterdam-based agency 72andSunny, and directed by Guy Ritchie, the live action trailer takes viewers into the high-speed world of near-future weaponry. In each sequence, the combatant is about to strike, only to find out that they are in a target site. Surprise!

The project marks Hallberg’s second collaboration with Activision and their Call of Duty franchise, having also worked on the live-action spot The Vet and The n00b, in support of 2011’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.

“The visceral and distinctive style of this piece, paired with the format of an action-packed 60-second trailer, offered an exciting challenge for the team at Soundelux,” notes Hallberg. “This trailer looks like a high-octane action movie, yet tells a story like a feature film. The level of intensity and story in Surprise goes beyond what one would normally see in a trailer.”

In addition to intense action, the trailer’s sound needed to work well with the music, but also leave room for dialogue and comedic timing.  “There is a lot going on within the short span of 60 seconds,” adds Hallberg. “We wanted to support the intensity and the humor of the piece, while never losing sight of the desire for high-end sonic realism.  I am really proud of our contribution. Our entire team of sound designers had a lot of fun with this trailer and very much enjoyed being part of this project.”