Smurfs, from Paramount Pictures, is an animated feature that centers around Papa Smurf (voiced by John Goodman), who's been mysteriously taken by evil wizards Razamel and Gargamel. Smurfette (voiced by Rihanna) leads the tiny blue creatures on a mission into the real world to save him. The film was directed by Chris Miller.
In addition to Goodman and Rihana, the film features the voice talents of several well-known performers, including James Corden, Nick Offerman, Daniel Levy, Sandra Oh, Octavia Spencer, Hannah Waddingham, Billie Lourd and Kurt Russell. Jack Whittaker served as supervising sound editor on the film and says his journey began with an initial conversation with Chris Miller and picture editor Matt Landon.
"We quickly discovered a shared connection over the film’s tone — a delightful fusion of Peyo’s original Belgian comics and a visually-stunning blend of traditional pen-and-ink style and modern 3D animation,” he recalls. “This unique approach promised a fresh and heartfelt take on a beloved classic, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to be a part of it.”
As supervising sound editor, Whittaker collaborated closely with Miller and Landon to bring that creative brief to the big screen.
“Working alongside sound designer Brandon Jones and ADR/dialogue supervisor Glynna Grimala — two extraordinary talents —we crafted a soundscape that felt true to the Smurfs’ spirit,” says Whittaker. “Early sound design reviews focused on maintaining the film’s tone, steering clear of broad comedy or overly sci-fi elements. Instead, we aimed to capture the light-hearted joyfulness that permeates the Smurf world. Chris often reminded us that this wasn’t a slapstick comedy with overblown sound tropes, but rather a snappy, dialogue-driven piece with numerous fun set pieces.”
According to Whittaker, some of his favorite moments were also the most challenging to craft.
“The inter-dimensional portals and travel were probably the biggest ticket item when we first got going,” he shares. “’Big, exciting, not too sci-fi’ was the brief there. We used every tool in our repertoire: sound design, loop group, ambiences and the most delicate Foley to sell the tiny scale of the Smurfs as they made their way from Smurf Village out into the human world.”
Whittaker points to a Paris sequence one of the more enjoyable sessions to work on.
“The tiny movements of the Smurfs running underneath giant stomping footsteps of the humans dancing in a nightclub was a highlight, and the sound of monstrous, huge mopeds whizzing by the Smurfs as they weaved their way through the streets of Paris was also fantastic. Mike Minkler and Duncan McRae masterfully handled the mixing side of things, taking our material to another level and crafting a wonderful mix that worked so well with Henry Jackman’s brilliant score. I’m so pleased with how the sound track turned out in the final film.”
Smurfs, says Whittaker, marks a career highlight and he appreciates the support from Paramount provided.
“Our producer, Ryan Harris, and our post exec Paul Cihocki worked tirelessly with me to help bring Chris’ vision to the screen — and I think we did it!”