Cory Stillman
The Best Sound category at this year’s Academy Awards is shaping up to be a heated race, with Wicked and Dune: Part Two both staking legitimate claims. However, Steve McQueen‘s latest feature Blitz might just be the most deserving of the bunch, with its ambitious sound design courtesy of supervising sound editor James Harrison.
Such ambition is evident from the very start in Blitz, which is available to stream now on Apple TV+ (and reviewed here by Joey).
“Steve was adamant about throwing the audience right into the chaos from the get-go,” says Harrison. “He wanted the chaos and unpredictability of war to come through —to almost overwhelm the audience emotionally and physically.”
That effect is certainly felt, as an almost oppressively loud droning noise kickstarts the film, ushering in a visceral firefighting sequence stripped of any score, a particularly impressive display of restraint considering the expectedly excellent musical contributions of legendary composer Hans Zimmer.
Zimmer’s score is another fascinating component of the film’s soundscape, as certain cues actually mirror the sound effects of a given scene.
“There were moments where Hans would echo elements from the sound design—like the sirens or machinery—which blurred the lines between music and sound,” says Harrison. “Even now, there are sequences where I find it hard to distinguish one from the other, and honestly, that’s exactly how it should be.”
If Harrison can barely distinguish score from sound, viewers will find those blurred lines especially mind-blowing. Blitz sets out to rewrite some of our shared understandings around WWII and the romantic quality it has taken on in our collective memory. The sound therefore serves to highlight some of those historical contradictions.
“It’s easy to romanticize the era, but Steve made it clear that Blitz wasn’t just about the heroics—it was about the full spectrum of human experience, including injustice, racism, and hardship, alongside hope and joy. This duality is beautifully illustrated in scenes like the Shim Sham dance club, where exuberance quickly gives way to the harsh reality of a racial attack outside. For us, it was about being authentic without veering into exaggeration.”
Sequences such as the one in the Shim Sham dance club find Harrison, McQueen, and the film’s entire creative team at the height of their powers. In these moments, McQueen evokes the gorgeous innovation of his film Lovers Rock, the second entry in his Small Axe series for Amazon Prime, on which Harrison also served as sound editor and re-recording mixer.
“I feel incredibly lucky to have built such a strong working relationship with Steve,” says Harrison. “He’s intuitive, collaborative, and trusts us to bring his vision to life.”
Check out our full conversation with Harrison below. We dive even deeper into Harrison’s longtime relationship with McQueen, and how Blitz presented a unique set of challenges for the collaborative duo.
Blitz is one of the best sounding movies of the year, and it announces itself as such from the onset, with an incredibly loud and visceral opening soundscape. Could you explain the creative decision to begin the film that way? How important was volume to you in crafting the sound for Blitz?
Thank you so much! Steve was adamant about throwing the audience right into the chaos from the get-go. Early on, our conversations revolved around avoiding anything too polished or sanitized. He wanted the chaos and unpredictability of war to come through—to almost overwhelm the audience emotionally and physically.
We quickly realized how sequences like these could elicit a visceral reaction from viewers, so during test screenings, we paid close attention to how audiences responded—what moved them and what didn’t. Volume is such a tempting tool to create impact, but it’s a delicate balance. We worked hard to ensure the intensity stayed engaging without alienating the audience. This involved carefully managing the harsher frequencies to avoid ear fatigue while preserving the power and immediacy of the scene.
Steve and Hans’ decision to forgo music in that opening was also pivotal. It stripped away any buffer between the audience and the action, making the later transition to quiet piano music even more poignant.
The film also features yet another stunning score from legendary composer Hans Zimmer. I noticed the score would occasionally mimic elements of the sound design, including the whirring of the factory machines and the chugging of the train along the tracks. What was the collaboration like between you and Hans, and what was the intended effect of this fascinating relationship between score and sound?
I’ve been fortunate to work with Hans on several projects, and his ingenuity never fails to impress me. On Blitz, the collaboration felt especially organic, thanks largely to Steve’s guidance. We all aligned on the idea of creating a unified experience—one cohesive piece rather than a film accompanied by a score.
The choice to occasionally step away from traditional orchestral arrangements added authenticity. There were moments where Hans would echo elements from the sound design—like the sirens or machinery—which blurred the lines between music and sound. Even now, there are sequences where I find it hard to distinguish one from the other, and honestly, that’s exactly how it should be. It wasn’t about a great score sitting beside the film; it was about the film as a whole.
Blitz participates in a rich tradition of WWII movies. Were there any films or historical documents that served as inspiration for your sound design on the film?
It’s always tempting to look at what came before, but I approached Blitz as a blank slate. My main resource was the wealth of research Steve and his team compiled during pre-production, combined with my own deep dives. A very personal touch for me was revisiting my grandfather’s memoirs—he flew Lancaster bombers during the war.
What resonated most were the smaller, human stories: the bunker life, the camaraderie, and the resilience of people helping one another amid chaos. Those personal details were invaluable in shaping the sound.
On the flipside, Blitz very much seems interested in rejecting certain understandings about that period of history, shedding light on the joys and the hardships of marginalized communities at the time. How did you work to capture these inequities and contradictions via the sound design?
It’s easy to romanticize the era, but Steve made it clear that Blitz wasn’t just about the heroics—it was about the full spectrum of human experience, including injustice, racism, and hardship, alongside hope and joy.
This duality is beautifully illustrated in scenes like the Shim Sham dance club, where exuberance quickly gives way to the harsh reality of a racial attack outside. For us, it was about being authentic without veering into exaggeration. That fight scene outside the club, for example, had to feel raw and chaotic, like you were right there. We relied heavily on detailed exterior recordings of efforts and foley to ground it in realism.
Blitz is a very musical film, with several characters breaking out into song. What considerations go into editing these sequences, and how did the musicality of the film impact your broader approach as a sound designer?
Steve has an incredible ear and an innate sense of rhythm, which is always evident in his films. That sensitivity to timing and flow influences everything, from the track-laying to the overall design.
My background in music—I started playing piano at four and later studied it at university—naturally feeds into my process. With Steve’s films, I focus on the rhythm and tone of each scene, ensuring that the sound design aligns seamlessly with the music and broader narrative.
You have previously collaborated with director Steve McQueen on several of his films, including all five entries in his Small Axe anthology. Blitz seems to evoke Lovers Rock in particular, with a few immersive dance sequences throughout the film. Could you talk about your working relationship with Steve, and how your previous collaborations prepared you for a film like Blitz?
I feel incredibly lucky to have built such a strong working relationship with Steve. He’s intuitive, collaborative, and trusts us to bring his vision to life. Having that history gives us a kind of shorthand—understanding what he wouldn’t want often gets us halfway there!
That said, Blitz required a different approach. It’s so deeply emotional, and Steve’s way of spotting the film wasn’t about technical details but emotional resonance. He’d describe how he wanted a scene to feel. This meant we had to dig deep, often questioning whether our initial designs truly delivered on the emotional beats he envisioned. It was challenging but also incredibly rewarding.
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