Sound is part of the script.

Read a scene with your ears. What does a character hear that no one else notices? Which sound continues after the cut? Writing these possibilities down early gives the sound team a creative place at the table.

On set, leave time to capture the ordinary atmosphere of a place. A room tone, a distant train, or the way a door closes can make a world feel specific long after the shoot has ended.

In the mix, resist filling every second. A quiet moment can make the next sound matter more. Work with the rhythm of the story, not just the volume of the track.