Johnnie Burn uses Dolby Atmos to mimic hyperacusis in Tuner

Burn recorded sounds inside his eardrums

Johnnie Burn, who won an Oscar for Hamnet and The Zone of Interest, described the project as deeply personal. He suffered a mild version of hyperacusis in his late teens after witnessing an explosion that left him deaf for twenty minutes. Upon receiving the script for Tuner, Burn immediately began researching how the condition affects daily life. To understand this soundscape accurately, he placed microphones inside his own eardrums while going about his normal routine. He recorded everyday noises like a dishwasher or shower tap to show how loud they become when the brain cannot filter them.

Mixers fine-tuned decibels for different states

Burn and director Daniel Roher sat together in the mix room to adjust every single decibel level carefully. They created specific sound levels including one from Niki's point of view and another where he wears ear defenders. An example involves a motorbike passing at a traffic light, illustrating different states of listening for the audience. The Dolby Atmos mix allowed them to play sound at a much greater volume all around the listener. This technical approach helped teach viewers about the dangers everyday sounds pose to someone with this rare condition.

Audience experiences dangerous loudness alongside Niki

The goal was to let audiences experience the environment alongside the character Niki played by Leo Woodall. Burn noted that chronic sufferers cannot recover or go outside, unlike his own temporary situation after the explosion. The film shows how a piano tuner with acutely sensitive hearing finds his condition perfect for safecracking but also debilitating. Ruthie, played by Havana Rose Liu, forms a relationship with Niki as he gets involved with thieves. Burn believes they successfully cracked the challenge of making these different points of view fundamental to the films success.