Straight forward and obvious might be the most direct path but it is not the most entertaining. When at its very best, film is an immersive experience that stimulates the audience’s senses in numerous ways. First Contact takes full advantage of this approach to engage filmgoers who enjoy a frightening journey that explores things of an other-worldly nature. Director/writer Bruce Wemple has crafted a tense and riveting tale, substantially supported by the work of lead sound designer Ghassan W. Abdelnour. One of the most esteemed sound designers in today’s film community, Ghassan is particularly skilled in manifesting a sonic identity that seamlessly blends with the visual language of a director like Wemple who prefers a powerful yet subtle touch. First Contact might be the most captivating film of its kind since Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Ghassan’s contributions, along with those of Makeup Artist Jared Balog (of FX’s Primetime Emmy Award–Winning series American Horror Story) augment the performances of Anna Shields, James Liddell, Chris Cimperman, and the rest of an extraordinary cast in this transfixing story.

  After reading the script for First Contact, Ghassan quickly accepted Mr. Wemple’s offer to join the production as the film’s lead sound designer. The possibilities it offered were enticing to Abdelnour who comments, “Discussions about the soundscape and overall sound palette of the film were discussed vaguely at first. I think the director put his faith in my abilities and wanted me to come up with what I thought would work best. The overall sound decisions of a film are integral to the overall production. AT the end of the day, it’s a big part of making the audience feel a certain way in a particular scene. The sound palette that is created directly reflects the world the film is trying to create. It’s something that is felt by the audience. The ambience and the soundscape of each scene is what immerses the audience in the movie and makes them feel like they are right there with the characters.”  Abdelnour utilized sound libraries and field recordings which he then edited and manipulated to create the creeping emotional undertones and soundscapes found throughout this film. The unique sonic personality of First Contact sets it apart from nearly all other films of the horror/sci-fi genre. Synthesizers such as an Omnisphere and the Moog Sub Phatty were the preferred tools of Ghassan for this project, though he wasn’t averse to utilizing less high-tech instruments. He informs, “I really enjoyed working with my synthesizers to come up with some interesting sounds. Whether from a sample library, a synthesizer, recording an electric toothbrush, etc., it’s always memorable when working on a specific part and you try something unexpected which results in the perfect sound being revealed in an ‘aha’ moment. That was the case with using an electric toothbrush sound. I thought it was a bit absurd at first but when I pitched it down, it was absolutely perfect!”  

  Most of the film follows Dan and Casey, two siblings who have become estranged but reunite when the work of their late father is linked to the possession of a young man named Kevin. What the two siblings and the audience come to understand as the story progresses is that a multidimensional monster is inhabiting Kevin, a monster previously thwarted by Dr Ian Bradach, Dan and Casey’s dad. We discover in the film that Dr. Bradach invented a machine to keep the monster at bay but his untimely death and the monsters escape are linked. The “appearance” of the entity is largely comprised of the sounds Ghassan materialized for it. He describes, “You have to play with the concept of tension and release, where you build suspense by leaning more towards the scene being more silent and only hear the entity getting closer by giving it a distinct otherworldly sound. I recorded winds whooshing, and some power tools, then ran them through a software Plug in called Echo boy to give the monster a sort of unsettling and unique audible personality.”

First Contact is for those who prefer mystery to aggrandized fright tactics. The slow-burn of what the mind can conjure is leveraged expertly in this film. The iconic films of the 70s and early 80s have much more in common with the way this production has chosen to depict the story than with the CGI heavy productions so prevalent today. Those who make first contact with this film will certainly return for a second viewing.

Writer : Basil Thomson