Episode
Sound Design Secrets: A Conversation with Kenneth Johnson
- Podcast
- Audio Branding
- Published
- May 13, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 1905
- Processing state
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Summary
This episode’s guest is an award–winning supervising sound designer whose groundbreaking work has shaped the sound of some of television and film’s most iconic projects, including Netflix’s hit series Forever and Kevin Hart’s animated comedy Lil Kev . Born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, he rose through the ranks of Hollywood post-production, breaking barriers as one of the few Black sound designers in the industry and earning multiple MPSE Golden Reel Awards and Emmy nominations. Today, he’s not only redefining sonic storytelling but also championing greater diversity behind the scenes, ensuring the voices shaping what we hear are as dynamic as the stories themselves. His name is Kenneth Johnson, and in this episode, we’ll discover how he transforms silence into emotion and builds powerful storytelling through every note, tone, and texture. As always, if you have questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com , where you’ll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you’re getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review . Both those things really help, and I’d love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast’s main page. I would so appreciate that. (00:00) – Kenneth’s Early Influences We start things off with a look at Kenneth’s journey from a childhood in the South Central projects to an award-winning Hollywood career. “Something just came over me, and I…