An interview with katie jackson
sound effects editor, BOOM BOX POST
Whether you're an avid viewer of Skybound Entertainment and Prime Video’s Invincible, or haven't watched a single episode, you probably heard people talking about one of the series' most brutal fight scenes. "Give Us a Moment" aired a few months ago, and for days and weeks afterward I kept hearing from friends and even clients about how they couldn't shake the sights and sounds of the fight between Mark and Conquest. When I finally checked it out for myself, the gore exceeded my expectations.
From a sound editorial standpoint, cutting gore is an art form—one that sound effects editor Katie Jackson has mastered over the course of Invincible Seasons 2–4. We sat down with Katie to talk about her approach to this scene, what makes effective gore sound design, and the techniques she's developed while working on the series. Before diving into the interview, be sure to check out the scene we're discussing below (if you have the stomach for it).
Interview with Katie Jackson, MPSE:
before we dig into the sound design—as a viewer, how do you handle watching gore in movies and TV?
I have a hard time watching gore myself, but some of my own personal fears helped shape how I would approach this scene. The visuals were already extremely gruesome, but I also wanted to ensure viewers couldn’t simply close their eyes to escape how brutal it truly is. Many of the initial sound choices that formed the palette of the scene were inspired by moments in film and television that stayed with me because they were impossible to look away from. I wanted the designs to create that same level of inescapable discomfort.
When you’re sound editing gore in series such as Invincible, do you cringe or become desensitized at a certain point?
It’s impossible to work on a scene like this without feeling a little queasy. While I’m cutting, I’m usually focused on the craft and how I can support the story more than the shock factor. I’ll watch the scene all the way through, gather or record sounds, and build the sequence so the action is completely illustrated even without the visuals. Then I’ll sync everything to picture and add the finer details that really level-up each moment. That technical focus can make me a bit desensitized while I’m editing, but once I watch the finished scene in context, it still gets a reaction out of me. Invincible is especially good at pushing the gore and making the audience extremely uncomfortable.
Let's get into the design: there's a point when the music completely cuts out and we’re left with only gore and effort sounds. If you know there won’t be music in a particular section, do you change how you approach your design?
As an editor, I cut every sequence with the assumption that the score could be removed. That means every scene has to feel full and complete on its own through detailed sound effects work. I never want music to compensate for missing detail in the sound design. I like to ensure that I’m making my builds filled out enough to stand out under score by including an array of textures and frequencies. This way the sound can maintain its presence without competing with the music. When the score is stripped away for story purposes, then the build stands out even more, ultimately making the scene feel especially powerful.
To me, there are 3 standout sounds that make my skin crawl in this scene:
Mark's stranglehold on Conquest progressively tightening
Mark biting off Conquest's thumb
Last but not least: conquest disemboweling mark
Could you discuss how you approached these designs and detail what source material ended up working the best?
All of these sequences are so incredibly gruesome visually, that making them sound horrific was truly such a fun assignment. Story-wise the approach was to spend as much time as possible making this scene detailed and intimate to contrast the insane mountain-moving action sequences that preceded it. We as an audience are face-to-face with Mark and Conquest, and we wanted to convey almost a first person POV perspective to make viewers intensely uncomfortable.
For the strangling:
This was a bit of a challenge because the sound of skin being squeezed does not fully convey the story point of the characters in a race to squeeze the life out of each other. We also had to balance the realism to ensure this scene did not come across as comedic. We ultimately combined both realistic elements like knuckles cracking, dirt scuffing underneath them, and skin rubs, with unrealistic elements like rubber or leather tension and squeezes, rock cracks, and rope twisting. In their mix, Jeff Shiffman and Jacob Cook were able to find the perfect balance between these elements to make it feel real and intense.
For the guts:
In approaching a scene like this, I typically split it into two categories: onscreen details and implied. I am very thorough in what we see exactly on screen, so when Conquest rips Mark’s guts out, the foley has to work exactly in sync to feel as realistic as possible. Offscreen, I have to imagine what it sounds like when the guts slide down Conquest’s hand and onto the dirt, as well as the sounds of Mark’s ribs being shoved around in his body while Conquest handles his intestines. It’s disgusting, but it’s what makes a scene like this so realistic and horrific despite the majority of the sound palette being non-human elements.
One of the notes directly from the production team was to go full ‘spaghetti and meatballs’ with it and so I did start there. I used tons of pasta squishes, the sound of it slapping down on cement, and other handling movements. Thin liquid like water doesn’t always read like blood, so in addition to splashy liquid sounds I used a lot of mud and fruit squeezing sounds for a more slimy, guts-like feel. When approaching bone and flesh ripping, I love to use fabric, rubber, and leather tears as well.
For the thumb bite:
In Invincible, a clean break would have been too easy. We needed a sharp bite, slowly ripping each layer of skin and tendon, and then a final rip. As Mark is ripping through Conquest’s skin, those elements needed to build and get more brutal. I started with a thin bone breaking and some blood, and then added wood cracks, lettuce twisting, and orange squishing, and then a brief moment of silence before the final rip.
For editors looking to improve their gore sound design, do you have any general tips or tricks? Any go-to source material?
I would advise you to broaden your idea of what could play as blood or bone, and don’t be afraid to exaggerate. A simple bone or knuckle crack is a great layer and adds realism, but a plank of wood ripping or some thick pudding dripping is always going to take the scene up a notch. One of my personal favorite sounds used in this scene is the sound of custard being squished into a toilet using a suction plunger.
I also recommend playing with lots of textures. Here are a few key words that might give you some unique ideas of what to add in your next gory build:
Slither
Slimy
Goopy
Crunchy
Crispy
Splatty
Melted
Bubbling
A huge thank you to Katie Jackson for taking the time to share her editorial process for this scene. Invincible will be back on Prime Video in 2027 for Season 5!
If you enjoyed this post, check out these:
INSIDE SOUND DESIGN: Dragon Vocals
The Top 5 Tips for Creating Horrifying Monster Vocalizations
Creating an Evil Slime Monster