Voice actors perform independently in remote studios. Their voices are later mixed together and spatialized in the same composition during the post-production phase. This is no different than how other sound elements derived from many sources are combined to create soundscapes or simulated environments. This is a departure from the traditions of audio theater or old style radio productions whose voice actors would perform together at the same time in the same studio. This can also be likened to contemporary film practices that utilize heavy VFX and whose actors may play their parts separately in chroma key studios.

Voices provide the primary embodiment for characters in a soundscape. They are spatially positioned in the stereo image, which is organized by a consistent schema of simulated space called a fulcrum. This is part of a system called KAIROS (Kinematic Audio through the Intermedial Representation Of Space) that was largely inspired by the frontal presentation of visual film composition.

This positioning technique focuses on differing amplitude between stereo channels and minimizes other naturalistic sound cues to create sharply defined figures, taking influence from German Expressionism.

Following the unnaturalistic approach which draws attention to the medium, minimal to moderate processing is performed on the voices. No effort is made to disguise that they are recordings or that the work is an artificial construction created by artists and performers. Varied studio environments can introduce differences that add to the distinctive qualities of characters present.

The theories of immersion employed for the productions derive from mediums such as animated features, which are recognizable but not high-fidelity representations of reality as experienced by the senses.

Performance styles are predominantly stylized but vary depending on the shifting context of the series. In addition to classical narrative modes of film, inspiration was derived from many movements in theatre.

The modes include elements of Postmodernism, Expressionism, Surrealism, and Absurdism.

Together they create dynamic dramatic textures that interact, generating tension and meaningful incongruity.

The Rule of Thirds provided inspiration for the KAIROS Fulcrum as an organizing principle that maps to classical filmmaking, but not naturalistic positioning. This views spatializing as a tool for deeper artistic complexity and meaning-making between elements in the frame. It allows for artistic composition on par with visual mediums.

The potential for making meaning is enhanced by the simplicity of the fulcrum. The rigid positioning clearly defines zones unlike naturalistic uses of the stereo field. Reduced complexity in one aspect allows for greater complexity in others. This negotiates the finite cognitive load of the listener and general comfort.

Just as in film, sound effects are well-defined figures that can be readily identified so that they don’t draw special attention to themselves. In a medium that lacks an actual visual reference, this is doubly important so that the elements are present but attention can focus on other key elements.

Consistent with expressionistic influences and to reinforce sustained character embodiment, foley movements are hyper-pronounced.

Inspired by Gestalt Theory, foley movements (clothes, shoes, use of objects, accessories) for characters are “grouped” or spatially positioned at the same location as the character. They become physical extensions of characters embodied in the constructed stereo space.

They also serve as expressive extensions, such as with the use of accessories or props that reflect their personality or state of mind. They can suggest physical gestures or idiosyncrasies unique to any given character.

Unlike traditional and strictly naturalistic usage, sounds of embodiment are used more persistently to maintain presence in the stereo frame. While visual elements can retain their presence by simply being in the film frame, sound elements that refer to characters or objects must reassert themselves in order to remain existent in the scene. A clock that does not tick has no sustained presence in a medium that is sound only.

Without idle sounds, a concept inspired by video game design, the presence of a character is diminished or disappears without persistent elements of embodiment.

Naturalistic environmental sounds from different sources are spatialized in montage to construct a new aural environment and complex sound image. The creation of this artificial space with limited naturalistic sound cues is an unnaturalistic approach, even if using sound assets that are naturalistic so that they can be readily identified. Inspired by collage and other principles of visual composition, these sonic elements have their own spatial zones just as visual elements do on a screen.

Spatial sound compositions for story locations are akin to recognizable places in the real world, be it a room or an outdoor environment where the layout remains the same when you revisit it. Consistent arrangements are vital to world building and maintaining the continuity and stability of places and environments within it.

The spatial location of these elements remains consistent once established as an added level of reinforcement that is not required for mediums such as film that have visual references.

Though it may seem on the surface that traditional scoring practices are engaged, expressionistic use of music is privileged over classical applications, which are geared to take the place of listener emotions over describing the emotional states of characters. The music primarily serves as an extension of subjective character consciousness, moods, mental states, and personality.

The prioritizing of emotive affect favors orchestral music of the Romantic Era tradition, which may shift to dynamic avant-garde music that mediates and punctuates dialogue, emotive performance, and action.

Recurring musical themes and ideas become associated with story characters, certain kinds of events, places, or story themes by occurring at the same time. By mapping onto each other for meaning-making purposes, this creates a structure that interweaves with the structure of the narrative.

This takes influence from the musico-dramatic narrative of such forms as opera and musicals without incorporating singing. Music and voice performance are equal partners in creating the emergent narrative. This blurs the boundaries of diegetic and non-diegetic spaces in a supradiegetic space.

The reinforced leitmotif becomes so entwined in character embodiment that the appearance of the musical theme can announce the presence of the associated character without any other indicators. The recognizable structure or melody of the music (a sequence of notes in time) in conjunction with the presence of a character can take on the role of a recognizable face. From there, it can take on the role of changing facial expressions, which is otherwise absent in a medium without visual elements. Variations on a leitmotif can transform the imagining of what it is associated with, such as a character. This takes heavy influence from theories of expectation and incongruity.

Cyberpunk is a subgenre of science fiction that evolved from the dark atmospheres of Noir. It explores themes of technology and its impact on culture, which can have dystopian repercussions. It often incorporates misfits on the fringes of oppressive tech-driven societies, anti-heroes, as well as moral ambiguity in corrupt and complex worlds governed by unseen forces.

In Edict Zero, relevance to the Cypherpunk Movement runs deeper than inspiration for philosophies of rebel groups of characters working in the shadows. It is entwined in the agency and guiding principles of the work itself.

Cypherpunk rose in the 1980s in response to the dangers of the internet as a means of surveillance and invasion of privacy. As a counter force to take back control of data and thought, they focused on writing code, developing encryption tools, and the creation of independent spaces away from power structures. Their proactive DIY philosophies stemmed from the rebellious 1970s punk movement. Engaged in jamming culture created by corporate forces, the punk movement self-produced media and created independent venues. Punk art and music employed heavy use of humor, irony, stereotypes, and satire to expose hypocrisy.

With a special spotlight on representations of reality, this approach to art not only refutes narratives from power structures that socially construct culture and perceived “reality” through language and mass media.It exposes them through deconstruction and denies the accepted conventions of any given genre or style. Its awareness of constructed reality extends even to itself.

It is characterized by fragmentation, dark humor, a collage of many styles, collisions of high & low culture, elements or styles from many historical periods, intertextual weaving, over-the-top or dull irony, pastiche, satire, awareness of constructed identity, and multiple meanings of a story or any element within it.

Expressionism is characterized by strong contrast and emphasizing emotional states through the mise-en-scene. Elements of the story world become extensions of the psychology and inward states of the characters, leading to unnaturalistic compositions and set constructions. The truth is hidden in its characters.

Theatrical performances contrast between extremes: dramatic with expansive rhetoric and dull, clipped delivery of lines. Grand scale stories are part of the tradition. Massive schemes are dynamic and energetic but intellectually held together in coherence.

Surrealism seeks to excavate truths hidden within a common reality. In storytelling, it heavily incorporates dream sequences or a fusion of subjects from the conscious world and the unconscious world with the real represented in the dream content. It employs heavy use of satire and cliches as well as experimental use of language with dialogue that is often meaningful but seems non-sensical until it can be decoded through thought or the proper context. Surrealism is predicated on accessing the unconscious mind and freeing the human imagination from the prison built by the rationalistic constructs and traditions of culture and society.

Plein-air Impressionist artists such as Claude Monet painted the same landscapes at different times of the year and day, capturing the effect of different lighting conditions and atmospheric conditions. Subjects are experienced differently when seen in a different light, which lends itself to the relativistic ideas of perception explored by postmodernism. Nothing is fully seen until experienced under all conditions and from every angle. Works were often painted flat as a frontal presentation and naturalistic traditions were disrupted, such as by overt brushstrokes that drew attention to the painting as the constructed object it was, rather than an illusion that substituted for the real world.