Archive News / December 2011
My fashion show music work has been noted by online magazine, What A Fashion who interviewed me recently. Read the article here!
The Grey Goose Winter Ball to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation
was a fantastic night where a whole host of celebrities and dignitaries
dined, danced and raised over £500,000 through the auction of exclusive
designer and artist editions into the early hours. I was honoured to be
invited to provide an atmospheric soundtrack for the dinner. Slick
event production by Nigel Peters' NP&Co
incorporated 360°projected motion graphics creating a range of 3D
environments including a linear reconstruction of Plaza Mayor in Madrid,
complete with sounds of crowds, birds and traditional Spanish market
bands; a Matrix-esque set of geometric lines forming an immersive
spatial arena with contemporary electronic ambience; and a playful
bubbling underwater scene of cartoon lobsters! The varying scenes
supported each course of the elBulli meal as a full audio/visual sensory experience.
Piers Thompson's multi-award winning short, LIN has received yet more accolades, winning Best Drama at Aesthetica and Best Cinematography at Saporro film festivals. In addition, the film has been officially selected for competition at Signes de Nuit International and Brest, France; Insight Festival and Leeds International, UK; New York No Limits and Festival Internacional de Cortometrajes del Cusco, Peru.Sound design for There I Am (previous working title, White Liars), Kerri Davenport-Burton's emotional 10 minute drama is also finalised and booked for the re-recording mix at De Lane Lea. Music from Flora (Diego Avesani) has been selected for the score which adds a delicate yet uneasy backdrop to support the narrative.
Both Duncan and Kerri's shorts are produced by Vennerfilm.
My fashion show music work has been noted by online magazine, What A Fashion who interviewed me recently. Read the article here!
Stuart Croft currently has a solo exhibition of his films at Bloomberg Space, London, some of which have my sound design and mix - Hit, Drive In and the excellent Century City (originally dual-screen, now recut into one). Entitled Comma 39, this is the latest in a series of artists' commissions for Bloomberg. Do not miss this one!
Archive News / October 2011
Duncan Wellaway's short film, Henry Cowell is now finished with the re-recording mix completed at De Lane Lea with Marcus Moll.
Sound design for There I Am (previous working title, White Liars), Kerri Davenport-Burton's emotional 10 minute drama is also finalised and booked for the re-recording mix at De Lane Lea. Music from Flora (Diego Avesani) has been selected for the score which adds a delicate yet uneasy backdrop to support the narrative.
Both Duncan and Kerri's shorts are produced by Vennerfilm.
This
promotional film for Prestige Ticketing, the official hospitality
company for the London Olympics 2012 has just been released. Subtly enhanced with my sound design...
There has also been a string of
micro-short viral promo films that I've sound designed and sourced music
for during the last few weeks... Three test commercials produced by
new production outfit, Uncle Gary. Mark Tintner from Birthmarque
has directed a dance based viral film for charities concerned with
highlighting the issue of domestic abuse. I also helped to find music
for a Range Rover Evoque US campaign directed by Justin Stokes at HLA. News and clips will emerge for all of these soon.
Stuart Croft currently has a solo exhibition of his films at Bloomberg Space,
London, some of which have my sound design and mix - Hit, Drive In and
the
excellent Century City (originally dual-screen, now recut into one).
Entitled Comma 39, this is the latest in a series of artists'
commissions for Bloomberg. Do
not miss this one!
Buried Land has recently been screening at various London cinemas while LIN
has been officially selected for Cambridge 31st Film Festival, the
Aesthetica Short Film Festival, York and the New York No Limits film
series year-end program in December.
September saw Fashion Week hit the runways once again. This season I mixed soundtracks for Á La Disposition and Tata-Naka in London (photo by Melvyn Vincent). On|Off Presents ran both at an exclusive evening dinner at photographer Rankin's house as well as the official runway show in Paris. Maria Grachvogel is due to show in Singapore this month too.
Bloomberg and Absolut both held private events for whom I produced contemporary and thematic music mixes.
Coming up in the pipeline are more shorts, a couple of feature films and some exciting events...
Archive News / August 2011
Nicholas Oakwell Couture
debuted in London this month with a salon show at Claridges. Featuring
contemporary piano, harp and orchestral compositions from Philip Glass,
Ochre, Keith Kenniff, Jun Miyake and Max Richter, the soundtrack evoked
a delicate dark forest with birdsong, rain and post-storm atmos.
Sophisticated and elegant, the music supported the stunning collection
in what was one of the best shows I've worked on in a long time.
Duncan Wellaway's
new short film, Henry Cowell, is in post production right now; I'm
currently finishing the sound design. More details to follow soon.
Line producer, Sophie Venner.
Aside from that, a major International media corporation, highly supportive of the creative arts, recently held its annual private summer festival for clients and workforce in the sprawling grounds of a country estate. I am pleased and honoured to have been asked to provide an eclectic mix of global music throughout the day.
Archive News / June 2011
Ilona Sagar has yet another film installation, Arcadian Drift (film still, left), with my sound mix, this time as part of the Visionary Trading Project, showing at Yinka Shonibare's Guest Projects space, Andrews Road, E2. This group show runs until June 26.
.
Duncan Wellaway's new short film, Henry Cowell, is in post production
right now; I'm currently working on the sound design. More details to
follow soon. Line producer, Sophie Venner.
Also produced by VennerFilm, Kerri Davenport-Burton's new short, White Liars, will be in session for sound design within the coming few weeks.
Archive News / April 2011
Paradogs' feature 'Buried Land' will make it's official UK premiere at the East End Film Festival 2011 screening at The Genesis cinema on May 1st. Also, Hector Film's 'K' has been selected for the 10th Anniversary event for the same festival.
More details and free tickets available here.
I
am excited to announce that I have recently collaborated with Xenofon
Kavvadias on a sound installation for his upcoming solo show at Gift 10 Vyner Street,
London. Compiled from the official 2008 UK Anti-Terrorist radio
advertising campaigns and police radio silence, this is a subtle and
hidden audio piece that delivers to the visitor in a quiet, secretive,
almost clandestine way, subverting the advert's initial message into
something that seems fearful and questionable. With their content being
surprisingly inappropriate, condescending and misguided, these adverts
were subsequently banned by the Advertising Standards Authority
following public complaint, ruling under "Section 2, Rule 9 of the
(Broadcast) Radio Advertising Standards Code (Good taste, decency and
offence to public feeling)" that they "cannot be used in their current
form".Piers Thompson's short film, LIN has received a BAFTA nomination, having already won Best International Short at Raindance Film Festival London! The film also featured at Cork Film Festival and has been selected for competition both at Glasgow Film Festival and Clermont Ferrand 2011.
EyeForFilm review, Andrew Robertson
Ilona Sagar recently showed Datum, a new three-screen site-specific film installation at the Swiss Church, Covent Garden, London. Responding to the space and its use from day to day, Sagar created a compelling montage of observational imagery coupled with location field recordings.
Fashion Week was busy - Duro Olowu showed in New York for which I mixed a soundtrack of African dub and laid-back jazz with a contemporary edge. Over here Tata-Naka, Maria Grachvogel, Designers Remix and Á La Disposition all showed in London with my music direction.
Archive News / December 2010
Piers Thompson's short film, LIN has received a BAFTA nomination, having already won Best International Short at Raindance Film Festival London! The film also featured at Cork Film Festival in November and has been selected for competition both at Glasgow Film Festival and Clermont Ferrand 2011.
LIN official website
Matt Stokes' video project for Art on the Underground is now installed at Stratford Station and runs until June 2011. As part of 'One Thing Leads To Another', a collection of artists' commissions along the Jubilee Line, 'The Stratford Gaff: A Serio-Comick-Bombastick-Operatick- Interlude' is a triple screen video installation incorporating several local performers with a five piece band whom interpret their work on the fly. More details here.
Kultureflash review
Archive News / October 2010
Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' has won the Audience Award (Short Film category) at 26th Warsaw Film Festival. Having recently screened at the BFI London Film Festival within the Pretty Girls Make Graves programme, the film will also be in competition at 25th Brest European Short Film Festival in November. Production by Vennerfilm
Last year's Fashion Theatre event at Clothes Show Live, London, ExCel has just won Best Exhibition Feature Area of the Year at the Event Awards 2010.
Based on the day in the the life of an English pier, the 40 minute show incorporated dancers and models depicting various theatrical scenes, all set to my music mix. Working closely with Lee Lapthorne of Doll and Andy Turner of International Collective, Dancers INC, for Haymarket Exhibitions, the show ranged from orchestral ballet to thunderous club pop via ska, pop and a nostalgic beauty contest firmly stuck, tongue in cheek, in the early 60s.
Official website and edit of the show, here. Please note - the music in the movie edit of the show is NOT from the original soundtrack!
Matt
Stokes' video project for Art on the Underground is now installed at
Stratford Station and runs until June 2011. As part of 'One Thing Leads
To Another', a collection of artists' commissions along the Jubilee
Line, 'The Stratford Gaff: A Serio-Comick-Bombastick-Operatick-
Interlude' is a triple screen video installation incorporating several
local performers with a five piece band whom interpret their work on the
fly. More details here.
Stuart Croft's film 'Drive In' will be showng at The Woodmill, Neckinger Depot, London, from Friday 8th October through 11th November.
London Fashion Week has been and gone. This season I mixed soundtracks for Maria Grachvogel, who showed at Somerset House….and Tata-Naka's 10th anniversary presentation in the Portico Rooms.
Earlier this month I was in Jordan to add my musical touches to Queen Rania's 40th Birthday Party, held at a secret location in the depths of the Wadi Rum desert! Playing alongside DJ AKM, Mercen Dede, Jocelyn Brown, Ragehb Alama and others, it was a spectacular night the likes of which may rarely occur again. I also met Quincy Jones which was a bit of a personal highlight.A new vintage designer clothing boutique, House Of Liza has just opened north of Shoreditch to which I have designed an eclectic playlist of old and contemporary tunes from around the world.
Launching this month, Stav B's Slammer Bar - a pop-up cocktail bar set in the Old Police Station in New Cross. As always, the music content is down to me and I shall be DJing there. The event runs every 1st and last Friday evening each month from 6-11pm.
More details will be available very soon and at Facebook group 'stav B's Slammer Bar'
Archive News / July 2010
July 8th saw HUGO BOSS - BOSS BLACK Spring Summer 2011 fashion show
at Berlin Fashion Week. This was a huge event held within two custom
built oversize circus tents housing a 40 metre runway to 1300 guests.
Slick as ever, the Boss team once again wowed the crowd with cutting
edge styling and production that I'm proud to have been heavily involved
with. Contemporary, sophisticated and summery was my brief for the
music - watch the show here.
Meanwhile, sound design and music research for Piers Thompson's short film LIN is now complete with the 5.1 audio mix by Oscar and BAFTA winner Richard Pryke (Slumdog, Panda, Sunshine etc) at Pinewood Studios. Featuring music by the prolific Alva Noto (Carsten Nicolai), Ryuichi Sakamoto, Monostation, Ian Hawgood and some appropriate authentic Bulgarian pop and European techno, this has developed into something very exciting. The trailer will be available for viewing soon…watch this space.
I am also currently working with Matt Stokes on his latest triple screen video installation 'The Stratford Gaff' as part of TFL's Art on the Underground. Due to be unveiled in around a month's time at Stratford station, this witty and honest showcase of East end performers is juxtaposed with a local band that musically interpret what they witness, removing the original score to be replaced with a live session. Details to follow soon.
Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' premiered at Palm Springs International Film festival recently and is in competition at Montreal World Film Festival later this month. View trailer here
Eastwood and Alan-Rhodes' feature 'Buried Land' has premiered at Tribeca and showed at Moscow International Film Festival…it is next in competition at Sarajevo International Film Festival later this month. Watch the trailer here.
Upcoming director and choreographer, Christopher Marney (Hotel Follies, Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, Dorian Grey, Royal Opera's La Triviata etc) recently showed his comic adaptation of Saint-Saens' Carnival of the Animals for 'Images of Dance', the classical ballet course at the London Studio Centre and Sadler's Wells. I am pleased to have worked with him on a few scenes adding my little sound design touches here and there. Video to follow soon. Info here.
Next up is an industry fashion show for Country Casuals of Austin Reed Group and London Fashion Week is not too far away. I doubt I will be having a holiday for some time…!
Archive News / June 2010
Sound design for Piers Thompson's new short film, 'Lin' is currently underway. (Hector Films)
Together we have sourced some amazing music for the score as well and it's really shaping up to be something exciting. More news to come as things develop...
There's talk of some fashion shows coming up and a couple of film projects too...details soon...
Archive News / May 2010
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land'
recently premiered at TriBeCa
Film Festival, New York. Playing to several packed audiences, the
film was well received critically and has aroused much discussion. Official website here.
NBC New York have a five minute interview with the directors - watch
it here!
Piers Thompson of Hector Films has shot the third and last in a collection of short films. Entitled 'Lin', music and atmospheric sounds are currently being auditioned with the edit. Sound design and edit to commence this month. More news to come as it happens...
Archive News / April 2010
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land' has been accepted into competition at TriBeCa Film Festival. Sound design and mix is now complete. Official website here.
Piers Thompson of Hector Films has
shot the third and last in a collection of short films. Music and
atmospheric sounds are currently being auditioned with the edit. Sound
design and edit to commence mid April. More news to come as it
happens...
The sound design for Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' is now finished with the final 5.1 dub mix completed with Antony Bayman at Goldcrest. Production by Vennerfilm
Archive News / March 2010
Last week saw 'The Greatest Fashion Show on Earth' at Westfield,
London. Official site here.
For this show I produced a mixed soundtrack which incorporated live
elements from Urban Soul Orchestra
and Voces8 Acappella Ensemble on stage among the
models. It was quite something! Production by doll.
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land' has been accepted into competition at TriBeCa just as the audio is being completed this week. Official website here.
Piers Thompson of Hector Films has
shot the third and last in a collection of short films - I've seen the
current edit and it looks fantastic! Handover for sound design is due
around April.
The sound design for Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' is now finished with the final 5.1 dub mix completed earlier this month with Antony Bayman at Goldcrest. Production by Vennerfilm
And a bit of excitement - I have just come back from Moscow where I'd been invited to DJ at Auditorium in the O2 Bar at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel off Red Square. It was a great night and I hope to return again in the near future.
Press
and images here on Russian music and culture website Gdechego.ru
Archive News / February 2010
London Fashion Week is here and I've worked on Maria Grachvogel's show and Carlotta Gherzi for Sadó.
Maria's was held in The Palm Court of the Wardorf Hotel, Aldwich with
an organic, strong yet feminine soundtrack based around the swell and
calm of a thunderstorm.
Watch this space for more reports as they come in.
The Hugo Boss - Boss Black A/W 2010 fashion show at Berlin Fashion
Week was a great success. Staged in the Hamburger
Bahnhof, an enormous former railway station, now a contemporary art
gallery, the show was sympathetic and specific to the site. Sounds of
steam trains and station atmos interwove with the rhythms of new
electronica supported by orchestral and jazz samples. The brief was to
evoke a sense of mid 20th century sophistication within a sharp, modern
collection. Featured tracks from Lawrence, B-Sanders, Hannu, Pendle
Coven, The Boats and others along with Billie Holiday and Nina Simone
remixes.
Watch the show at Hugo Boss official website!
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land' is now almost complete. Official website here.
The sound design for Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' (working title) is now finished and awaiting the final 5.1 dub mix sometime very soon. Production by Vennerfilm
Piers Thompson of Hector Films has shot the third and last in a collection of short films - and this one looks to be quite amazing! Currently being edited, handover for sound is due around June.
And a bit of excitement - I have been invited to DJ at The Ritz Carlton Hotel, Moskow next week! Needless to say, comrades, that I am very excited about that!
Archive News / January 2010
The Hugo Boss - Boss Black A/W 2010 fashion show at Berlin Fashion
Week was a great success. Staged in the Hamburger Bahnhof, an enormous
former railway station, now a contemporary art gallery, the show was
sympathetic and specific to the site. Sounds of steam trains and
station atmos interwove with the rhythms of new electronica supported
by orchestral and jazz samples. The brief was to evoke a sense of mid
20th century sophistication within a sharp, modern collection.
Featured tracks from Lawrence, B-Sanders, Hannu, Pendle Coven, The
Boats and others along with Billie Holiday and Nina Simone remixes.
Watch the show at Hugo Boss official website!
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land' is now almost complete. Official website here.
The sound design for Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' (working title) is now finished and awaiting the final 5.1 dub mix sometime in February. Production by Vennerfilm
Piers Thompson of Hector Films has shot the third and last in a collection of short films. Currently being edited, handover for sound is due around late February.
London Fashion Week is just around the corner so watch this space for news soon...
Archive News / December 2009
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land' is now almost complete, with the audio work to be finalised for the end of January. Official website here.
Currently, I am working on the soundtrack for the Hugo Boss 'Boss
Black' show for Berlin Fashion Week in January. To be held in the
Hamburger Bahnhof, the modern soundtrack will evoke a sense of 40s
nostalgia using atmospheric sounds of railway stations and trains
intertwined with Berlin electronica and orchestral samples.
The Clothes Show Live, at Birmingham's NEC has now run its course to much hype and excitement! Produced by Doll,
the 45 minute Fashion Theatre xmas themed, music and dance spectacular
wowed the screaming teen-girl audience, five times a day for a week!
Shaky handheld mobile clips are available on Youtube but I should be
able to organise an edit of the official video on this site soon.
The sound design for Kerri Davenport-Burton's short film 'That Thing You Drew' (working title) is now complete and awaiting the final 5.1 dub mix sometime in late January. Production by Vennerfilm
Piers Thompson of Hector Films
has finished shooting the third and last in a collection of short
films. Currently being edited, handover for sound is due around
February. This promises to be an edgy, realist and emotionally
challenging film which I am very much looking forward to working on.
And a final note... I have been invited to join as a member of the
Couvoisier Future 500 in association with The Guardian/Observer
newspaper! Official site here. My modest credit here
Merry Christmas too!
Archive News / November 2009
Lots of projects have kept me busy over the last few weeks with a run of live shows, events and a couple of films.
Specsavers' Spectacle Wearer Of The Year Awards event at the V&A was an exciting evening, as was 'Off The Rails', RTÉ TV's Style Guide live fashion event (Dublin's answer to The Clothes Show) last week.
Speaking of The Clothes Show Live, the Christmas themed 45 minute soundtrack is now complete and in the hands of the video and lighting guys who are busy programming their set to my mix. Running for a week at Birmingham's NEC in December, the show
promises to be quite
impressive. After nearly six months in development, one should expect
dramatic things...It' going to be a good one!
Specsavers, Off The Rails, Clothing at Tesco and The Clothes Show Live events are all produced by Doll.
In film, the sound design for Kerri Davenport-Burton's short 'That Thing You Drew' (working title) is now complete and awaiting the final 5.1 dub mix sometime over the next few weeks. Production by Vennerfilm
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film 'Buried Land' is now in post production, with the audio work currently in session. Official website here.
Piers Thomson of Hector Films has finished shooting 'Lin', the last in a trilogy of short films. Currently being edited, handover for sound is due around late December. This should be as rich, emotionally touching and beautiful as K and Waverley to which I'm very much looking forward to contribute.
Archive News / October 2009
Since London Fashion Week, work has been great, if relentless! Clothing at Tesco was successfully launched at Sketch to directors, press and media.
I am currently editing the soundtrack for the Specsavers Awards event
at the V&A and December's Clothes Show Live in Birmingham. Both
produced by Doll, there's also a similar gig in Dublin, Off The Rails, which is due to kick off next month.
Official website
Hannah Rickard's twin screen installation at the Whitechapel Gallery
has now closed but Rosalind Nashashibi's acclaimed retrospective at the
ICA continues to receive good reviews.
This runs until November 1st. Reviews and details here. Rosalind Nashashibi is represented by Doggerfisher.
Steven Eastwood and Geoffrey Alan Rhodes' feature film Buried Land is
now in post production, with the audio work to be completed by
November. Official website here.
Kerri Davenport-Burton's short is also due for sound design work this month. Production by Vennerfilm
Piers Thomson of Hector Films
is shooting the last in a trilogy of shorts in Bulgaria. Editing and
handover for sound is due around December. This should be as rich,
emotionally touching and beautiful as K and Waverley to which I'm very
much looking forward to contribute.
Archive News / September 2009
London Fashion Week was a great success with some spectacular shows and events that I produced soundtracks for. Top of the bill saw Graeme Black in a new space on Savile Row. Supporting a collection inspired by an antique Maharajah's turban, the music evoked the essence if India during colonial rule with a contemporary edge. Merging dubby sounds from Bill Laswell & Peter Namlook and Thievery Corporation against classical and modern Asian artists like Rahul Sharma, Karsh Kale and Trilok Gurtu amoung others. The mix will be available on the audio player soon.
Vogue review here
Style.com review here
At On|Off, Richard Sorger, Carlotta Gherzi for Sadó and On|Off
Presents, showcasing for the first time, Joanna Vanderpuije, Michela
Carraro, Yang Du and Prose Studio, were all very exciting shows.
Details, video and music mixes to follow soon.
Official On|Off website here
There's an award show in Dublin coming up and an evening event for Specsavers at the V&A museum, London...all produced by Doll and requiring the Doug treatment.
Further to that, discussions are already well in place for December's Clothes Show Live to be held at NEC Birmingham.
Depiction Films have produced a couple of projects including Hannah Rickards' video installation 'No, there was no red' currently showing at the Whitechapel Gallery until September 23.
Rosalind Nashashibi's solo show at ICA features two new installations that I collaborated on. 'Jack Straw's Castle' is a 17min 16mm film observing the discreet goings on within Hampstead Heath after dark. 'In Rehearsal' is an installation of photographs documenting an opera run-through with accompanying audio...like eavesdropping behind the scenes. Details available here
Kerri Davenport-Burton is currently editing her latest short film with VennerFilm. Featuring a young schoolgirl with profound hearing loss as the main character and viewed from her perspective, this promises to be a great opportunity for some exciting sound design.
I am also in talks with Steven Eastwood concerning sound design for his feature film, Buried Land. This is really exciting and more info will be revealed on this soon...
Archive News / July 2009
New website! Time for a spring clean and a new look. This is just phase one of the process - more tweaks and alterations will happen over the next few weeks. There are some new movie clips to check out and by popular demand, the full Clothes Show Live Mix is available to listen to on the Audio Player - go to track 12. There should be some footage of the event soon..watch this space.
Meanwhile, there is talk of an exciting fashion season brewing at On|Off and a show for Viyella coming up.
Depiction Films are producing a couple of projects that I shall be working on including Hannah Rickards' forthcoming video installation for the Whitechapel Gallery in September.
Kerri Davenport-Burton is currently editing her latest short film with VennerFilm. This should arrive on my desk in a few weeks and promises to be quite an opportunity for some exciting sound design!
Archive News / June 2009
The Clothes Show Live London at ExCeL was a successful event, with its 40 minute Fashion Theatre Show. Based on the day in the the life of an English pier, the show incorporated dancers and models depicting various theatrical scenes, all set to my music mix. Working closely with Lee Lapthorne of Doll and Andy Turner of International Collective, Dancers INC, the show ranged from orchestral ballet to thunderous club pop via ska, pop and a nostalgic beauty contest firmly stuck, tongue in cheek, in the early 60s.
Lots of fun, lots of work..we'd been working on this for well over two months!
Official website and edit of the show, here. Please note - the music in the movie edit of the show is NOT from the original soundtrack!
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Graduate Fashion Week has also just closed in London. I worked with many students to advise and produce the soundtracks for the following shows..
Middlesex University
Liverpool John Moores University
Birmingham City University
Bournemouth Insitiute of Arts
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Becks Futures winner, Matt Stokes' new film 'The Gainsborough Packet, &C.', produced Tom Dingle of Depiction Films is currently installed at 176 Gallery, London until June 28, 2009.
Features my sound design and mix
Archive News / April 2009
Upcoming director Marco Puig of Warp Films invited me to assist with the Girls Aloud 'Untouchable' promo with a slight touch of sound design.
I have also been working with Marco on a trailer film for an
upcoming Video Game (currently secret), again production by Warp Films.
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In fashion circles, right now I am in discussion with Lee Lapthorne
of Doll concerning several Graduate fashion shows and The Clothes Show
Live, which comes to London in May.
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Becks Futures winner, Matt Stokes' new film 'The Gainsborough Packet, &C.', produced Tom Dingle of Depiction Films is currently installed at 176 Gallery, London until June 28, 2009 and at The Baltic Centre of Contemporary Art, Gateshead until May 10.
Features my sound design and mix
London Fashion Week was busy once again with my line up of shows this season including Graeme Black, Maria Grachvogel, On|Off Presents, Sadó and Ashley Isham.
I also produced the soundtrack for the On|Off Exhibition, this season held at the Science Museum, London.
Graeme's show was a total feast of gorgeousness at Spencer House. Some reviews already out and Grachvogel's soundtrack even gets a mention!
Myfashionlife.com reports...
On|Off Official site video reports...
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Aside from fashion shows, I recently
worked the sound design on Becks Futures winner, Matt Stokes' new film
'The Gainsborough Packet, &C.'. Produced Tom Dingle of Depiction Films.
This is a site specific film currently installed at 176 Gallery, London until June 28, 2009.
Archive News | December 2008
Another short film to add to the list...
'My Horizon' directed by Matt Tromans is a 16mm film about a young man coming to terms with the loss of his brother to a drugs overdose. Clips and more info will be available on the site soon. Re-recording mix completed at De Lane Lea alongside Doug Cooper.
Official website pilotstarfilms.com
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The Clothes Show Live at Birmingham NEC was a great success, the soundtrack to the feature catwalk show was produced by me after many production meetings and improvements.
Billed as the biggest catwalk in the world, TCS were celebrating their 20th year harking back to the days of the iconic TV show to an audience of mostly wildly enthusiastic screaming teenage girls!
Again, clips of the show and soundtrack should be available soon. There are some amusing audience mobile phone clips on youtube already.
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Stuart Croft continues to show his recent work both at GSK Contemporary at The Royal Academy in London and other international galleries.
----------------------------------------
Archive News | September 2008
London Fashion Week has been very busy with music production for shows for Graeme Black, Ana Sekularac, Duro Olowu and Sado.
The soundtracks for Graeme Black and Duro Olowu shows are now on the audio player. See Events|Shows page for more details.
The On|Off Presents... event at the Royal Academy showcased new designers Alexander Køutny, Rosalb de Mura and a hotly tipped Mark Fast.
Click names below for Vogue.com reports...
Graeme Black (mentions the soundtrack!)
Ana Sekularac
Duro Olowu
Style.com reports...
Duro Olowu
Graeme Black (also mentions the soundtrack!)
WWD.com reports...
Graeme Black
Duro Olowu
On|Off website
Urban Junkies
More video clips, mp3s and reports will be available soon
Archive News | August 2008
The promotional film Love&Money celebrating 50 years of British creative culture for this year's Olympics finally saw the light of day at the British Pavillion in Beijing. It will continue to be screened globally and used to promote the london Olympics in 2012.
You can watch it on the film page or click here!
Commissioned by UKTI with the BBC, produced by FriendlyMedia.
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Stuart Croft's Drive In and has now closed at Fred Gallery, London. A clip can be seen on the Film page.
There have been some good reviews...
'Drive In could be a scene from any number of Hollywood
genres...ambitious...a Dantesque circle of pleasure and punishment...a new
direction in experimentation....utterly mesmerising......'
Jennifer Thatcher - Art Monthly
Kultureflash - click here
'I've been waiting for someone to do this for years'
Anonymous, in guest book
The Death Waltz is showing at Fred Gallery, Leipzig, Germany from now until August 31.
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Austin Reed held a re-branding conference with a Fashion Show last month at Vinopolis, London. Production by doll with my music direction.
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Piers Thompson's K has been accepted for official selection at Dokufest Kosovo, Busho Budapest and San Francisco SF Film Festivals! It has also been screened recently at Shot By The Sea, Hastings Film Festival.
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Currently in creative discussion with Graeme Black for his upcoming London Fashion Week Show.
Archive News | March 2008
Piers Thompson's K has been selected for screening at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2008.
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Neil Mcenery-West has won Best International Director of a Short Film at New York Independent International Film & Video Festival 2008 for Undertow! Having taken nearly four years to shoot, occasionally snatching momentary breaks in the traffic to create the illusion of a deserted London, his shoot ratio was something like 60:1 and the budget was next to nothing. As testament to his vision, patience and unerring ability to keep a cool head at 5am and retain continuity throughout, he thoroughly deserves this accolade. The short was also nominated for Best International Short Film.
Undertow has already been doing rather well across the international film festival circuit with this award and a Special Mention as a Highlight at the 2nd London Filmmakers' Convention 2007.
Here are some reviews...
"A film that captures the unease and atmosphere of isolation and loss in central London, Truly Brilliant."
Mark Reid Director of Renderyard International Film Festival.
"I was fortunate enough to catch Undertow at the Portobello film festival; this is a very assured and visually stunning piece of work by director Neil Mcenery-West. Undertow is set in a disturbingly vivid post-apocalyptic London, an emptied-out city where our wounded protagonist wanders alone like
a man struggling to surface from a nightmare. This is a film with big-screen vision - arresting cinematography, intense performances, and inventive sound design. Undertow will undoubtedly be a big hit on the festival circuit."
Greg Loftin, director of Sillwood Films.
Nominated for the Michael Powell Award: Best New British Feature.
"In UNDERTOW we see a London that we have literally never seen before; the streets and landmarks are familiar enough but they are completely empty, not a person to be seen. It's eerie, uncanny and, at times, exhilarating. The story is, thank God, none to easy to figure out, but it doesn't matter. The film is palpably and viscerally about loss and the fact that it works without the encumbrances of "plot", "insightful incidents" and all the rest of it, is its magic. Ingmar Bergman said that he began to get somewhere when he realised that film was about "breath and rhythm". It's heartening to find a young filmmaker reconnecting with an aesthetic which, from today's bleak vantage point, might be considered avant-garde or experimental but actually, not so many years ago, was felt to be central to cinema's development."
Jon Sanders, director of Painted Angels and Low Tide.
Jon is the principle author of the recent Belgrade Manifesto with such luminaries involved as cinematic legend, Aki Kaurismäki.
Undertow - Official selection at...
Short Film Corner, Cannes 2008
European Independent Film Fest, Paris 2008
Renderyard Int. Film Fest, London & Spain 2008
The Feira Hype at the Goethe Institute, Salvador, Brazil 2007
Portobello Film Festival, London 2007
Screening at re-launch of The Compton Club Cinema, London, April 2008
Watch highlights from Undertow here.
And this is what Neil wrote about my input...
"Doug has been involved in creating innovative and experimental sound design for film for several years now. Award winning films he has worked on have been selected for the Berlin International Film Festival, Seagate Foyle and New York International Short Film Festival.
His work as a sound designer covers a broad range encompassing realism, expressionism and avant garde/surrealist approaches. He promotes the use of sound not simply to add a sense of realism to a story, but to add a completely new dimension of information and expressionism to the story/characters.
On Undertow his work was designed to create an extremely complex/heightened and expressionistic sound design for one strand of the story, complimenting a much more realistic design for the 2nd story strand.
Taking cues from other filmmakers that experiment with sound such as Tarkovsky, Godard and Lynch, Doug and director Neil Mcenery-West conceptualised the sound not only to compliment the visual strength of the film, but to create a psychological landscape for the central characters. The sound reflects the characters' inner turmoil and outward perception of the world."
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Stuart Croft's new film work The Death Waltz is now complete and scheduled to show at Fred Gallery, Leipzig, Germany in June.
Drive In will be showing at Fred Gallery, Vyner St, London at the same time. A clip of this can be seen on the Film page.
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Next up will be a whole string of Graduate Fashion shows, a show for Hackett and a special event for Associated Press at Sketch.
There's also talk of a sound mix for a documentary and another short film in a couple of months.
Watch this space for details...!
Archive News | February 2008
Fashion Week...
London Fashion Week was very busy with shows everyday for Graeme Black, Xterity, Allegra Hicks, Duro Olowu and Sado as well as 'On|Off Presents...' showcasing six designers. This show opened with two couples from BBC's Strictly Come Dancing - an edit of the event is available for viewing at the on|off website.
Here is a short report on wrap3
You can find other shows including Sado, and On|Off Presents... here.
Duro Olowu on vogue.com
Allegra Hicks has won Best Catwalk at London Fashion Awards!
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I am currently working on the sound mix for Stuart Croft's new film piece The Death Waltz which promises to be as intriguing as his previous works Hit, Century City and Drive In.
Archive News | January 2008
New Short from Hector Films
Piers Thompson's short film, K is now complete. The final dubbing mix was done at De Lane Lee alongside Phil Jenkins. It has recently been chosen for official selection at Berlinale Film Festival 2008.
Dainty Doll - Nicola Roberts
One fifth of Girls Aloud, namely Nicola, has launched a new range of make-up. The fashion show style event, produced by doll was held at Sketch on Friday 18th January and was a great success. Monkey Kingdom TV are making a documentary about this to be screened on ITV in about a month. Watch this space!
Theatre...
Love&Madness Theatre Co. are still touring the UK with Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'.
Fashion Week...
February's Fashion bonanza looks set to keep me busy. Xterity, Allegra Hicks, Duro Olowu and Sado have all been in contact regarding their music production. 'On|Off Presents...' supporting new and upcoming designers will also be going ahead, this time it's even bigger than last season. The music for this event, designer exhibition areas including a site specific audio/visual installation by wrap3 and launch parties will all be directed by myself.
Prior to LFW, I shall also be producing soundtracks for Country Casuals and My Wardrobe: Designer Incubator show and award ceremony.
Then after all that, Stuart Croft has invited me again to work on the sound design for his latest film work, The Death Waltz which promises to be as intriguing as his former works Century City and Drive In.
Archive News | September 2007
New Short from Hector Films
Piers Thompson's short film, K is currently in post production and is due for the final dubbing mix at De Lane Lee within 2 weeks.
Grandma's Back In Business!
As mentioned last month, BBC2 are screening the last in the series of documentaries by Twentytwenty TV produced in association with doll.
BBC2 MONDAY 24, SEPTEMBER 2007 AT 9PM
'Grandad/Grandma's Back To Business' sets to challenge two individuals, one young graduate fresh out of college and a mature candidate shunning retirement, into one of four industries to produce an event or learn a skill. In this case, the candidates managed the execution of two fashion shows. This included discussions with me to develop concepts and an identity for each show in regards to music.
Theatre...
Love&Madness Theatre Co. are now touring the UK with Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'.
Fashion Week...
An exhausting week comes to a close with Xterity, Allegra Hicks, Duro Olowu and Smithspence all enjoying successful shows. On|Off at The Royal Academy also hosted their own fashion show 'On|Off Presents...' supporting new and upcoming designers. The music for this event, designer exhibition areas and launch parties were my responsibility.
Online reports available...
vogue.com
urbanjunkies.com
On|Off also has podcasts of the shows available from iTunes
Some of these new mixes will be available on the audio player very soon.
Archive News | August 2007
New Short from Hector Films
Piers Thompson's latest 35mm short is currently in post production and I am honored to be working on the sound design and track-lay. It's a dark emotional story about an adolescent girl living a detached existence from her dysfunctional community set in a run down industrial landscape. Bold and gritty, this film deserves to make a few waves... Eels, sex, self discovery, horses, abuse, trust and hope.... I don't wish to give too much away right now but it's a good one!
Fashion show TV challenge!
This last month has seen two fashion show presentations produced in association with doll to preview September's On|Off season at the Royal Academy. This has been documented by Twentytwenty TV as part of a four part fly-on-the-wall series to be broadcast on BBC2 later this year. 'Back To Business' sets to challenge two individuals, one young graduate fresh out of college and a mature candidate shunning retirement, into one of four industries to produce an event or learn a skill. In this case, the candidates managed the execution of two fashion shows. This included discussions with me to develop concepts and an identity for each show in regards to music.
Both shows were a success and sounded great. Broadcast dates TBC - watch this space.
Theatre...
Love&Madness Theatre Co. are soon to tour the UK with Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'. Final adjustments are currently being made to the sound design and score for this upcoming production.
London Fashion Week...
Xterity, Allegra Hicks, Duro Olowu and Smithspence have all been in touch regarding music for their upcoming shows. September is getting booked up already!
Archive News | May 2007
Art, Eco, Fashion and Celebrities!
Stuart Croft's 'Drive-In' film installation is now complete and will be shown along earlier works at FACT, Liverpool this summer. Apparently Tate Modern have been showing an interest too so fingers crossed. Without giving too much away, this is a looped film of an in-car conversation that endlessly turns in on itself without conclusion.
A short promotional viral film highlighting the unethical use of bottled drinking water for Ecoutlet.co.uk. Produced by Marco Puig - a name and company well worth checking out. Many more projects to come from this source soon.
More fashion shows, this time for Graduate Fashion Week. Kent, Birmingham and Middlesex are all getting the Doug treatment as I'm advising the students on their soundtracks and editing the whole thing together. Shows to be in June.
LK Today's High Street Fashion Awards at Café de Paris was a great event. Working with EdenCancan and Doll, I sourced, edited and operated the music for the ceremony which culminated in much champagne and dancing until the early hours.
And in the pipeline...
Love&Madness Theatre Co. are soon to tour the UK with Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'. We are currently in discussion regarding sound design and scoring for this upcoming production.
Archive News | March 2007
Fashion Show Bonanza!
Things have been very busy since the year began with London Fashion Week
events dominating my diary. In the end I produced the music for ten London shows
ranging from a chirpy 1950's set with opera for Caroline Charles and some heavy
dub for Gavin Douglas at the BFC tents to a wedding themed Tata-Naka show
at the Royal Academy of Arts. Also there at On|Off were Allegra Hicks, Aimee
McWilliams and a debut show for La Petite Salope. Movie clips of these shows
can be found at urbanjunkies.com. click here
Vogue favourite Duro Olowu had his first show, an urban Afro funk and jazz mix
with street atmos sounds, at Conway Hall W1. Another new player, Smithspence
invited a return to a mid 20th century couture style event at The Firehouse, SW3
with a mix laid back of contemporary Polish jazz/lounge, German electronica and
Henri Mancini classics! Very nice.
Some of these mixes are the on the audio player - click the logo on the main page
Meanwhile in Hollywood...
Once these were over I still had one more show for Swarovski 'Runway Rocks'
at the Air Gallery, Beverly Hills. This was a fun concept where the rather typical
runway show, stage, lighting truss and all suddenly came crashing down as the
lights went up! The sound system blew up, sparks flew, smoke seeped.. then
the sound of a music box filtered and twisted led the first model out on a large
hidden turntable in the stage floor. The show then proceeded with a twinkly mix
of contemporary beats and victorian music boxes.
In the Movies...
In film mode, I have just completed the audio mix for 26min short, Undertow.
Directed by Neil West, this is a compelling tale of a man trapped in an apperently
deserted London caught up in a confusion of memories, flashbacks and epileptic
fits. With certain Tarkovski and Godard influences, there are some nice moments
using atmospheric sfx and internalising sensory cues by use of sub and supersonic
sine waves and multi-layered sounds.
And now...
Currently working on a new film installation for Stuart Croft...