Sound is a way to add some emotions to artwork - CreativeMindClass Blog
Phil Brookes is a music composer and sound designer of Wales. He has worked in collaboration with TedEd, Greenpeace, Tate, Medium, Passion, Strangebeast and many more. His sound and music are also showcased at festivals such as Cannes, BFI London, GLAS and Giffoni and has won multiple awards for his films.
In the video below the interviewer will discuss the story of how Phil was inspired to become an artist and read his tips for how to get started in the realm of sounds. Additionally, you can read about the musical details of a great Socks project he worked on along with Eva Munnich.
Phil Brookes' background
I'm a music composer and sound designer who hails from Wales within the UK.
As far back as I can remember, I've always been awed by songs, sounds as well as voices. Sleeping in front of the washing machine as a kid, hypnotized by its droning (appropriate given the topic I'll be discussing!) was my first memory of sound.
I began mimicking humorous accents and voices.
My father was an obsessed audiophile and used recording equipment to create noises vocally, applying effects like reverb and delay to his voice to make it more enjoyable. I would imitate him as well as others like Jim Carrey and Robin Williams with a little dictaphone and copy all of the funny accents and voices they'd make up.
Prince
My older brother played guitar, and it was his love for music and specifically the multi-instrumentalist Prince that really rubbed off on me. After my brother left and left his guitar at home, and when I was an adolescent I took it as a tool to educate myself enough to start writing or recording songs. Challenging myself to create sounds I had seen on music albums or TV and then adding my own sounds to the existing material.
This passion to utilize whatever resources I had to make or create sound is what still inspires me to keep pushing myself. I am awestruck by the challenges of learning while I write and my preferred way to write is on the fly. Improvising, experimenting, jamming.
I learned piano for myself and synth to create the music to 'But Milk is important'.
My fascination led me to The University of South Wales in Cardiff and I got to meet an amazing animator called Eirik Gronmo Bjornsen. He returned to Norway and made a film with Anna Mantzaris called 'But Milk Is Important'.
I learned piano for myself as well as synthesizer to compose the music for it as well, and in the time since I started making the film I've taken on sound design roles also, and continue to create.
The X-Files Project, aka the "Socks Project"
Recently, I was collaborating alongside the incredible visual artist Eva Munnich for the very third of the three Lemonade Insurance projects I've created the music and the sound design for.
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The Lemonade videos are humorous 15-30 second animations which are designed to be looped. Eva's project had a strong sci-fi/extraterrestrial theme to it, and so she had some great ideas about music and sound.
In nine times of 10, it is my intention to start by creating the sound, since my atmosphere is likely to inspire me musically.
We've also had a conversation with Eva about the process of designing animation and visuals for The X-Files project. Read the full interview with Eva Munnich.
The voice, Eva liked the voices I had performed in a prior TedEd animation I made with Lisa Vertudaches.
In that animation, I had pitched up my vocals dramatically. She thought this would fit for the particular sock and asked if I could shout "yay" in this voice. When I recorded this "yay" I kept it rolling and added the "seeya" shortly before the sock entered the UFO.
Eva enjoyed it, and it was kept in. The remaining voices were created improvised as I saw them.
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If the washing machine were to have a voice and a voice, the machine would sound low.
To contrast the high tone of the sock's voice, I toned down my voice to the washing machine. Since it is a large object which is quite large, I thought as if if it had some voice, it'd be able to convey some depth. I blended these in together with the foley before mixing the sounds ready for the music to be added on.
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I loved the X-Files music when I was a kid.
Musically, Eva thought it would be cool to have music that was inspired by The X-Files theme of The X-Files, which I was very happy with since I loved the music when I was a child!
Like most of the projects I've been involved in I use an animatic (almost as a moving storyboard) that the animator gives me, so I can get a general idea of the timeframe, etc.
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I enjoy sci-fi films and soundtracks for games.
I listen to a lot of different genres of music, and it includes sci-fi and game soundtracks, so in addition to being influenced by this particular X Files theme, I was thinking about which instruments could be suitable for the genre.
I used mostly synth-based instruments drones, bass, and drones to build the basis of my music. The drones were layered to capture the perfect atmosphere, and also representing the beam that emits out of the ufo, which is then absorbed by our little sock.
I made an impressive drum by layering two kick drum samples along with delay and reverb. Then I added a delay synth that pans from left to right in order to make it seem more engaging. The last synth I used using was the 6-note pattern which repeats through.
Whistling can be a wonderful human aspect to include in the music.
The time was right to draw an inspiration from X-Files and include a delayed piano pattern as well as a whistle. I love to whistle and think it to be a fantastic personal element that can be added to the music. I originally recorded some bass guitar parts too however I was of the opinion that it did not fit with the synthesized tone I was trying to achieve.
Piano pattern
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A whistle
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Creating an atmosphere in 15 seconds can be challenging.
I truly enjoyed working with Eva, and this short-form approach is really enjoyable and exciting to work within. Although it's quick however, it's an enormous amount of work and has its own difficulties.
Making and creating an ambience in 15 seconds with the sounds can be quite difficult and composing the right melody without sounding rushed within the timeframe can be quite a feat too.
These are challenges I relish but, in the wake of Eva's animated, I've completed two other really enjoyable Lemonade projects! You can find the process videos on my site and Instagram.
Ideas on how to begin creating sound for images
If you're interested in making sound a visual medium, there're now more innovative options to accomplish this than at any time before. there is really the best time to start doing it than now.
- If you have an urge to be creative, then follow it to the point where it will lead to. The best way to start creating is to make stuff you love and show your creation to others.
- Send messages to budding filmmakers who have the same interests like you.they constantly seek advice on sound. it is possible to build a connection.
- You need to start at some point. I was making ambient music prior to the time I considered the possibility to work in film, and, luckily, there was an animation department in my school, however prior to it, I'd created and created enough sound and music that it made sense for me to pursue the path that presented itself.
- Meet other creatives; that's what working together is all about. If you are fortunate enough to be located living in a place that is home to festival nights, film nights and events, then go to them and meet other people.
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