Post Production Showcase: GCRS

By Jake Young

Recording

18 SEPTEMBER 2014

Were pleased to reveal that GCRS is among the six post-production houses

that have made the final list for the first ever Audio Media Post Production

Showcase a feature highlighting the varying work across the field of audio

post-production for feature films, shorts, TV, and advertising.

GCRS pitch comprised The National Autistic Society Sensory Sensitivity, a

strong 70-second film that efficiently showcases the challenging experience of

sensory sensitivity that a person with autism faces on a daily basis.

We spoke to GCRS Munzie Thind, sound designer of The National Autistic

Society Sensory Sensitivity.

What was your brief/concept for this?

I have collaborated with director Steve Cope (Rattling Stick) many times in

the past and he brought me in at the start of the process to get my thoughts

on how we should approach sound for this National Autistic Society spot.

The concept was to create something that would bring to life the experience

of sensory sensitivity one of the challenges that people with autism face

every day.

My starting point was research, talking to people, reading books and articles,

and finding out everything I could about sensory sensitivity and the way it

affects people with autism. I took a different approach from my usual work.

Instead of aiming for the beautiful, I wanted a soundscape that was really

annoying. This unnerving feeling is reflected in the visual and the end result

is really powerful.

What was the sound design process like?

The sounds were looped and manipulated to disrupt the listener. By doing this

we wanted to make them feel uncomfortable and alien the repetitive and

atonal audio is meant to strike a chord with the audience, communicating the

message in an unnerving manner. I messed with the tempo of recorded and

library sounds to add that arresting factor.

In order to achieve a stark contrast with the rest of the film, I cut it dead at

the end to surprise the viewer, as the film cuts to a shot of Chi, who is

autistic.

Can you run me through the technology set-up?

I used Pro Tools as my editor then Structure, Omnisphere, and various plug-

ins to manipulate the sounds from our library. I recorded sounds outside the

studio using a Sound Devices 722 portable recorder with a Sennheiser MKH

416 gun mic.

How long was the production process?

Actual studio time for the project was roughly around two days. Thats

including edit changes to the picture.

What special challenges did it present?

I felt it was vital to start by researching the experiences of people with

autism, so that I could strive to put myself in their shoes and create

something that would truly reflect the challenges they face every day.

How was the response from the public?

The film has been very well received by the public and industry media alike.

Most importantly, the response from those with autism has been

overwhelmingly positive, with people telling me that the film and sound

treatment gets this experience spot on.

Lastly, what are you working on right now?

I've just finished working on various spots for BT Sport. It was a really

interesting project as it combined live action Premiership moments with

commentator responses, cut into shots of Premier League players and fans

sitting at home, in clubs, and out and about. We used an incredible tribal

sounding track Electric Pow Wow Drum from A Tribe Called Red to bring it

all together and build to dramatic crescendo. As a football fan myself it was a

huge pleasure to work on. www.gcrs.com www.autism.org.uk

download the PDF for this Audio Media article and open it in

Adobe Reader or follow this link: www.vimeo.com/105007097

https://www.vimeo.com/105007097