June 2023
Ben has worked on some of the UK’s best soundtracks over 18 years in the industry. From Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and Edge of Tomorrow, to Mission: Impossible - Fallout, Ben’s no stranger to innovative sound design and hard-hitting effects. As well as major feature films, Ben’s also experienced in animation, documentary, TV drama and independent film.
The stage is yours Ben…
MASA: It would be great to hear how you got started in the industry? And what attracted you to the world of sound?
BEN: In 2001, I started out working as a runner for a post sound company in Camden Town called Videosonics, after finishing courses in Music technology at Kidderminster College then Leeds Met University.
It was not only my first time in London but my first time experiencing the world of post sound. The company was amazing and like no other. TV and films were constantly coming through the door and the people who worked there were some of the most collaborative and fun I’ve ever come across in the industry, some of whom I still work with today.
I was encouraged to tracklay, so would stay behind in the evenings when everyone had left, learning how to use equipment. I loved it and everything about the process. In awe of the senior sound editors, foley department and the skills of the re-recording mixers, I wanted to be as good as I could be, providing the best tracks possible to complement and impress these people that were giving me such an opportunity.
I found that sound effects were definitely my thing and I was able to quickly adapt to different genres, from kids TV, drama and eventually on to features.
MASA: Your list of credits is certainly one to wonder at! Possibly an impossible question, but is there a project that you’re especially proud of, and why?
BEN: It’s never easy for me to pick one in particular and they often change after I rewatch things I’ve worked on.
One of the earliest films I did was ‘My Summer of Love’ which actually changed the way I would go on to pick my sounds and understand how to give a director the soundtrack they were ultimately after.
Working on Scott Pilgrim was a particular highlight due to the amount of fun we had creating the track. We designed and recorded most of the sounds from scratch and got to work within a hugely talented team.
The most current film I’d put up there would have to be ‘Mission: Impossible - Fallout’. I was able to encourage Director Chris Macquarie in MI Rogue Nation to drop music over the car chase I had laid in that film. So knew I’d be able to get him to do it again in Fallout… so I absolutely went for it. Gaining inspiration from The French Connection and The Blues Brothers, two of my favourite films, I was loving working on these sequences. The film was full of set pieces which were an FX / Design dream and Sound Supervisor James Mather gave me free rein to attack sequences however I chose, allowing freedom in the final mix to get one of my favourite sequences to sound exactly how I’d imagined it.
MASA: How have you found moving from being a Sound Designer to being a Sound Supervisor?
BEN: It’s been challenging at times! Managing a team, dealing with creatives whilst still trying to find time to design and tracklay, has been interesting to adapt. I’m used to being left alone in my dark room!
MASA: Could you give us the lowdown on the role of a Supervising Sound Editor?
BEN: To take the vision of the Director and tell that sonically while supporting the story of the film. Whether that be from action, environmentally or simply period sounds.
I’ve built a team of editors I trust and know well, from established and new talents to deliver the best soundtrack we can.
I talk through the project with the Director at the start of the process, listen to their ideas and then discuss my thoughts and how we can approach the process. My aim is to hit the dubbing stage with the Director having heard as much content as possible, so we can concentrate on the overall shape and style of the mix.
Alongside the creative work there is the budgeting and scheduling thrown on top. I find that working alongside a great Post Production Supervisor can really help with this.
MASA: What do you need to establish in those early project meetings with directors in order to do your job best? And describing a soundscape in these settings must be challenging; so difficult to do it justice with just words.
BEN: Getting hold of a script is key. At least having an idea of what the story is and how much sound is needed. Find out who the Picture Editor is, whether there’s a Composer attached and do my research.
After meeting and discussing what the Director wants, throwing some ideas around, then over the time we have, allowing the sound of the film to evolve through temp mixes and reacting to any changes in ideas.
MASA: How closely do you work with the composer on a project so as to ensure the sound and music interact appropriately?
BEN: I always try and get conversations going at the start of the project, whether that be with the Composer or the music department. This means we can always have a line of communication on anything new and on the direction that the score will be going in.
MASA: And lastly, what will you be looking for when judging? What makes a piece of work worthy of a Music+Sound Award?
BEN: I will be listening to the amount of work that has gone into a project. How it has made me feel, what devices were used in the sound + music, did it give me any emotional response, did it carry me off into another direction, which I love. I will also be looking for something new, different, something slightly left-field and unexpected in the soundtrack.
