Hello, Of Farms and Fables fans! I'm Seth Asa Sengel, the Sound Designer for this fabulous project.
Sound Design begins with observation. During each day of our lives we are surrounded by multiple layers of sound and part of being a sound designer is learning to deconstruct the sonic sum to hear its multiple parts.
Even in the quietest spaces there is sound. It has been said that in a perfectly silent room, one may even hear the sound of their own nervous system!
The key to theatrical sound is not, as one might think, to directly and accurately reproduce the natural sound of an environment, but rather to work within the aural landscape to capture the natural feel of an environment while leaving sonic space to allow the actors to deliver the story.
Farms are rich with layers of sound. Animals, machines, ambient insects, and the movement of the surrounding flora, all contribute to the sound of a farm. For this project, in order to best represent the sonic ecosystem of farm life, I will begin by capturing live audio recordings of our partnering farms, both for reference and for source material for the design.
I will endeavor in future posts to include audio samples, if I can. More to come...!
