Digital Media Production students from Stratford-upon-Avon College were recently treated to industry insights from a film composer and sound designer.
Spesh Maloney, who lives in Stratford-upon-Avon, came to the College to share his wealth of experience with students on the Level 3 Creative Media Extended Diploma and Level 4 Creative Media Foundation Diploma.
As well as an array of qualifications, including a Master’s degree from the Royal College of Music, Spesh has worked for a range of top companies as a film composer, sound designer, sound consultant and audio post production specialist. He has worked on films and programmes on the BBC, most notably Eastenders and award-winning drama Black Roses, as well as for the Royal Shakespeare Company on their videos and trailers, most recently, The Magician’s Elephant and The Mirror and the Light.
Spesh was able to show samples of his current work and give the students a candid look at the software he uses and how it operates. He commented: “I was really happy to come in. I have lovely memories of doing work experience here at the college in the late 90’s and also visited recently to do a talk on film composition. The students asked engaging questions and their insightful queries showed they were picking up the right concepts and processes and we delved nicely into broadening their understanding.”
He noted how the industry is growing and developing at such a rapid pace so there is a lot of demand for this type of work. He advises those interested in this area: “It’s important to learn a bit about everything and then you can find what you enjoy the most. Having a better all-round knowledge will give you a more collaborative understanding when working. But there is another skill set that is just as important: interpersonal skills; so much of this work can come from being recommended!”
The students found the session incredibly eye opening. Lewis Hawkins, 17, enjoyed the insights given: “The thing I found most useful was being able to put names to things I am doing in my work. Like learning about diegetic sound in film. Sound and film are two of my interests so it’s great to see how they can link together in work.” Abbey Pegler, 18, appreciated the technical examples shown and hopes it can benefit her in the future: “It was great learning how to layer things as Spesh showed us the process on his software. It is also interesting to see the difference it makes to a production. I am hoping to work in film as a director so having an understanding of sound design will be so beneficial.”
Media Lecturer, Sarah Downing, was very glad of the visit. She commented: “I invited Spesh because he has a wealth of experience as a composer for film and TV. The students are working on a variety of projects including short film, animation, radio drama and soundscapes, so listening to Spesh’s advice will help them develop their skills in sound design and work towards creating exciting projects.”
To find out more about Spesh Maloney’s work visit his website: www.lophonics.com
