The job of a sound designer is far away from our own, so we’ve asked local lad Brett Smith to take us on a tour of his world! Brett is involved in the latest Blue Room production Elephents, and will also be working on an upcoming Black Swan State Theatre Company show, too. We’re also giving away a double pass to see Elephants, so read on!
Official job title:
In short: sound designer. In long: freelance composer and arranger, saxophonist, dance accompanist, boom operator and music tutor.
Tell us about your career background and how you’ve come to where you are now:
I began playing saxophone when I was 10 and towards the end of high school I moved from Sydney to Perth with my family, where my inability to make friends (cue violin) led me to the performing arts department. I’ve been involved in performing arts ever since.
I studied a Jazz degree at WAAPA, had an existential crisis, stopped playing music for a while, went back to write a dissertation and started playing music again.
Since then I’ve studied improvisation and composition in New York, worked with a Flamenco dance company in Seville and performed with a range of artists including The Chemist, Mace Francis Orchestra and Kate Ceberano.
I got into design through work accompanying contemporary dance classes at WAAPA, which led me to start writing music for dancers. I got involved in theatre design through my friend and mentor Ben Collins. We were both in Melbourne for the National Dance Forum and caught up for a casual drink after the opening event at 3am. Ben took me on for a secondment at Black Swan State Theatre Company and since then it’s all I’ve wanted to do.
What is the best thing about your job?
I get to work with enthusiastic, creative, like-minded people who are a constant source of inspiration while writing music and creating sound effects. And I get paid! Albeit far less than I’d like, but a tiny grievance in a job makes me very happy!
Tell us a bit about your current project, arranging the songs for Blue Room show Elephents:
Elephents is a new play with songs by Jeffrey Jay Fowler. It’s a surreal soap opera set in a pre-post apocalyptic world where the characters are sing about the “Elephent in the room” – which is where I come in.
My job is to take the beautiful songs written by Jeff and orchestrate them (add instruments, harmonies and so on) so that they enhance what’s happening in the world around the characters. I also get to put on my design hat and create the sound effects as well as my performance hat and play the music live.
Elephents will show at The Blue Room from 29 April to 17 May.
Take us through a typical day of your work:
This varies everyday, which is another reason why I love my job. How about we do a day in the life of Brett during production week?
Bound out of bed to the coffee machine, bump into my housemates who will inevitably say something like “Oh you’re still living here? Hey have you met Brett our housemate? *chuckle* *snort*.”
Head into the theatre early, usually in a failed attempt to get some quiet time where I can listen to the levels of the music and make adjustments before the actors and creative team arrive. Then I’ll warm up with the actors and run the songs, do some fine tuning and start to make any edits that are needed.
Lunch will be next, which is usually accompanied by a meeting with director and/or writer adding more to the pile. Then we get into rehearsals, which are a constant juggle between being actively involved in what’s happening onstage, fixing technical problems or editing the design elements for the show. After dinner and more scene work I either head into the studio to record and edit or I return home to weep.
What has been your proudest achievement?
In the context of what I’m doing now, I’d have to say managing to compose and design three shows during Fringe World this year. Two of which won best in their categories (The Man and Paperland).
I think I’m proud of the fact that I managed to churn out that much music in such a small time, deal with the qualms and dramas of small venues and still maintain some form of sanity.
What’s next for you?
After Elephents I’m working as the sound designer for The House on the Lake with Black Swan State Theatre Company. It’s a new psychological thriller by Melbourne-based writer Aidan Fennessy and is being directed by Stuart Halusz. It’s a great script and I’m feeling very privileged and excited to be working in the State Theatre with a brilliant creative team.
Brett’s next project is sound designer for Black Swan’s upcoming production The House on the Lake. Image by Robert Frith (Acorn Photography).
Which local artists/musicians/creatives do you admire?
There are so many wonderful creatives in Perth, but I usually come to admire are people that I’ve worked with. I think it’s because I get close insight into their creative processes. So I’ll take this opportunity to be a huge sycophant (a word I discovered whilst searching for other ways to say “suck up”) and mention people that cause me to bound into work every day.
The Last Great Hunt: The producers for Elephents, a really slick collective of theatre-makers. Always happy to discuss ideas and are producing engaging and exciting theatre.
Unkempt Dance: Amy, Carly and Jess are, in my opinion, some of the most creative dancers and choreographers in Perth. They have a wonderful sense of humour and unique way of interpreting their ideas choreographically.
Ben Collins: The resident sound designer for Black Swan, his knowledge of technical know-how coupled with an outrageous amount of talent and humility cause me to constantly re-evaluate my practice and push myself to improve. He also has a killer electronic duo called the Bosons that make me want to dance like a maniac.
I have many more people I’d like to shower praise on, but in the interest of time will mention their names and make sure I send them all thank you letters and cake. Designers: India Mehta, Trent Suidgeest, Chris Donnelly. Musicians: Wency D’Souza, Kynan Tan, Tristen Parr, Mace Francis, Johannes Luebbers, Rick Webster, Lindsay Vickery. Choreographers: Jo Pollitt, Michael Whaites, Sue Peacock, Justin Rutzou, Laura Boynes, Isabella Stone, Emma Fishwick, Louise Honeybul. Artists: Eva Fernandez, Pippa McManus.
Any advice for those trying to enter into the creative community in Perth?
Be friendly, work hard, focus on your craft and meet people.
What do you love about Perth?
It’s a city where I’m able to maintain a healthy career as a creative, is constantly growing and has incredible weather most of the time. Also my close friends and family live here so it feels like home.
What does Perth need?
More independent or intermediate theatre spaces. Venues and programming that can bridge the gap between emerging artists and professional artists.
Oh and better public transport, more bike lanes and arts funding. But no city can be perfect right? And the one we live in is amazing.
Most frequented coffee spot?
Normally, Mary Street Bakery. During a show, Kostas cafe.
But my favourite coffee and best spot for a quiet moment away is at Bench Espresso in the afternoon. Although now that I’ve revealed my hidey hole I might need to find a new one so I can avoid the director…
Best live music venue?
I always find that I remember the concert before I remember the venue, which probably says a great deal about my aesthetic. But I love seeing music performed in St Georges Cathedral.
I also love the Bakery and will indulgently say that I get a massive kick out of performing at the Quarry Amphitheatre.
Favourite beach?
So many beaches, so little time… Cable beach has been my favourite so far.
Rottnest or Margaret River?
A long drive with some great music, tall Karri trees, wine, chocolate, cheese and good company! Margaret River. Brett
You can enjoy Brett’s soundscapes first hand by heading down to The Blue Room for their season of Elephents which runs from 29 April to 17 May. We’re also giving away a double pass to the show on Wednesday 7 April! To enter, email giveaways@weloveperth.net.au by 10pm on Sunday 4 April with Elephents in the subject line, and your name and number in the body of the email. We’ll notify the winner by email the following day.
Come back in a couple of weeks when we chat to India Mehta who Brett mentions as one of the local creatives he most admires. They are working on the same Black Swan State Theatre Company production, The House on the Lake, which we are really looking forward to seeing as well. So much good theatre!