Sound Effects for Storytelling
with Simon Baker and Charlie Simpson
Delve into the fascinating process of creating sound effects for theatre with Olivier Award-winning Sound Designer Simon Baker and his long-time associate and operator Charlie Simpson. After an introductory webinar, you will have the chance to create your own sound design piece with one-on-one support from Simon and Charlie. You will refine your ideas throughout the week before coming back together as a group to share your designs.
Whilst all levels of experience are welcome, applicants should have access to a DAW** capable of importing a short video file.
Applications for Sound Effects for Story-telling are now closed, but you can still attend the Webinar​.
Dates - Tuesday 30th June to Friday 10th July. The course will comprise 9 hours of contact time on Zoom, plus time spent working independently on projects.
Click here for a provisional timetable.
Price* - £135 (includes membership to the Wise Children Club), with free places available
About the course leaders
Simon Baker
Simon graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1992 and spent the first part of his career in the sound departments of the Royal Court, Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre. In 1999 he joined commercial design and rental company Autograph. In 2009 he left Autograph and returned to freelance life.
In 2010 he was made a fellow of the Guildhall School and is an Associate Artist at Kneehigh Theatre and Matthew Warchus’s Old Vic.
Alongside designing sound for theatre Simon has also written music for several shows, produced various soundtrack albums and a radio drama for the BBC. He has also lectured at several drama schools and his paper on sound effect design is used as a teaching aid at USC School of Cinematic Arts California.
Simon consulted on and designed the controversial sound system for Emma Rice’s reign at Shakespeare’s Globe.
In 2018 Emma Rice formed a new theatre touring company - Wise Children. Simon acts as their Technical Director and Digital Associate, creating and producing content for their work including Wise Children’s Detention – The Podcast.
He has four nominations and one Olivier win (for Matilda), two Tony nominations, and a Helpman and Green Room award in Australia.
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His most recent work includes Matilda (Worldwide), Girl From The North Country (West End/Broadway), Wise Children, Malory Towers, Romantics Anonymous (for Wise Children), A Christmas Carol (Old Vic/Broadway) for which he has just been nominated by The Outer Critic’s Circle for Outstanding Sound Design.
Charlie Simpson
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Charlie has worked as a Theatre Sound Engineer for almost ten years. He has worked in different areas of the profession including mixing, production engineering and sound design; and has toured productions across the UK and further afield.
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Most recently he was touring Head of Sound for Wise Children’s first three productions; Wise Children, Malory Towers and Romantics Anonymous. Charlie was also Deputy Sound Supervisor at Shakespeare’s Globe for Emma Rice’s 2016 Wonder Season and has toured many shows for Kneehigh Theatre including Flying Lovers of Vitebsk, Tristan & Yseult, 946 & Rebecca.
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Other sound credits include Touching the Void, (Duke of York’s Theatre), Nativity (UK Tour); King Charles III (Wyndham’s Theatre); Brass (City Varieties Music Hall/Hackney Empire); six years of productions for the National Youth Music Theatre of Great Britain; and he was a studio mix engineer for the 2012 iTunes Festival.
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*The School for Wise Children is committed to making theatrical training accessible and offers at least 50% of our places for free to those who would not be able to train otherwise. Due to our funding, we are unable to offer free places to those outside the UK. You need to be aged 18 or older to participate in a School for Wise Children course.
**A DAW is a Digital Audio Workstation for example; Pro Tools/Logic/Garage Band/Reaper.