Bringing together a diverse group of world-leading professionals across post-production film sound and electroacoustic music, Art of Sound explores the creative principles that underpin how sonic practitioners act to compose, tell stories, make us feel and communicate via sound. Revealing new understandings through analysis of interdisciplinary exchanges and interviews, this book investigates questions of aesthetics, perception, and interpretation, unveiling opportunities for a greater appreciation of the creativity and artistry in sound practice which underpins both experimental electronic music and the world´s leading film and television productions.

It argues that, in contrast to traditional ideas which can imagine creativity to flow from overarching creative visions, we can better understand and appreciate the creative act as constantly unfolding process of inspiration, material action and reflection, within which the creative flows with the materials of the work negotiating rich networks of potential. Such an approach enables us to better celebrate the reality of the creative process, de-centering technologies and universal rules from our frameworks, opening up sonic practices to more diverse ideas and approaches.

Art of Sound provides insight into the latest developments and approaches to sound and image practice for composers, filmmakers, directors, scholars, producers, sound designers sound editors, sound mixers, and students who are interested in understanding the creative potential of sound.

• In-depth interviews with leading film sound professionals in the UK and Hollywood – including Randy Thom (Revenant, Incredibles, (Director at Skywalker Sound)), Paula Fairfield (Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, LOST), Ann Kroeber (Gladiator, English Patient, Black Stallion)
• In-depth interviews with iconic electroacoustic and soundscape composers from the UK, Canada and Europe. Including – Hildegard Westerkamp, Annette Vande Gorne, Trevor Wishart.
• Demonstrable real-world application benefits (via concise outcome summaries in our conclusion and Our Map of Sonic Creativity).
• Highly interdisciplinary approach, covering topics associated with sound studies, music technology, sound art, film, game audio and many others.
• Roster of international contributors, spanning both world-leading academics and highly regarded practitioners