We were asked to score and create sound design for the film “Christoffel Ko Hummus en De Grote Ontdekkingstocht naar Jezelf” (Freely translated as “Christopher Ko Hummus and The Great Discovery of Yourself”), by the amazing Freek Donkers.
A quote by Michel:
“When I met Freek in November 2019 and we talked about his plans for the film over a cup of coffee, I couldn't help but become extremely inspired. The enthusiasm and drive he expressed worked contagiously. When he told me about the concept, I got tears in my eyes from laughing, it was just pure genius and I fell in love with it immediately.”
The Music
We started with determining the right sound. Because Freek was so attracted to the idea of using orchestral music for the film, we easily figured what kind of music we'd write. This was convenient, as it was one of our dreams to score a film using a virtual orchestra.
The music consists mainly of two thematic ideas. Firstly, we have a theme for Korneel, a frivolous, innocent boy who wants to explore himself and the world around him. This theme has the potential to transform into something adventurous, supported with the right orchestration. Secondly, we have a theme for Vlieland and its primitive inhabitants. The new and undiscovered character of this theme is inspired by Mongolian throat singing (probs to Roel!), sound synthesis and more interesting ideas, making it contrast hugely with the character of Korneel's theme.
During the film, Korneel's world becomes more and more intertwined with Vlieland and its inhabitants. We reflected this in the music, by letting the two themes and sounds melt together more and more.
The Sound Design
We brainstormed about equipment, animals, environments and other things that are typical for the 17th century and ended up creating these sounds layer by layer. We even built our own sandpits, created forest floors and footpaths in the studio to record footsteps. We gathered all the sound material we had recorded and prepared and used that to fit the picture. To give the audience the most immersive experience possible, we mixed the whole soundscape including the music in 5.1! This creates the feeling of being in the middle of the action, just the way we like it!
A quote by Freek Donkers, Film Director:
Working with the guys from Auris Media is a true party. Their open, enthusiastic and creative attitude makes for a fruitful and pleasant cooperation. Right from the concept, they provide input for the collaboration between the audio and the film. Early on in the process they delivered demos to make sure that we were on the same page and on the same vibe. They understand their expertise very well and therefore come across as extremely professional. From the very beginning they also helped me think about how we could enhance the comedy with the sound design.
Throughout the project they showed that they can work incredibly hard and master a huge range of different musical styles. When it comes to sound design and foley, Auris Media is also very nice to work with because of their high-quality work and hands-on mentality. Also, it was never a problem if you wanted to have something adjusted and therefore a new version had to be made. These guys always remained cheerful and professional and always contributed to the best end result! It is fantastic to have such enthusiastic people working on your project and and I can assure you that your project is in good hands with Auris Media.