SAE University College students will benefit from the wisdom that comes with being an Emmy-award winning sound editor next week, as Martin Kwok appears in conversation with presenter Namila Benson at the institution’s Sydney campus.
Open to students in person and online, ‘From Sound to Screen’ will offer insights into the world of professional sound design and production, with the New Zealand-based creative sharing his expertise in creating immersive sonic landscapes for Dune II, The Beatles: Get Back (for which he picked up his Emmy), and Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings franchise.
The event is the first in SAE’s The Makers Series, in which industry experts are invited to pass on their knowledge to some of the nation’s budding creatives.
Kwok said he still drew on the same skillset he built as a teenager throwing warehouse parties in Wellington.
“Work ethic, continuing to keep my ears open to new things and maintaining a sense of passion in what you do and believe in – all of those things are connections between my teenage beginnings in DJ culture, warehouse parties and radio shows and what has inadvertently turned into a career in film,” he said.
“Being a maker in the creative world is all about the process and my main advice is to take the ‘wax on, wax off’ approach.
“There’s no substitute for putting in the work, even when it doesn’t feel ultimately creative… it’s all about building blocks and teamwork.”
Benson, known for ABC’s The Art Of . . . , said “one little nugget” from Kwok had the potential to shape possibilities for students deciding where their future may lie.
“Creative industries mean every now and then you encounter impressive people like Martin who demonstrate their genius, creativity and innovation within an exciting field; and they’re doing roles you may not have heard of,” she said.
The first event in The Makers Series will take place at the SAE Sydney campus on Wednesday, November 27 from 11am. Registrations are essential. Find out more here.