Chris Watson:

Biography & Productions

A sound recordist with a particular and passionate interest in recording the wildlife sounds of animals, habitats and atmospheres from around the world. As a freelance recordist for film, tv & radio Chris Watson specialises in natural history and documentary location sound together with track assembly and sound design in post production.Chris Watson also records and produces CD’s for the London based ‘Touch’

Touch TO:27 ‘Outside The Circle of Fire’
Touch TO:37 ‘Stepping into The Dark’
Touch Tone 18 ‘Star Switch On’
Touch TO:47 Weather Report - due Spring 2003

‘Stepping into The Dark’ won an Award of Distinction at the 2000 Prix ARS Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria

Television

‘The Life of Birds’ for BBC TV - BAFTA Award for Best Factual Sound
‘The Life of Mammals’ for BBC TV
‘Talking with Animals’ for BBC TV
‘Big Cat Diary’ for BBC TV

Radio

‘Night time is the Right time’ BBC Radio 4
‘A Swallow’s Journey’ BBC Radio 4 - Sony Radio Award Nominee 2002
‘A Small Slice of Tranquillity’ BBC Radio 4 for TX Dec. 2002
‘A Robin’s Tale’ BBC Radio 4 for TX Dec. 2002

Brief history profile

1972 to 1981: Cabaret Voltaire
1981 to 1984: tyne tees television; sound recordist and founder member of The Hafler Trio
1985 to 1987: Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; sound recordist and Hafler Trio projects
1987 to 1993: freelance sound recordist
1994 to present: partner with Hoi Polloi Film & Video

Photos can be found here

Discography:

Albums:
TO:27 ‘Stepping into the Dark’ (Touch 1996)
TO:37 ‘Outside The Circle of Fire’ (Touch 1998)

Collaborations:
Ash 6.5 HAZARD - 'Wind' (Ash International 2001)
(contributing all wind recordings)
Tone 18 Star Switch On (Touch, 2002)

Compilation tracks:
T_ZERO_1 "Mara River at Night"- 'Touch Sampler 1' (Touch 1995)
Ash 2.6CD2 "Tarbet Gulley" - 'A Fault in the Nothing' (Ash International 1996)
T_ZERO_2 "Guanacaste" and "The Musiara Gate" - 'Touch Sampler 2' (Touch 1997)
T_ZERO_3 "Demonic laughter" - 'Touch Sampler 3' (Touch 1998)
T_ZERO_0 "Friday the 13th", "A Celebration" and "A Blessing" - 'Touch Sampler 00' (Touch 2000)
Ash 6.6 "Beyond Ol' Tokai" - KREV X - The 10th Anniversary of Elgaland-Vargaland (Ash International 2002)

+ extensively sampled eg Atom Heart’s +N: BUILT (Rather Interesting 1997)



Interview with Chris Watson by Antonio Murga, Madrid 1997

01: Cabaret Voltaire was a very important period of my life. It was a great time to be working on projects such as ours. We felt we were making progress - helping to move things on. Travelling, meeting people, discussing ideas, developing themes, recording, performing. Making some great records with Richard & Mal was an exciting process. The Hafler Trio was more of a surprise It really developed quickly. The records, sounds and style of The Hafler Trio were a wonderful combination. Again, I was lucky enough to feel we were working on the edge of something - its like a rush.

02: Currently my sound work is taking me round the world, working on wildlife films and other documentaries. It is difficult work in some locations when we work in hostile climates, sometimes away for several weeks. However, it is also very rewarding to stay in some of the most beautiful and isolated places of the world. I enjoy the challenge of recording animals and also gathering sounds of the habitat and creating a sense of place or 'atmosphere' for the film soundtrack. I often work alone on these projects, and I enjoy being able to focus on my work. Also the sense of isolation is invigorating after the often hurried activities with a busy film crew.

03: With the speed of air travel I can leave my home and in 12-14 hours be in a remote location in East Africa or South America. It can be a dangerous and disorienting experience to go from the comparative safety of a Northern European environment to that of a tropical jungle or savanna. On one occasion I travelled to Kenya's Masai Mara, and that night went out to record spotted hyenas at their den. I drove out with Francis, my Masai guide. We put out some microphones by the den from our vehicle and then reversed back 100m, trailing the microphone cable out as we drove. After midnight, all was quiet at the den and Francis was asleep. Not wanting to wake him up I got out of the Land Rover to collect the mics. and cable. I picked up the cable and started walking towards the den in the darkness. Francis awoke, and realising I was gone switched the headlights on to full beam. I was illuminated from behind, and at the edge of the pool of light I could see several pairs of orange eyes watching me. I was walking straight into a group of hyenas I thought had dispersed! Quickly I went back to the vehicle. Francis told me "Never, never, never do that again!" I learnt my lesson...

04: On location I make many atmosphere or 'wildtrack' recordings that go into the film soundtrack. These are to tie scenes in the film to one particular place to display its character, to indicate and illustrate animals that are present. These are the foundations of any film soundtrack. They are not always obvious, but are present sometimes in a subliminal way and would certainly be noticed if they were absent. However, I am always looking and listening for 'special places' - that is somewhere that has a real spirit - a presence. With all the other elements of a film soundtrack this presence can be lost in the mix, or is just not there. So I was delighted when TOUCH gave me the opportunity to publish my work on 'Stepping into the Dark'. On the cd it was possible to explore in much more detail than film the true spirit of a place, and to experiment with trying to convey that atmosphere to the listener.

05: I am a partner with 'Hoi Polloi Film & Video'. There are four partners, 2 camera, 2 sound recordists. We also employ a production coordinator. As freelances we work with production companies from around the world However, most of our work is with BBC TV. Much of my individual wildlife sound work is for the BBC Natural History Unit. My recordings and cd's I work on individually.

06: 'Outside The Circle of Fire' is designed to complement 'Stepping into the Dark' and they both feature very different sounds. The link is through communication and language. I am fascinated by the sounds of animal languages, they are complex and highly developed signals - secret languages. We may not understand, but elements are revealed to us through the individual beauty, rhythm, eloquence and sheer power.

07: Photography and sound combine in film. One or both elements are sometimes compromised in production for the final result which is the creation of an illusion. Sound recordings can stand alone. Close your eyes and listen. Images can help, but they are not essential.

08: I consider what I am doing to be 'music'. I am also interested in collaborating with other people in new sound projects.

09: I am very lucky to travel the world with my work. Recently, I spent a month on a film shoot travelling by train across Mexico. I collected some wonderful sounds, in particular the rhythms of the rail system and the atmospheres in some of the towns and stations on our route. I would like to produce a sound documentary representing aspects of the trip. I would like to work more in radio.

10: Fortunately we are becoming more aware of our environment and the requirements to look after it and develop structures for its future security. We are tied into the health of our habitats, we can't escape from them or the effects of our damage to them. Information and education help awareness and create a positive attitude to how we all live.

[ Chris Watson 25th June 1998]