How has your training affected your work?

I trained originally in recording studio techniques, whilst doing A level Physics, Maths, English Lit and Psychology - at that time I hadn't discovered theatre and was looking at doing a course in Artificial Intelligence. Through fluke I discovered theatre & sound and changed direction to that - and at that time I had a good solid understanding of both sound theory and to a lesser degree part of the artistic side (the psychology of perception and english literature). So when I started at Central I knew most of the sound theory and how the kit worked. My class was the first to do the sound design degree at Central and it was still in its infancy. The part of the course that was most useful for me was the first year - which was a foundation year in all sorts of things from playing with all the design disciplines to looking at architecture, fine art, etc. This opened my eyes up to a lot of stuff that I had previously known nothing about.

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Are we there to be artists or tools of the directors? Would you rather give up work than get hired as a sound designer and treated like a technician?

We create the market we work in. Directors, often don't really know what a sound designer does, or what they can do. They assume we are technicians because they mostly see us playing with technology. If we turn down the technician-style design jobs, then we are ignoring a chance of converting a director to the creative possibilities of sound. This is not an easy task, or even a possible task in some cases.

Directors who expect us to be their tool are designing (and I use the term very loosely) the sound themselves because they haven't learnt to trust anyone else to do it for them. Designing the sound for a show is a responsibility, a power almost, and not something that a director will easily relinquish unless it is to someone they trust. And that is down to perception. If you sell yourself as a creative then gaining that trust will come a lot easier.