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INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON SOUNDSCAPE
VIDEO
abstract
Nick SHERMAN Soundtracker82 minute Documentary film (color, USA, 2010)
Synopsis:
Gordon Hempton has been following for over 30 years with solitary devotion a life of traveling around making perfectionist recordings of nature sounds which he has documented on a long series of CDs and sound projects for various organizations. His previous video was a PBS special some years ago titledVanishing Dawn Chorus, in which he traveled around the globe recording the bird song that occurred just as the sun was coming up in various locations. He has won many awards and is recognized as The Soundtracker - the leading recordist of natural sounds of nature in secluded locales.
There have been many video and audio presentations on the loss of many of the natural features of our planet, but few have paid any attention to the sound landscape while they may be concerned about the visual landscape. Gordon has found on his many trips into the wilderness each year to record his sounds that the number of truly quiet places in the country have decreased to the point where there are almost none.
The beautifully-videotaped documentary follows Gordon on his quest for making pristine recordings of the subtle sounds of nature. The night recording of the growling sound of a leopard at the same spot where Gordon had just been sitting is a dramatic highlight of the film. His nemesis are the constantly intruding noises that more and more ruin his recordings with the sounds of planes, trains, gas engines of various sorts, hum from AC transformers, etc. They interrupt his sonic records of insects, birds, wind, water, animals, plants - all the natural voices of the American wilderness. Hempton’s frustration over the changes in the wilderness world due to encroaching civilization is well portrayed in the film, as well as his absolute devotion to getting exactly the sounds he wants.
Bio of the filmmaker:
Nicholas Sherman is a documentary filmmaker and writer living in Los Angeles, CA. He has a BA in Philosophy from Colorado State University, an MFA in Film from Chapman University, and is a recipient of the Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition to producing and directing Soundtracker, Nick also served as Director of Photography on Frederick Marx’s recently released documentary, Journey from Zanskar.
Bio of the "Soundtracker" Gordon Hempton:
Gordon Hempton is an Emmy Award winning nature sound recordist who has produced more than 60 albums of natural soundscapes. His work has been recognized by the American Museum of Natural History, The National Endowment for the Arts, The Rolex Awards for Enterprise, and the Charles A. Lindbergh Fund. He resides at the edge of Olympic National Park where he is attempting to establish the world’s first sanctuary for silence, One Square Inch.
For more info, visit www.soundtrackerthemovie.com