19 Sound, the Audio and Post Company That Doesn’t Complicate Things
Above: Will (left) and Jack (right)
Will Ward is an award-winning sound designer, composer and mix engineer with over 15 years of experience in the audio post production business. Trained at Lipsync Post and Tamborine Productions, Will has the industry process running in his veins.
Jack Wyllie, on the other hand, is a multi-instrumentalist with expertise spanning classical, jazz and ambient, and has worked with directors, brands, record labels and agencies on a number of short films, ads and documentaries.
Put together a highly-respected musician who has toured globally and collaborated with critically-acclaimed artists, and a passionate industry go-getter, you find yourself with 19 Sound. A small, but mighty contemporary audio post production company based in Soho, co-founded by Jack and Will, who also happen to be two mates with a lifelong shared passion for sound and music creation.
Specialising in creative sound design and bespoke composition for any and every form of media, across platforms, 19 Sound now works on award-winning campaigns, documentaries and feature films. Today, LBB’s Zoe Antonov speaks to Jack and Will to find out more about their setup, their outlook for 2025 and beyond, and how 19 Sound even came to be. And, you can treat your ears to some of 19 Sound's brilliant work.
LBB> At the start of 19 Sound, it was just you two together. What was it like and why was it important to set up the company?
Jack & Will> It started very organically. Will was set up as a freelance sound designer and composer, operating under the name ‘Studio 19’. We were friends long before this, composing music and recording together, releasing records under ‘Circle Traps’ and then more recently as ‘Xoros’.
Jack, being a founding member of Portico Quartet, is already a well established musician, so this led him to be asked to write music for friends’ short films, art projects, etc., which then branched out into writing music for commercial projects.
It didn't take much for us to put the pieces together and combine our efforts. Will brings his sound design and mixing skills and creativity, Jack is able to offer compositional and musical know-how.
We changed the name to 19 Sound and offered our services to agencies, directors, production companies etc as a ‘creative audio post’ duo. We initially had a small studio in Hackney Wick, which we shared with other musicians and sound designers. It was a great space, but we quickly realised that we needed a dedicated space to work full-time.
We moved to Charlotte Street in Fitzrovia, where we now have a small studio with VO booth, client area, and office area.
LBB> Ever since, what are some of the most prominent ways in which 19 Sound has changed? Why do you believe it has experienced changes in those aspects, or alternatively why do you believe it hasn't changed at all?
Jack & Will> The main change as mentioned above was the move to Soho, and the subsequent hiring of Oscar Kugblenu as our business development manager and audio producer. These two developments really pushed us into a new space, both creatively and professionally.
Whilst we both remain the focal point for sound design and composition, bringing on board Oscar, with his vast experience and contacts, has introduced us to a whole new array of clients and work opportunities, world-wide. This is reflected in the calibre of clients and projects we have worked on since his arrival.
Covid, of course, changed things, as it did for everyone. We were able to develop an efficient remote working strategy, to cope with those unique demands, and have now incorporated this into our ‘everyday working strategy’ which benefits us hugely to this day, giving us even more flexibility.
LBB> And looking at the industry right now, what trends and shifts are you seeing that can potentially affect 19 Sound?
Jack & Will> AI is obviously on everyone's mind across various sectors. We're already seeing low budget content utilising AI voice overs. The same could become true for music in the near future. However, as composers and creators of sound, we're confident that the attention to detail and bespoke touches that we give our work will remain valuable and essential to clients regardless.
There are aso benefits in terms of productivity. Applications that are already being used with video editing will inevitably become available in the sound world, which could, if used effectively, allow more time for creativity. Imagine the time freed up when AI can import and organise an AAF into its correct place on a timeline, thereby giving us more time to create.
Ultimately, no matter what the advances AI may make, the human touches that we provide will not be matched by a machine. Machines can enhance and speed up our process, but ultimately it's up to us to decide which aspects of the machine we choose to use. We get to have the final say on what feels right. Our personal tastes and choices are what sets us apart.
LBB> And what do you love the most about what you do?
Jack & Will> We love being creative on a daily basis and we love the variety of work we do and the opportunity it gives us to work with interesting people. Seeing the development of an idea, from its initial conception, through to final mix and grade, is always a satisfying experience. Something that is different in every job and never gets tiring.
LBB> What is the most unique thing about 19 Sound?
Jack & Will> Our size and setup.
With the company currently being us two and Oscar, this leanness means we are very efficient in responding to our clients’ needs, especially ‘out of hours’, and are very fast at turning around and delivering projects. It also means we are a very cost effective company, which is reflected in our rates. In turn, this allows us the flexibility to take on board projects, with ridiculously low budgets, without having to compromise on time.
Our dual setup between the ‘virtual/home studio’ and our physical studio, means we can maximise the use of available time. We are able to easily and readily work evenings, weekends if needed, which has proved invaluable working with our international clients, particularly in the US.
For bigger projects, with Oscar’s vast contacts and roster he has put together, we create a ‘bespoke’ team, who’s individual talents match the creative demands of the job; that can be foley, location sound, singers, musicians, additional sound designers, etc.
Whatever the specific and unique demands of the project may be, we have a roster of talent that offers us flexibility and scalability.
LBB> What does the future look like for 19 Sound? What are you most excited about?
Jack & Will> Looking ahead to 2025 and beyond, we’ll be expanding our studio space for larger scale mixes and sound edit capacity, in addition to providing a ‘wrap around post production’ service, including an edit suite for visual media.
Having just completed a full composition and sound design on our first feature, we are very keen to expand into this area, and focus on more feature film projects. This will naturally allow for new talent to come in and work with us, and help grow the business even further.
We have never tried to over complicate things here. We grow organically, at the pace that suits us, which allows us to be both reactive and, more importantly, proactive, to the ever changing landscape of not only our clients needs, but the audio post business in general. We are so looking forward to seeing the business develop and grow.
