Anthony Moore: Embracing the New with Factory and SIREN
Multi-award winning sound design and audio facility Factory Studios had its start in ‘97 London. Back then, Factory was more of a production company, with both a visual and a sound side. Working primarily in the music industry, creating visual commercials for compilation and artists’ albums, and focusing the sound side of the work on audio mixing for TV, radio and compilations.
In the late ‘90s and early noughties, Factory was also heavily involved in creating the huge explosion of compilation mix albums, giving listeners heaps of number-one compilations that we still remember today.
Having a sound studio in Noho (North of Oxford Street, or North of Soho) was a bit unusual at the time, but with prices of property steadily increasing, agencies were attracted to the area with its lower-than-true-Soho rents and its proximity to the ‘real deal’.
Recently, when I visited the Factory Studio’s town house, it was still unique, but for a different reason. The iconic work they’d done for the past two decades lingered in the air, and with every next floor, I knew I was in the presence of something that’s one of a kind.
There, I met Anthony Moore – the Factory Family Group’s owner and chief creative officer. For the record, the Factory collective comprises Factory Studios, SIREN and Factory Originals.
But when you first meet Anthony, you’re immediately taken by his approachable presence, enthusiasm and passion for what he does. There is no ‘ego’ that comes with him being the head of a hugely successful sound and music collective, or with him having produced some of the most awarded commercial work of modern times.
What you do feel is a sense of comfortability – Anthony was only the fourth employee in this townhouse back in the ‘90s. It takes one look to see that he feels like he’s at home. Surrounded by that same air, heavy with memories and success, he exudes his years of experience in sound.
At the same time that Anthony joined Factory, maverick agencies like Mother popped up, and HHCL was just around the corner – it too was making groundbreaking work, so Noho became the place to build a network for the years to come. Mother, HHCL, W+K London and other like-minded agencies knew Factory was there, and the open invitation had already been extended. A voice over here, a mix there, and things really started to happen.
“We became their go-to guys,” smiles Anthony.
The early days were full of fun and experimentation, but beyond ease and proximity, something quite important underlined Factory’s success – the team had a different approach to sound than others. And Anthony knows their collective ethos is to blame.
“This ethos… it worked for people; they liked how we worked. Our love of collaboration is what set us apart back then, and today still.
“By the early ‘00s, when we decided to change the management structure, I became a partner. We went all-in on advertising, film and TV sound, and that’s when we started building additional studios. The rest is history.”
“A natural transition,” I ask him.
“I think it was. Looking back at the history of Factory and SIREN, it has always been very organic. We’ve never rushed anything; we’ve just grown slowly, responding to what the industry called for.”
With agencies like Mother and industry-defyers like Factory, times were changing, and Anthony believes everybody could feel it – the team was becoming part of a new wave of advertising and creativity.
“I feel that people today really understand the value of sound design and music. It’s always been important, but it’s becoming more recognised now. We’ve always worked with clients who think about sound from the beginning of a project – not just at the end. It should never be an afterthought.”
Today, much more media is consumed through headphones, so people have inevitably understood the importance of good sound. With that comes a stronger push from brands to find and build their own sonic identities – something Factory has believed in from the start, except now people are more tuned in.
“There are more educational opportunities to learn about sound design too,” Anthony adds. “If I were starting today, I’d love to have the option to learn more. When I started 25-30 years ago, it was more about making your own prospects.”
But while these opportunities would be beneficial for anybody, it seems Anthony has done quite well for himself judging by where he is today. When crediting his now developed but continuously evolving creative vision, he can’t help but go back to the importance of good collaboration.
“It’s just key to everything we do. We are in the business of evoking emotion through our craft – you can’t go far without truly understanding that.
“When you get it right, you can really see the effect it has on people. I’ve come to really appreciate just how powerful sound and music can be,” he continues.
“Another creative cornerstone for me is the importance of getting people involved in the creative process of sound design. Sound doesn’t have to be a ‘dark art’ that no one understands. We encourage everyone – our clients, our team – to get involved and see how the process works.
“When people feel involved, they push boundaries and see that their ideas matter. There should be no such thing as a ‘bad idea’ in the realm of sound design – often it’s the happy accidents that create the groundwork for greatness to reveal itself. In sound, there are multiple ways to achieve something that sounds great, and that’s the beauty of it – you can explore and play!”
At this point of his career, Anthony relishes the joy of the process – it’s the love of that process that really shows in the final product.
“You can feel the passion and care that we put into all of our work. When I look at some of the projects we’ve done that have really resonated culturally, you can really feel the love that went into creating them. It’s the heart that makes the difference.”
But it’s not just Anthony’s creative vision that’s evolved – it’s his position in Factory too. At this point, he’s been here for more than 25 years, and has seen the company change immensely, while still strengthening its core values.
“Leading the business forward is a big responsibility, but what we’re doing right now feels so right.” he tells me. “I’ve been pushing things forward with my team for the last 27 years, and the recent change in ownership has been a good reset. It was needed, and it’s been great seeing the team step up to the challenge too – they’re all pushing the vision forward with me.”
Team effort has always been part of Factory’s DNA, and if anything, today, it’s at its peak. The talent the company has nurtured is second to none, and it’s the future growth of the collective that puts that talent at the forefront.
Talking about the engineering team, Anthony says they continuously surprise him with the calibre of their work – many of them having been with Factory for over ten years, and now at the point where they’re really setting the standard across the industry.
“My goal is to push them forward. And to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to shine.”
But what do the next few years look like?
Anthony looks around. “We’re currently sitting in one of our newly upgraded studios,” he says proudly. “One major change is that all our studios are now set up with full immersive mixing capabilities to cater to new ways of working across various platforms and mediums.
“We’ve had a Dolby Atmos studio in use for about 15 years, but now, with all of our studios designed with Atmos in mind, we’re able to easily bring immersive mixing concepts to clients on any project. Alongside ‘under the hood’ workflow improvements to increase efficiency and future proof our suites, a main focus of the new rooms was to make them ‘comfortably creative’ – relaxed spaces to allow great work to happen.”
Factory is expanding its experiential side, too. For the past couple of years it’s been growing that steadily, but now, the focus is sharp. With major projects in production across the globe, the Factory Immersive team is bringing high-end sound design and music to experiential based shows, theme park attractions and gaming.
“We’re mixing and designing in game engines like Unreal, creating sound in the studio but implementing it in ways that fit the immersive experience. It’s exciting, because we’re doing something new with clients who want to push the boundaries of sound and music in different spaces,” Anthony explains.
“We’re mixing and designing in game engines like Unreal, creating sound in the studio but implementing it in ways that fit the immersive experience. It’s exciting, because we’re doing something new with clients who want to push the boundaries of sound and music in different spaces,” Anthony explains.
But what about AI?
“Ah - the big AI question.
“Well, for me, it’s just another tool – like any new tech that helps us do something we couldn’t before. For example, things that would’ve taken two days to meticulously fix or edit can now be done super quick. It’s like when the printing press came along or the internet… New tech changes things, but it doesn’t mean we have to be scared of it. We can and should use it creatively.”
Anthony mentions that recently he had a conversation with an audio developer working on something resembling Sora, except for audio. “Sure, it’s cool, but it doesn’t have the depth and love of craft that we bring to our work,” he says.
“Maybe AI will learn that. But if it does, everything might start sounding the same. Machines won’t know the happy mistakes. The details that give a piece its soul.”
So, no, talent isn’t in danger – not on Anthony’s watch at least. Nevertheless, new developments are welcome and the future looks exciting.
This past year saw Factory win Craft Company of the Year at the Arrows, along with Time Based Arts and Trim Editing – a reflection of the love and hard work going into this new era of talent at Factory.
“The last 18 months were an exercise in refining our work and how we present ourselves,” he says. “Now, we’re pushing forward with new challenges, especially in immersive and the production of our own original content. I’m excited because it’s uncharted territory, and I know we’re ready to tackle it.”
And this is a great time to mention Factory’s first ever book, a Factory Originals project, ‘Wasted Opportunities’ – a rock-and-roll story with an audio experience built around it. The book follows Dan Hawcroft’s whirlwind journey as personal assistant to British musician Ian Fraser Kilmister (aka Lemmy from Motorhead), in a captivating exploration of life on the road, allowing readers a glimpse of intimate moments and behind-the-scenes experiences of Dan’s career.
The book’s narrative is accompanied by stunning original illustrations, never-before-seen photos from Dan's personal collection, and over five hours of exclusive audio content. A true labour of love.
Alongside that, Anthony reveals SIREN’s plans to support more composers and musicians by creating its own label for new exciting music projects. “We want to put out music that we love, not just for syncing in ads or films, but as a true creative outlet.
“We work with so many talented composers and producers that are continually making amazing music. Quite often, this music doesn’t gain the audience it deserves, so we want to create a label that celebrates this work and provides a space for exploration and having some fun. Oh… and a Top Ten hit would be a nice cherry on top too!”
Before we part ways, I ask Anthony what someone in his position of influence should strive to be. After a short pause, he says: “I think you need to stay true to yourself.
“Listening is key – listen to your team, your clients, and your collaborators. As a leader, you should set the tone, and the standard. At this company, everyone – from the runners, to the senior team – understands the work we do.”
Respect is essential, too. Anthony continues. “If you wouldn’t do something yourself, don’t ask someone else to do it. Being genuine is huge because people can see through anything less.”
Kindness plays a big role in all of this, and everybody who’s ever met Anthony remembers him as, first and foremost, being kind. “The industry is small,” he says. “Treating people well makes a big difference in the long run. It’s stressful, sure, but you should still enjoy what you do. At the end of the day, treating people with kindness is what brings everything full circle. And, most importantly, don’t forget to have some fun!”
