Thinking in Sound: Niels Den Otter’s Gut Dictates His Sonic Direction
Niels Den Otter started his career in sound design by working at Vonk Sound – later FC Walvisch studios –, then moved across to Sizzer and in 2010, founded Audentity, where he is currently the executive producer. Having picked up the violin, piano and guitar at age seven, it’s no surprise that he’s ended up in his current career, creating tailor-made soundtracks for audio productions.
He sits down with LBB to share the process behind his work, why collaboration is key to what he does and what his listening diet sounds like.
LBB> When you’re working on a new brief or project, what’s your typical starting point? How do you break it down and how do you like to generate your ideas or response?
Niels> Usually, nine out of ten times when I see a film, my gut always steers into a certain sonic direction. Though I love weird ones where you can apply: cool what would I normally do… Let’s do the complete opposite! Doesn’t always help but I love a good challenge. I mean it’s a psychological thing, sometimes the easy path is fine but a certain level of ‘heightened tension’ is good. It makes you aware and sharp. The downside is that, sometimes, when the workload is high you do have to create moments to let this flourish and that means as much as a healthy moment to step away, freshen up and listen again and re-focus.
LBB> Music and sound are in some ways the most collaborative and interactive forms of creativity - what are your thoughts on this? Do you prefer to work solo or with a gang - and what are some of your most memorable professional collaborations?
Niels> Always with a gang! I started at a very renowned studio called Vonk Sound which quite soon during internships was rebranded into the famous FC Walvisch studios. There you were pushed to fully rely on your ears instead of gear or tricks. A very conceptual way of working sound and music. Later I worked briefly for a network music company called Sizzer which had a sexy name and roster of clients but where I was more managing accounts instead of making anything. Great for social skills but soon enough the deep desire to take matters into my own hands resulted in starting Audentity. And here I learned that and I would still like to stress this as a cornerstone of our way of working: it’s awesome to craft and polish a piece and step out of your studio and check in with your colleagues, feeling that this is my best one yet! Only to find out minutes later: … Why didn’t I think of this? Praise to the smarter one haha and most importantly, may the best demo win. Competition is healthy and in a very concrete way: we all benefit, where applicable when winning a job.
Most memorable is my soundtrack for a Nike x Pigalle project 10 years ago by Paul Geusebroek/Menno Mans and Rigel Kilston on the cut, still I get contacted every few months by people finding me through that piece. My latest collab with my boys at the studio for Young Capital and HERC is one of my best I feel. Lynk & Co which I composed with my friend Sjoerd Limberger is the perfect bridge for me between modern classical cinematic composition and electronic sound design.
LBB> What’s the most satisfying part of your job and why?
Niels> Seeing a production go live and the instant pride. When I can be proud of both the process and the great piece of music we launched.
LBB> As the advertising industry changes, how do you think the role of music and sound is changing with it?
Niels> I can’t deny that the role of great craft is not always valued for what it’s worth. Sure, you have many one-liners like a film without sound etc., but our work works best when the originators (agency, creatives, director, and a client with guts) had a deep and spirited process on which we get to deliver the final bits to bring it alive!
Music and sound communicate deeper feelings than one can describe in words. So, when it just doesn’t feel right it isn’t right, simple as that. Even with challenging budgets, they do allow for the process of creation to flourish. Even if it needs breathing space, you must first set clear boundaries, and then go ahead. Lead your clients or contributors. Allow yourself to rely on your gut. There’s nothing worse than working with crushing, creativity-killing formulas. Dare to make a choice and don’t try to build in fallbacks on every step. Have a vision and roll with it!
LBB> Who are your musical or audio heroes and why?
Niels> Rick Rubin is one of my go-to heroes when it comes to the process of creation. For me, he’s the perfect bridge between my love for hip-hop and my appetite for raw noise from guitars and drumkits. Jay-Dilla! On his beats, I grew up and floated along during my teen years dreaming of working in a sound studio. Kendrick Lamar’s Mr Morale for me is an iconic album in which I find so much inspiration. And when closing the day, Ahmad Jamal is my lord and saviour.
LBB> And when it comes to your particular field, are there any particular ideas or pioneers that you go back to frequently or who really influence your thinking about the work you do?
Niels> I wasn’t his biggest fan but nowadays I love the insights presented by my former colleague Marcel Wiebenga and how he sees the ad scene in general. My best man Brian Ent, editor, is cut clear about following your gut. In general, I think we have a very great and creative scene nowadays in our profession. And I’m talking about companies being owned overseas or by big corporates, I often see smaller competitors do things that make me envious and push me to do a better job.
LBB> When you’re working on something that isn’t directly music, are you the sort of person who needs music and noise in the background or is that completely distracting to you? What are your thoughts on ‘background’ sound and music as you work?
Niels> For sure. Music is always such a mood-setter. It’s like gaming where for a moment you truly feel like a racing-god like Lewis Hamilton or Max Verstappen or as a Navy Seal.
LBB> I guess the quality of the listening experience and the context that audiences listen to music in has changed over the years. There’s the switch from analogue to digital and now we seem to be divided between bad-ass surround-sound immersive experiences and on-the-go, low quality sound - how does that factor into how you approach your work?
Niels> Uhm well technically spoken, your track, soundtrack, and mix, just needs to work on any system. Sure, one system can’t reproduce a rich sonic texture as your perfectly tuned PMC system at home or in the studio. Creatively spoken, since I love a good challenge, making something for a small mobile game can be as equally cool as a big online film/commercial.
LBB> On a typical day, what does your ‘listening diet’ look like?
Niels> I start with news, know a thing talk a thing. Usually, a good vibe setting head-bobbing hip-hop classic to get you going. When there’s a challenging day ahead, I like to divert to cinematic music or to guitars to get the ruckus out and show my teeth. At work, it’s mostly the briefing or mood board so you just roll with that. In our hallways, it’s usually a good mixtape from jazz to hip-hop to world music or cumbia.
LBB> Do you have a collection of music and what shape does it take (are you a vinyl nerd, do you have hard drives full of tunes, are you a hyper-organised Spotify-er…)?
Niels> Not as much as in my teens (at school I was mostly over-and-over calculating how many vinyls I could buy per week with my two paper rounds, washing cars, mowing lawns and fee’s for going on stage djing and scratching on the weekends) but I still gradually build on my vinyl collection. Don’t know the number but moving them is such a pain in the ass since it’s so heavy. But hey, nothing beats that dive into your couch after the kids are in bed and you pick an album to play from front to back!
LBB> Outside of the music world, what sort of art or topics really excite you and do you ever relate that back to music?
Niels> I do collect a bit of contemporary art and own a quite big collection of photo books. Not the usual ones you see in overly styled homes, but certain typical photographers like Karel Tomei, Jeroen Hoffman, Mous Lamrabat, Ricky Powell to name a few. And in general, I have a knack for geopolitics, culture, and what is going on in the world. Therefore staying culturally interesting and mindful in music as well.
LBB> Let’s talk travel! It’s often cited as one of the most creatively inspiring things you can do - I’d love to know what are the most exciting or inspiring experiences you’ve had when it comes to sound and music on your travels?
Niels> I love New Zealand, my trip there once really made me breathe and reflect. A trip I did with my wife to South Africa was great but also confronting. So inspiring to see locals deal with not great conditions in hard neighbourhoods like Ottery while still running a big band for kids. Seeing them was an emotional experience when also knowing what influence our white ancestors had on this area of the world.
LBB> As we age, our ears change physically and our tastes evolve too, and life changes mean we don’t get to engage in our passions in the same intensity as in our youth - how has your relationship with music changed over the years?
Niels> I mean for many years ‘the stage’ was the ultimate goal but when sitting in a studio day by day I felt much more comfortable making all choices myself. Yet I also noticed that sometimes just a little rest for the ears seems okay… But since I’m a parent I find it so striking that nearly instantly, in a second, your mood can change from utter chaos and hell to clarity, ‘strength’ and vision when being helped by the right piece of music.
