Tom Rouse on the Art of Sound Design

For sound designer, Tom Rouse, it’s all about the journey. His work is defined by an eagerness to constantly push the boundaries, to discover new textures, and to tell stories in ways that he knows only sound can. His career has spanned projects across film, advertising, and far beyond, but it’s his philosophy of constantly challenging himself that drives his unique approach.

“I love that I’m always discovering new things. There are so many ways to make any type of sound or create a particular mood using sound and there’s no right or wrong way to do this. I love the unlimited options and being able to find my own way to create something that I feel is my own and that I’m really proud of,” says Tom.

A standout moment in Tom’s journey came when he worked on Plastico, a short documentary about the hot houses of Almería in Spain. The project tells the story of the harsh working conditions faced by local workers, and Tom’s strategy for the sound design was one of subtlety.

“[It needed to] not distract from the story but still portray the harshness of the environment. It really gave me a new appreciation for the subtle parts of sound design and how effective, simple but precise sounds can be at setting a scene,” he explains

The documentary reinforced his belief that in sound design, sometimes less is more. But it's not just the quiet moments that define his work. Tom’s flexibility in tackling varied challenges – whether it's handling intense synth music in a film or capturing the roar of a Ferrari in a corporate video – shows his capacity for adapting and evolving.

“I had a lot of fun working on a 20-minute film recently but had a very short amount of time to do it,” he tells me. “There was some sound design done already, but it needed quite a lot more to help tell the story and give it the feel it needed. The challenge for me was to add my own creative input without deviating too far from what had already been done, especially with the heavy and intense music. A lot of the sound design was adding extra textures and making it all work together.”

Staying up to date with the latest developments in sound design is also a priority for Tom, and it’s a process he tackles with a gamer’s mentality. “Learning new things about the equipment I use feels like unlocking a new item in a video game,” he says. His passion for understanding new tools ensures he can stay on the cutting edge, whether it’s through social media or hands-on experimentation.

“The new updates to the software I use can change how I work and make some tasks that I do every day more efficient,” he explains. “AI tools, for example, can clean up tricky dialogue recordings, but when it comes to actual sound creation, they’re still far from being useful.”

His hands-on nature also extends to his personal projects, where he explores experimental sound capture techniques. “I’ve been spending quite a bit of time creating my own library of sounds,” he says. “I take my audio recorder to new places to capture interesting sounds. I’ve even started building my own microphones, like contact and electromagnetic microphones, just to see what happens.”

Despite his technical prowess, Tom knows that creativity thrives in joint efforts. “The best way to collaborate with anyone is to be in the same room, bouncing ideas off each other,” he notes. “Sometimes working over Zoom is fine, but it doesn’t quite compare to collaborating in person.”

He recalls times when feedback from experienced engineers has helped refine his sound design. “I’ve always been lucky to have people around to bounce ideas off and get advice from,” he says. “Whether it’s little tech tips to improve my workflow or creative advice when I’m stuck, it’s always valuable.”

When it comes to advice for younger sound designers, Tom is upfront: “Don’t be afraid to speak up and share your opinion. When I started out, I was nervous about saying the wrong thing, but I realised later that it’s a really good way to learn.”

The road ahead for Tom is one of continuous exploration, with new projects offering fresh challenges and opportunities to stretch his creativity. For him, it’s still about “forever one-upping” himself. “You can always find a new way to create something,” he says, a sentiment that sums up his relentless drive to innovate upon his own self-improvement.