Music That Cares: Soviet Science Delivers for NHS' Warning Sign Campaign
Soviet Science has scored the soundtrack to 'Warning Sign', the latest campaign for Public Health England and NHS England.
The film cleverly portrays a three week period in a couple’s home, shot in what feels like one constant movement. A warning sign device glows from the man’s chest as he repeatedly coughs and is the focus of the film. For the viewer it’s a clear visualisation of the problem, whereas our characters are completely oblivious to it.
“For the music we were looking for something contemporary that plays up the film's sense of mystery and accentuates the film's movement - something metronomic without any percussive elements” said director, Josh Feder, from Agile Films. “We’ve worked with the guys at Soviet Science before and they always bring a lot to the filmmaking process."
Soviet Science creative director, Scuta Salamanca, said “We’re known for our bespoke composition work and this was a great opportunity to support a worthwhile project that needed a subtle contemporary score. Part of the process for us is to work with directors and creatives closely to understand what support the music can bring to the film whilst taking the audience on a journey within 30 seconds.”
The score needed to balance a delicate mix of emotions whilst supporting the evolution of the message of encouragement throughout the film. In order to do this, Soviet Science worked with regular collaborator Hugo Brijs, whose blend of compositional craft and style when recording as Brijs presented the perfect skill set for the job.
Brijs describes a working process with Soviet Science and Feder that resulted in “a delicate filmic approach, avoiding anything too leading or emotional. The film needed to motivate people in a way which felt like warmth and care, rather than anything which might induce worry or fear. In practice this meant an organic palette of instruments rich in imperfect details appealed, so we developed ideas together. The piano, which sits at the core of the composition, provides a persistent pulse that gives a sense of urgency without being overpowering."
'Warning Sign' is on air across TV and Online in England. Soviet Science is a full service music and sound production company, founded in 2002 with offices and a studio in Hackney, London.
