I was approached by Helpfilm to create an immersive soundscape for Conservation Greenprint film which highlights the work of the Sumatran Orangutan Society. Narrated by comedian and conservation advocate Bill Bailey, this pro-bono project required a soundscape that would ground viewers in the ecosystem’s fragile reality while supporting the film’s urgent conservation message.

After viewing the initial storyboards I wanted to create an authentic auditory trip across Sumatra’s rainforests using real field recordings.

I concentrated on layering raw field recordings of Bornean and Sumatran orangutan vocalizations—capturing their unique ‘long calls’, rustling movements through foliage, and feeding sounds. These were entwined with unspoiled wilderness ambience: Gentle river flows, cicadas at dusk, and the ever present thrum of the forest itself. Using organic percussion and simple motifs that never took front stage over the narration or environmental audio, the music balanced subdued tension with hope.

The Smiley Charity Film Award nomination for the movie underlined how well it combined activism with art. Hearing how the soundscape lets viewers experience the pulse of the rainforest—a vital step towards SOS’s goal of inspiring conservation action—has been most satisfying.

This project is still evidence of how carefully created sound can transform ideas into stories.