The Story of Thomas Wu

Thomas Wu is an Audio Engineer working internationally. For him, creating stories through sound is not just a technical process but an art form. He has a background as a musician, is multilingual, and has gained a unique perspective on storytelling through his experience in the film industry. With a keen and trained ear, Thomas makes sound an essential part of the storyline in every project he works on.

Developing an ear that picks up every little detail

Thomas grew up in a family that was centered around music, which led him to develop a keen ear for sound at an early age. He started playing the piano at the age of four, and later, he added the trumpet and cello, even earning his ABRSM Level 8 certification. Eventually, he delved into bass trombone and the Japanese shakuhachi.

Thomas attributes his ability to learn so many different instruments to his sensitive hearing. He feels like it allows him to distinguish even the slightest nuances in sounds. This ability, combined with his multilingualism – he speaks English, Mandarin, Cantonese, Shanghainese, Japanese, and German – allows him to analyze and utilize sounds in a unique way in his work as an Audio Engineer.

Thomas believes that his ability to distinguish different sounds and tones, just as he does with languages, takes his work in audio to the next level. This ability allows him to not only master the technical side of sound but also to maximize its emotional and narrative impact.

Creative freedom and technical proficiency

A turning point in Thomas’ career came during his studies at NYU, where he studied with Emmy-winning sound mixer James Redding III. Known for his work on films like Carol and series like The Queen’s Gambit and The Americans, Redding taught Thomas practical technical skills like organization and different approaches to sound, as well as the importance of creative freedom.

For Thomas, creative freedom is crucial to his work. He learned how to negotiate with directors and producers to execute his vision for sound without sacrificing his creative integrity. This ability to understand the business side of the industry gave him the confidence to forge his own path and further his career in the audio industry.

International projects and collaborations with well-known names

Thomas has worked on films and projects all over the world, each time applying his unique approach to sound. One of his most notable collaborations was with Ray Angry of The Roots, a talented pianist and musician. Together, they worked on the soundtrack for a documentary by award-winning director George T. Nierenberg.

During these sessions, which took place in Ray’s studio, Thomas observed how Angry transformed his musical ideas into emotionally charged and story-driven compositions. Thomas helped to solve technical problems and acted as a bridge between the director’s vision and Ray Angry’s musical interpretations, providing valuable lessons in combining music and storytelling.

This experience, combined with his work in various countries such as the United States, Germany, Japan, Korea, and China, has given him a global perspective on sound and storytelling. His ability to adapt to different cultures and languages ​​has allowed him to use sound in a subtle yet effective way, regardless of the location or project.

Milestone Projects: Sound as Storyteller

Thomas has refined his craft in several important projects. In I, Chinese, a film in which he assisted with direction, editing and sound design, he found an emotional connection with the story it was telling. This project confirmed for him the power of sound to convey the emotional core of a story, even if he was not the writer of the story.

Working on When the Sky Falls, an animated film based on Chinese mythology, he was given the opportunity to fully unleash his creativity. Designing the sounds of mythical creatures and creating a rich, auditory world gave him the space to combine his experience and technical skills with his deep-rooted love of storytelling.

His most recent project, Salt in Soil, presented him with a new challenge: capturing sound on location in Japan. With a bilingual team, he worked on a film in which the sounds of the Japanese countryside play an important role in the story. From the sounds of cicadas on a hot summer day to the iconic sound of the shinkansen rushing through the landscape, Thomas was able to integrate these unique sounds into the storyline, making the environment a vibrant and essential part of the film.

Key Facts: An international storyteller through sound

What people need to know about Thomas Wu is that he is an internationally operating Audio Engineer with a strong focus on sound design for film and games. His deep musical background, multilingualism and experience working with big names such as Ray Angry give him a unique position within the industry.

He has worked all over the world and continues to challenge himself to tell stories through sound. His work is characterized by his sensitive hearing, creative freedom and technical prowess, which come together to create sounds that not only complement the visuals but also reveal the emotional core of a story.

Future ambitions

Thomas remains focused on perfecting his craft while being open to new ideas, technologies and projects that push his creative boundaries. His dream is to open his own post-production studio, where he can continue to use sounds to tell powerful stories. In a world where sound is often overlooked, Thomas Wu continues to be a pioneer in harnessing the power of sound as an essential tool in storytelling.