We cordially invite you to the "Masterclass in cinematic sound and animation" event at the 32nd edition of the Etiuda&Anima International Film Festival. The theme will be: Sync or Swim: Navigating the Currents of Visual Storytelling. The workshop will be led by Nik Phelps.
Music breathes life into film. It shapes emotion, guides narrative, and deepens the cinematic experience in ways both subtle and profound. Yet, while technology has transformed the tools of engineering and composition, the essence of scoring—the symbiotic dance between sound and image—remains unchanged.
In this masterclass, composer Nik Phelps unveils timeless principles of integrating music with film, tracing a journey through the evolution of scoring techniques and exploring how modern innovations have refined and streamlined the creative process. Nik will first explore how our brains process audio and visual information, revealing how sound and image intertwine to shape perception and emotion. Along the way, he will give insights into the nature of sound and how sound can be manipulated to make music and sound design. From the earliest days of cinema—when music and dialogue were played alongside moving pictures—to the groundbreaking moment when sound was physically embedded into film, he will then trace this evolution step by step, illustrating and demonstrating how these innovations have transformed storytelling and streamlined the composer’s craft.
As part of this immersive exploration, Nik will curate a screening of his favorite animated films—each a masterwork showcasing the seamless fusion of sound and visual storytelling.
WHERE: Academy of Fine Arts - Lecture hall 2, plac Jana Matejki 13, 30-063 Kraków
WHEN: 18 October 2025 (Saturday), 10 AM - 2 PM
LED BY: Nik Phelps
FREE ADMISSION
The event will be held in English.
Born in Texas, composer/musician. Now lives and works in Gent, Belgium. He has played with musical artists as diverse as Eric Johnson and Lou Rawls, Frank Sinatra and They Might Be Giants, Frank Zappa and Mary Martin. He recorded for over 10 years with Tom Waits, playing on three soundtracks and five CDs, from ‘The Black Rider’, ‘Bunny’ and ‘Mule Variations’ to ‘Alice’, ‘Blood Money’ and ‘Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards’.
He began working with film music in 1988 and has been working in the animation field since 1995, writing for the CBS Television series ‘The Twisted Tales of Felix the Cat’. In 1996, he was nominated for an ASIFA Annie Award for his music. In 1996 he founded the Sprocket Ensemble which is a project combining live music and animated film. He is active in the animation world, creating music for and programming the works of animators such as Nina Paley, Bill Plympton, Lei Lei and Ivan Maximov. Also he is often asked to work with schools and festivals with workshops dealing with the processes of creation.
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