I'm a composer, sound designer, and soundtrack advisor specializing in atmospheric, hybrid scores for film, archival cinema, and installations. I blend field recordings with minimal orchestration and spatial sound design to shape emotional and psychological architectures. Recent commissions include original scores for international film festivals and UNESCO-supported archival projects, with a focus on transmuting historical fragments into high-fidelity masters.…

Allison Michelle

I'm a composer, sound designer, and soundtrack advisor specializing in atmospheric, hybrid scores for film, archival cinema, and installations. I blend field recordings with minimal orchestration and spatial sound design to shape emotional and psychological architectures. Recent commissions include original scores for international film festivals and UNESCO-supported archival projects, with a focus on transmuting historical fragments into high-fidelity masters.…

Available to hire

I’m a composer, sound designer, and soundtrack advisor specializing in atmospheric, hybrid scores for film, archival cinema, and installations.

I blend field recordings with minimal orchestration and spatial sound design to shape emotional and psychological architectures. Recent commissions include original scores for international film festivals and UNESCO-supported archival projects, with a focus on transmuting historical fragments into high-fidelity masters.

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Language

English
Fluent

Work Experience

Composer at We Need to Talk About Water Festival
January 1, 2024 - January 1, 2025
Created a minimalist score for bells, strings, and woodwinds, integrating environmental and industrial themes derived from Indigenous sound practices and archival research.
Composer at We Need to Talk About Water Festival, Amazonas, Maior Rio do Mundo (1918)
January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2025
Minimalist score for bells, strings, and woodwinds, integrating environmental and industrial themes derived from Indigenous sound practices and archival research.
Soundtrack Advisor & Contributing Sound Artist at In-Sorcism: Haunting as Resistance
January 1, 2022 - Present
Developed a spatial sound piece and conceptual archive built from environmental recordings, archival fragments, and experimental textures; contributed to the symposium’s sonic structure.
Soundtrack Advisor at The Glistener
January 1, 2021 - December 31, 2022
Developed an original sound piece for a key sequence and provided consultancy on overall musical direction during post-production; helped shape atmospheric pacing and sonic architecture.
Artist/Composer at International Screenings & Media Works
January 1, 2019 - January 1, 2022
Video/sound installations and screenings at Boo2 Project Space, Door Creative Studios, WORM, and MONO; works featured at Kaunas Film Festival and Kaunas Artists’ House.

Education

M.A. Arts & Design – Moving Image at Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam, Netherlands
January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2021
B.A. International Media & Media Psychology at Hogeschool Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
January 1, 2015 - December 31, 2018

Qualifications

Add your qualifications or awards here.

Industry Experience

Media & Entertainment, Education
    UNESCO: Amazon, The Largest River in the World (1918) | Original Score & Sound Design
    UNESCO Archival Restoration: Amazon, The Largest River in the World (1918) | Original Score & Sound Design Role: Film Composer & Sound Designer (Conceptual Direction) Commission: New York African Film Archive & UNESCO (Global Initiative: "We Need to Talk About Water"). Project Overview: I led the conceptual and sonic reimagining of this 1918 archival masterpiece. This work forms part of a specific sonic methodology I developed to bridge the temporal gap between silent-era imagery and modern auditory expectations. The Work: Conceptual Direction: Investigating the "tensions of grace" within archival footage through an inquiry into embodied sound and recursive rhythm. Composition: A hybrid score blending traditional orchestral instrumentation with ambient textures and field resonance to create layered emotional tension. Technical Restoration: Precision audio restoration and soundscape construction to give the 100-year-old visuals a contemporary cinematic presence. Note: This project highlights my ability to handle sensitive heritage materials while providing a high-level creative vision for the final output. Filmcomposer Sounddesigner…
    Nanook of the North (1922): A Study in Temporal Dissonance & Conceptual Scoring
    Nanook of the North (1922) Lead Researcher, Composer, and Sound Designer (2025–Ongoing) Project Overview: A research-led conceptual score for Robert J. Flaherty’s archival classic. This project investigates the "politics of restoration"; examining how 100-year-old visuals interact with contemporary sonic thresholds. The Creative Inquiry: Temporal Dissonance: Exploring the friction between historical imagery and modern soundscapes. Acoustic Embodiment: A deep-dive into the sonic representation of environmental isolation, extreme cold, and Arctic silence. Environmental Textures: Utilizing minimalist composition and specialized sound design to evoke the "weight" of the landscape without overcrowding the original visual narrative.…
    A Wet Shield: Tactile Sound Design & Experimental Scoring | Home Cinema, Amsterdam
    A Wet Shield: Tactile Sound Design & Experimental Scoring | Home Cinema, Amsterdam Director, Sound Designer, and Lead Composer. Project Overview: An experimental sensory piece archived in the collection of Home Cinema, Amsterdam. This work focuses on "proximal listening" and the creation of an intimate, aquatic atmosphere through highly detailed, tactile audio. Sonic Elements: Vocal ASMR: Utilizing breath and close-mic vocal textures to create a sense of physical closeness and vulnerability. Waterphone Instrumentation: Bespoke recordings using the waterphone to evoke haunting, metallic, and fluid resonances. Aquatic Soundscapes: A blend of organic foley and synthesis to explore the concept of a "wet shield" or protective sonic membrane. video videoeditor filmdirector…