Film is something that most of us have come across and been influenced by in some way. However Australian film could soon become redundant as local work is becoming scarcer and people are forced to search overseas to apply their craft.

Peter Miller is what is known in the business as a Sound Designer.

“I basically look after the entire sound track. I sometimes have an input on music, but mostly I oversee the sound editing, the sound effects, Foley, atmospheres and dialogue.”

Growing up, sound and film has always appealed to him and from starting out as a student he has now worked on multiple major films. His credits as Sound Designer include horror film The Ring, children’s film Rango and the most recently Mad Max: Fury Road.

Having worked on sound for school plays as well as a local theatre company, and playing in a number of bands throughout school, Peter soon decided that sound was something he could make a career out of.

“When I was 17 I applied for both the Technical Production course at the National Institute for Dramatic Art (NIDA), and also for the newly opened Australian Film and TV School (AFTRS). I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do at the time, but I knew it was something involving storytelling and sound and music.”

After being accepted into both courses he chose AFTRS to hone his craft in the film industry.

After receiving his Diploma in Sound, Peter worked for the ABC as a sound mixer, before setting up his own company making films, ads and music video clips, which has now lasted twenty years.

As most films would, Fury Road did have its difficulties.

“We worked long days – about 12-15 hours was not unusual – and had one day off a week. It’s a very loud film, and that can be quite tiring. The audience only hears it once, but we sit in darkened rooms for days on end subjected to very loud sound, so you can imagine that’s hard going after about the first two or three days.”

However, while working post-production meant not having any other life than the film, Peter found Fury Road great to work on.

“I had a lot of friends on the sound crew, and it’s always good to work with highly skilled people.”

While being privileged and skilled enough to work on such major films however, Peter can see firsthand the decline in Australian film.

“There are a lot more people trying to work, and a lot fewer films being made.”

He puts this partially down to funding and believes a major way to keep the film industry alive is for the government to treat it like other big industry, with more employment incentives and funding for training and education.

“When I started, there was a lot of government incentive and aid investment in the film industry, and that’s basically non-existent now.”

“Our craftspeople are among the best in the world, and many are being forced to look for work outside Australia just to stay in business. Movies like Mad Max and last year’s Great Gatsby show that we can make world class competitive product, but our local audiences can’t support such productions.”

While managing to maintain his business working from his home studio, Peter has doubts that up and coming film makers will be as lucky in the future.