ABOUT US
We help restless filmmakers and brands imagine the unimagined with sound and music
We’re professional noisemakers.
From our studios in Central London we specialise in delivering unignorable original music, audio branding and audio post-production to our diverse portfolio of clients across Advertising, Film, TV and experiential.
From three-note audio branding to feature film sound design (and everything in between).
Basically, we create award-winning noise for people. Some melodic…some not.
_Doing something differently always takes you somewhere new…
We’re unashamedly chasers of the unchased.
We reject complacent defaultism and see everything as a possibility.
We build our work from the ground up – designing unique sounds and inventing one-off custom instruments both with physical materials or virtually in software.
We push technology to do anything but the thing it’s supposed to do, colouring outside the lines to create work that gets you out of your comfort zone and demands your audience’s attention.
F**k generic loops and recycling off-the-shelf presets.
Time to be brave…
There is musicality in everything if you let yourself hear it.
Rules direct us to average behaviours. All kinds of assumptions masquerade as laws. If we’re aiming to create exceptional work, most rules don’t apply.
Rick Rubin
_People work with people, not companies
We were raised on good manners, reliability and rolling your sleeves up and putting in the graft.
Look after the small things and the bigger picture takes care of itself.
Because there or thereabouts, is nowhere near.
_Briefing done better
We believe any collaboration should be equal parts effortless, eye-opening and enjoyable.
It’s not good enough to simply deliver amazing work, if it’s a protracted sh*tfight getting there.
Our revolutionary approach to briefing music and sound simplifies the current carry-on of developing the perfect soundtrack.
The product of over twenty years experience taking virtually every kind of composition and sound design brief – the framework uncovers ‘hadn’t thought of that’ ideas that bring your project to life in the most bold and original way possible.
In less time, for less reddies and without the palaver.
_what our clients say
Head of Creative // DixonBaxi
Producer // Dentsu Amsterdam
Senior Head of Brand Content // Farfetch
_let's collaborate
_our story
The Futz Butler was set up by Founder Paul Sumpter in 2004 out of a 6ft by 8ft box room in West London.
Funded by a recent tour of France where Paul had played some 150 gigs in three months, The Futz Butler’s modest first space wasn’t even big enough to accommodate speakers – everything had to be done on headphones.
Paul spent the next 18 months hustling as a jobbing musician – juggling gigs, sessions, teaching guitar and bass with commissioned composition and sound design work.
He quickly earned a reputation as an accomplished all rounder, confidently turning his hand to a wide variety of client briefs.
In 2006, Paul was offered an in-house position at Music 4 studios on Berwick Street. He declined the job offer instead choosing to focus on building the company, now based from a studio in Kilburn (with speakers).
In 2015, The Futz Butler acquired production company Red Guitar and the services of highly experienced composer and producer Keith Bayley.
In the last decade the pair have continued to grow and evolve the company to the brand it is today.
A milestone move in 2020 saw the company move from a rented studio in Clerkenwell to take ownership of a 4-studio complex in Holborn.
Despite finally having their name above the door, the initial joy was short-lived. That March, having spent 3 months renovating, the premises opened only to be closed 48 hours later due to COVID restrictions.
But by some considerable good grace and hard work, 2020 turned out to be the company’s best year of trading.
In January 2021, SNK Studios co-founder Kayvan Moghaddassi joined the team as Director of Strategy to spearhead the new period of growth.
And the lights are still on.
With a growing team and a clear DNA, we’re still here making noise.
Ask any musician and the thing they’ll often tell you they’re most proud of is to achieve any sense of longevity. There’s certainly no exit strategy.
The greatest outcome is simply that you get to keep doing it…
What we're listening to
_Aberrant Aural Wallpaper
Our fortnightly playlist shines a light on our pick of the best new alternative & undiscovered releases, alongside some timeless curated crate-dug rarities
