- Tim Follin
Infobox musical artist
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Name=Tim Follin
|Img_capt=
Background=non_performing_personnel
Birth_name=
Alias=
Born=1970
Died=
Origin=flagicon|England St Helens,Merseyside ,England
Instrument=Piano /Keyboard,Guitar ,Violin
Genre=Electronic
New AgeOrchestral
Rock
Occupation=Composer
ArrangerMusic driver designer
Years_active=1985-2006 (video game music)
Label=C64Audio.com
(formerly High Technology Publishing)
Associated_acts=Geoff Follin
URL= [http://timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk Dr. Follin's Home Surgery]
Notable_instruments=Timothy John Follin (born 1970)Citation | last=Aydin | first=Metin L. (Kwon) | title=Interview of the Month | url=http://bonzai.kalliope.org/download/bz-LethalNews06.zip | format=diskmag | journal=Lethal News #6 | publisher=Bonzai | date=1990 | accessdate=2008-03-09 | archiveurl=http://bonzai.kalliope.org/Mag.html | archivedate=1998-08-19] is a former
video game music composer who has written tracks for a variety of titles and home gaming systems, including the SinclairZX Spectrum ,Commodore 64 ,Commodore Amiga ,Atari ST , NES, Super Nintendo,Game Boy ,Dreamcast andPlayStation .Follin's early 8- and 16-bit pieces were notable for their ambitious and imaginative use of samples, or clever manipulation of limited sound hardware - particularly with his work on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum, on which he managed to play up to six channels of audio from one simple, tiny, 'clickable' piezo electronic speaker.
Among Follin's works include the soundtracks to
Software Creations ' Commodore Amiga and Commodore 64 conversions of "Ghouls 'n Ghosts ", ' (Dreamcast), ' (Super Nintendo), and home computer ports of "Bionic Commando" (C64, Amiga).Video game career
Insight Studios
As a child, Follin had no significant music training.Citation | last=Beck | first=Justin (Hard Hat Mack) | title=Interview with Tim Follin on March 4, 2000 |date=2000-03-04 |url=http://www.kdvs.org/6581SID/timfollin.html |publisher=6581 SID |accessdate=2008-08-05 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20040625151058/http://www.kdvs.org/6581SID/timfollin.html |archivedate=2004-06-25] Leaving Liverpool's Sandown Music College after one year of studies,Citation | last1=Mackenzie | first1=Jason (Kenz) | last2=Pilkington | first2=Warren (Waz) | title=Another groovy CZone exclusive interview from Kenz and Waz. | year=1998 | url=http://c64audio.valuehost.co.uk/edge/czone_follin.htm | publisher=Commodore Zone | accessdate=2007-09-26 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20041217185944/http://c64audio.valuehost.co.uk/edge/czone_follin.htm | archivedate=2004-12-17] Follin's career began at the age of 15 working at Insight Studios,Citation | last=Cifaldi | first=Frank | date=2005-09-26 | title=Playing Catch-Up: Tim Follin | publisher=Gamasutra | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6640 | accessdate=2008-08-05] eventually scoring titles such as "Agent X", "Chronos" and "Bubble Bobble" for the
Commodore 64 . Follin ended up in video games due to his older brother Mike learning how to program for theZX Spectrum and obtaining professional work at Insight, with one of Tim's first Insight works being the soundtrack to "The Sentinel". Mike gave Tim a brief tutorial on creating music on the Spectrum via machine code, and Tim later wrote the music driver and soundtrack for their first professional game, "Subterranean Stryker".Citation | last=Follin | first=Mike | year=2000 | title=Computer Games | url=http://www.follin.freeserve.co.uk/MikeHP/compgame.htm | publisher=Mike Follin | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010211105739/www.follin.freeserve.co.uk/MikeHP/compgame.htm | archivedate=2001-02-11 | accessdate=2008-08-10] After discovering how to create phasing sounds,Citation |last1=Sharples |first1=Matt (writer, presenter)| last2=Stowell | first2=Dan (writer, producer) |title=Chiptunes: Programme 1: ZX Spectrum Music |url=http://www.archive.org/download/Chiptunes_ZX_Spectrum_Music_1/26m48chiptuneszxspectrum.mp3 |format=radio program |publisher=Flat Four Radio |date=2005-06-01 |accessdate=2007-09-26 |archiveurl=http://www.mcld.co.uk/flatfour/chiptunes/spectrum/ |archivedate=2005-06-01] Follin was able to use a 2-channel music driver to further experiment and come up with anarrangement of Stravinsky's "The Firebird", used for the game "Star Firebirds".Citation | last1=McLaughlin| first1=Gerry (Presenter)| last2=Bowker | first2=Damian (Producer) | last3=Jones | first3=Neill (Editor)| year= | date= | title=Re:Loaded| url= | format=video | medium=television | publisher=Channel M | location= Manchester, England | accessdate=2008-08-05 | time= ] Follin graduated to 3-channel music with his third soundtrack, "Vectron". In his early career, Follin was enthused by game magazine reviews touting the quality of music for the games he scored.Follin's sole game programming credit (not counting music drivers) came with his fourth title, "Future Games", where he created one minigame of the several featured.
oftware Creations
Hired by Richard Kay, Tim followed brother Mike in moving to Software Creations in 1987, his first full-time job, where he spent a significant portion of his career. Follin's arranged soundtrack to "Bubble Bobble" was his first written for a soundchip, the AY-3-8910.
Follin wrote the music for "Black Lamp" in one night after a bout of writer's block.
Within the level 1 music of "
Ghouls 'n Ghosts " for the Amiga is a voice sample played backwards saying "secret authority," considered nothing more than a joke by Follin.Citation | last=Forsyth |first=Tim | date=1998-12-14 | title=An interview with...... Tim Follin | url=http://www.soton.ac.uk/~tf/follininterview.htm | publisher=Computer Music Generation | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/19991022070231/www.soton.ac.uk/~tf/follininterview.htm | archivedate=1999-10-22 | accessdate=2008-08-10] Alongside "Ghouls 'n Ghosts", two other Amiga soundtracks, "Sly Spy" and "Puzznic", were presented in the Amiga music format "Follin Player II."Citation | url=http://www.exotica.org.uk/wiki/Follin_Player_II | title=Follin Player II - ExoticA | accessdate=2008-08-05 | author= | date=2008-07-31 | publisher=ExoticA]In a 1990 interview, Follin expressed "a bit of desolution" over the prospect of no longer composing for the Commodore 64, stating "I don't see myself staying with this machine," perhaps sensing the transition occurring in the European gaming marketplace as the third generation of video and computer game platforms reached its end. Follin's final Commodore 64 release came with 1991's "".
Beside contributing the soundtrack with brother Geoff, Follin recorded live sound effects for 1993 SNES title "Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends".
Citing a declining work environment, Follin departed Software Creations in 1993 (with his final title there being "
Rock N' Roll Racing ").Malibu Interactive and freelancing
After leaving Software Creations, Follin joined Malibu Interactive for 18 months. While working for Malibu, Follin provided the soundtrack for "Time Trax" on the Sega Mega Drive and (along with brother Geoff) "Prime" for the Sega CD, doing "virtually nothing and getting paid" for the following year before winding up out of work. Another title composed alongside brother Geoff, "Firearm", went unpublished. Follin would spend the remainder of his video game career as a freelancer. Following Malibu Interactive's collapse, Follin then worked with groups that made unsuccessful game pitches to
Psygnosis and theBBC . Follin provided part of the soundtrack for "Batman & Robin", developed by Probe.Follin joined the development team of "Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future" as the title's lead composer around mid-1998, leaving Attila Heger no longer responsible for providing the entirety of the soundtrack. (Heger was made primarily responsible for scoring the game's cutscenes.)Citation | last=Demidov (Демидов) | first=Andrew (Андрей) [Moduvator] | year=2005 | title=Interview with Attila Heger | publisher=Dark Sea (Epic Gaming) | url=http://www.ecco-darksea.com/int_heger.php | accessdate=2007-09-26 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20071227060034/http://www.ecco-darksea.com/int_heger.php |archivedate=2007-12-27] Follin had been offered the composer position by Sega UK producer Dave Nolte, who was a fan of Follin's Commodore 64 work. The soundtrack received very favorable reviews from "Edge", "
DC-UK " and "Official Dreamcast Magazine".Citation | last=Follin | first=Tim | title=Demos |date=2001 | url=http://www.timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/demos.htm | publisher=Tim Follin's Burial Site | accessdate=2008-08-05 | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20050417075758/http://timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/demos.htm | archivedate=2005-04-17]The 2003 multiplatform release "Starsky & Hutch" was given a funk-style score by Follin, who said at the time, "This is the project I had hoped I would get one day. I've always loved Starsky & Hutch and it's [sic] original title music."Citation |title=Empire composes itself for future releases |publisher=Empire Interactive |date=2002 |url=http://www.empireinteractive.com/corporate/files/pdfs/musiccomposerrelease.pdf |format=PDF |accessdate=2008-08-05] While with Software Creations, Follin had previously arranged the "Starsky & Hutch" television series' theme as the title music to the 1991 NES release "
Treasure Master ".End of video game career
Around August 2005, Follin announced on his website "with much delight" that he had chosen to stop composing music for video games, citing its irregular work not providing a substantial income, light-heartedly adding that the situation caused him "distress and illness." The tenuous nature of game development caused several instances of Follin being hired and subsequently having the project shelved. Follin noted that "Starksy & Hutch" had been in development for around three years before eventually being released.
His brothers
Geoff Follin andMike Follin also worked in the video game industry as musician and programmer respectively, with both having moved on to other careers. Much like his brothers, Follin has changed careers, choosing to pursue films, television advertising as well as graphic design. Follin never considered himself a gamer as much as a musician or developer. Follin's website offers a brief overview of his video game music career.Thoughts on video game music
Follin's methodology of music was that music is "basically an unconscious experience" that does not and should not "engage your intellect." Rather, Follin had "always written music to be part of something else," intending for the video game (or other media the music is composed for) to provide the image or scene of context.
Within his personal experience, Follin always found the hardest part of creating music to be the concept phase, saying "I probably tear my hair out more over arrangement than over anything else." The easiest part was the execution of the solidified concepts.
Follin felt the idea of computer music was "a silly one to begin with," as soundchips from the earliest platforms (e.g. ZX Spectrum) were only meant to produce sound effects.Citation | author="Edge" | title=Making tracks: The noble art of game music | journal=Edge #15 | publisher=Future Publishing | pages=56–61 | date=December 1994] As early as 1994, Follin expressed his desire to move away from scoring video games and transition to films, stating that he preferred never to work with chip-generated music again along with his hopes that the games industry would not move backwards from the emerging standard of CD audio. Whether dealing with the audio limitations of older consoles or a game's narrow style guidelines when composing for modern soundtracks, Follin regarded the challenge of creating music within constraints to be an interesting part of working in video game music.
As a video game composer, Follin believed the necessities of being proficient in many genres and creating music on demand often confused the general public, who are used to acts that produce one style of music. He observed that "musicians generally aren't rewarded for being heterogeneous."Citation | last=Aldis | first=Neil | date=2003-08-01 | title=Starsky & Hutch Interview: Veteran Game Composer Tim Follin | publisher=Music 4 Games | url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=60 | accessdate=2008-08-05]
During his game music career, Follin never had the mood or interest to join any
demoscene groups. Though Follin knew few fellow video game composers, he highly respectedRichard Jacques for the amount of work put into his music.Influences
Follin cited
progressive rock as well as many musicians (includingQuincy Jones , Jethro Tull,Led Zeppelin and John Martyn) as having had some casual or subconscious influence on his music, and has also enjoyed music byDeep Purple andGuns 'n Roses . However, he did not feel that any specific artist or style had been a primary inspiration during his career. Follin acknowledged that in one instance he went for a more contemporary style when scoring the award-winning soundtrack to "Bionic Commando", actively choosing to mimic other people's music for fear of potentially losing his job.The soundtrack to "Ecco the Dolphin: Defender of the Future" may have been influenced by the works of American minimalist composer John Adams, whom Follin explicitly acknowledged as a current influence during the time he was completing the soundtrack, citing Adams' work as "the only minimalist stuff I've heard which struck a chord with me."
Follin did not have much time to listen to the work of his musical contemporaries while in the video games industry, a situation he implied as having been a benefit to his career. Follin speculated that in actively listening to those works, he likely ran the risk of encountering ideas he had not thought of and subsequently becoming discouraged and/or prone to copycatting.
Personal view of work
Particularly in the earlier days of his career, Follin often composed game soundtracks while the games themselves were still in the writing stages, meaning that there was usually no frame of reference or genre objective in mind. Follin himself humourously felt these situations created many instances where the soundtrack was unsuited to the game, though at the time neither he nor any game developers had any issues. Given another chance, Follin said he would have given more effort toward making his earlier soundtracks better suited to the games, feeling that his failure to do so (despite the compositional quality) likely cost him future work. Back then, Follin instead focused on exploring the various consoles' audio limitations. The technical limitations of the most primitive video game system soundchips made Follin's primary goals to create original sounds as well as not allow the resulting music to sound poor.
Follin also never had the interest to join a
demoscene group, though, near the end of his time working with Commodore platforms, he claimed he enjoyed himself when he made music. Outside of "Ghouls 'n Ghosts" however, Follin later described his Commodore 64 work as nonsense that he wasn't particularly happy with.Follin noted "Ghouls 'n Ghosts" on the Commodore 64 as his favorite work, though the game was a known entity, unlike many of Follin's early projects. Software Creations programmer
Ste Ruddy , who created the music driver for the game (with design input from Follin)Citation | last=Gasking | first=Frank | year= | title=An interview with...Steve Ruddy | publisher=Games That Weren't | url=http://gtw64.retro-net.de/Interviews/sruddy.php | accessdate=2008-08-05] Citation | last=Follin | first=Tim | year=2005 | title=Wine Cellar | publisher=Dr. Follin's Home Surgery | url=http://timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Archive.htm | accessdate=2008-08-05] recalled Follin describing a wide array of imagery for the title theme. For the "Ghouls 'n Ghosts" soundtrack, Follin retained parts ofTamayo Kawamoto 's original arcade soundtrack within most tracks, only to transition into his own ideas for other portions of those tracks. Similar circumstances resulted in Follin's soundtrack for "Bionic Commando".Follin has found it difficult to listen to works he created, feeling them outdated by the time they were completed. Follin disliked working with the Atari ST and the ZX Spectrum's AY chip, feeling the NES had more character. While not feeling very successful composing music for the Amiga, Follin enjoyed working on soundtracks for the SNES and Commodore 64. He described writing for the C64's SID chip as "playing an instrument in its own right," appreciating the analog sound it produced, despite having only three channels to work with. Follin also recalled the SNES's "" being fun due to the inclusion of cheesy '70s guitar synths and brass synths.
Despite not considering himself adept at any live instruments, and composing several soundtracks beyond the fifth generation of video game consoles using samples, Follin disliked sampled music. Instead, Follin strove to make his music sound as close to live instrumentation as possible. His most notable work using sampled instruments was the soundtrack to "", an experience he enjoyed, but also felt frustrated with on account of "a lack of equipment and resources – such as a string orchestra and choir!" Follin finds orchestral music inherently more human-sounding and listenable.
Fandom
Several contemporaries of Follin's have cited him as an inspiration or top composer including
Richard Jacques ,Citation | last=Fulljames | first=Stephen | date=2001-08-15 | title=Richard Jacques Interview | publisher=ComputerAndVideoGames.com [previously Game-Online.com] | url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=10768 | accessdate=2008-08-05]Jesper Kyd ,Citation | last=Taylor | first=Paul | year=2005-09-01 | title=Interview with BAFTA award-winning Danish composer Jesper Kyd | publisher=Music 4 Games | url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=66 | accessdate=2008-08-05]David Wise ,Citation | author=Music 4 Games | date=2008-07-29 | title=Develop Conference Interview with RARE's Audio Team: Robin Beanland, Dave Wise and Steve Burke | publisher=Music 4 Games | url=http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=290 | accessdate=2008-08-05] Fred "El Mobo" Motte,Citation | last=Carless | first=Simon (h0l) | year=1997 | title=Fred Motte Interview | url=http://www.mono211.com/gamegeekpeeks/fredm.html | publisher=Game Geek Peeks (reprinted) | archiveurl=http://www.videogamedesign.com | archivedate=2001-07-11 | accessdate=2008-08-05] Markus Schneider,Citation | last=Carr | first=Neil | year=2001-05-11 | title=An Interview with Markus Schneider | publisher=Remix64 | url=http://www.remix64.com/interview_markus_schneider.html | accessdate=2008-08-05] Matt "Gasman" Westcott, Ramiro "Extremer" Vaca,Citation | author=Klein, Markus (LMan) | year=2001-11-27 | title=An Interview with Ramiro Vaca | publisher=Remix64 | url=http://www.remix64.com/interview_ramiro_vaca.html | accessdate=2008-08-05] graphic artist Haydn Dalton,Citation | last=Gasking | first=Frank | year= | title=An interview with...Haydn Dalton | publisher=Games That Weren't | url=http://gtw64.retro-net.de/Interviews/hdalton.php | accessdate=2008-08-05] and programmer Dean Belfield.Citation | last=McCowan | first=Darren | date=2001-01 | title=ZX Specticle Interviews: Dean Belfield | format=http | publisher=ZX Specticle | url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/zxspecticle/interviews4.htm | accessdate=2008-08-05]Regarding fan communities dedicated to arranging video game music, including his own, Follin remarked, "It's really good. A lot of the stuff, you just think 'Well, that's much better than what I would have done...could do now.'" Follin is consistently mentioned as a favorite composer among European musicians within the Commodore arrangement scene.
Alongside the music of fellow video game music composer
Rob Hubbard , Follin's musical work in games was spotlighted in listening stations of the worldwide "Game On" exhibition, organized by the Barbican Art Gallery.Citation | last=Standen | first=Dave | date=2006-10-27 | title=Video Gaming Celebrated In Game On At The Science Museum | publisher=24 Hour Museum | url=http://www.24hourmuseum.org.uk/exh_gtx_en/ART41236.html | accessdate=2008-08-05]Video game soundtracks
Media production career
Follin has written, directed, produced and composed for two short films: "Body Counting" and "The Sun Circle". "Body Counting" won the Best Short Film under £5,000 award at the Salford Film Festival in November 2004.Citation | last=Follin | first=Tim | year=2005 | title=TV Room | publisher=Dr. Follin's Home Surgery | url=http://timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Films.htm | accessdate=2008-08-05]
In 2007, Follin started up his media production company, Eyecatcher Films (originally conceived as Right Eye Films, as evidenced in the title sequence of "Body Counting"). Eyecatcher Films has developed several commercials and television show title sequences, with Follin handling all music composition.Citation | last=Follin | first=Tim | year=2007 | title=Eyecatcher Films: QuickTime site | publisher=Dr. Follin's Home Surgery | url=http://www.eyecatcherfilms.com/QTeye.htm | accessdate=2008-08-05]
Follin currently works freelance offering services for commercial producing and directing, visual effects and animated graphics, and music composition. The latter opens up possibilities for a return to video game music.
Personal life
Follin has expressed interest in the works of
Carl Jung regarding the meaning of dreams. He has expressed that he does not use recreational drugs, perhaps counter to inferences made by fans of his music.Follin has little interest in television, but was a fan of the
Channel 4 series "Father Ted ". He also enjoyed filmmakerJohn Boorman 's short film "I Dreamt I Woke Up".Citation | last=Follin | first=Tim | date=2001-01-31 | title=I Dreamt I Woke Up (1991) - IMDb user comments | publisher=IMDb | url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102085/usercomments | accessdate=2008-08-10]Follin considers writing therapeutic.
Family
Tim, son of Marjorie Follin, was the youngest of three brothers, all of whom had careers in the video game industry. Oldest brother Michael Stuart (Mike) moved on after 16 years as a programmer to become an ordained minister in the
Church of England . Middle brother Geoff, a fellow game composer who was proficient in several instruments, MIDI software and reading sheet music, later went on to become a primary school teacher.Citation | last=Follin | first=Mike | date=2000-09-04 | title=Mike Follin's HomePage | url=http://www.follin.freeserve.co.uk/MikeHP/mikehp.htm | publisher=Mike Follin | archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010210190729/www.follin.freeserve.co.uk/MikeHP/mikehp.htm | archivedate=2001-02-10 | accessdate=2008-08-10]Notes
External links
* [http://timfollin.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ "Dr. Follin's Home Surgery" - Tim Follin's homepage]
* [http://www.eyecatcherfilms.com Eyecatcher Films - Tim Follin's media production company]
* [http://www.ocremix.org/composer/id/70/tim-follin/ Composer profile] atOverClocked ReMix
* [http://www.remix64.com/arrangerinfo_5750.html Arranger profile at Remix64]
* [http://vgmdb.net/artist/1301 Discography at VGMdb]
* [http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,56818/ MobyGames rap sheet]
*imdb name|id=0284345|name=Tim Follin
*musicbrainz artist|id=bc709fb2-d4a9-4c93-89c4-e136792d6b40|name=Tim Follin
* [http://www.vgmrush.com/artist.php?id=24 Profile at VGM Rush]
* [http://www.gamesetwatch.com/2006/01/a_fond_farewell_to_follin.php "A Fond Farewell To Follin"] GameSetWatch: Carless, Simon (Jan. 2, 2006)Interviews
* [http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=6640 "Playing Catch-Up: Tim Follin"] Gamasutra: Cifaldi, Frank (Sep. 26, 2005)
* [http://www.mcld.co.uk/flatfour/chiptunes/spectrum/ "Chiptunes: Programme 1: ZX Spectrum Music"] ( [http://www.ourmedia.org/node/14444 audio] ) Flat Four Radio: Sharples, Matt and Stowell, Dan (June 1, 2005 [archived] )
* [http://www.music4games.net/Features_Display.aspx?id=60 "Starsky & Hutch Interview: Veteran Game Composer Tim Follin"] Music 4 Games: Aldis, Neil (Aug. 1, 2003)
* [http://c64audio.valuehost.co.uk/edge/czone_follin.htm Another groovy CZone exclusive interview from Kenz and Waz.] Commodore Zone: Mackenzie, Jason & Pilkington, Warren (1998)
* [http://bonzai.kalliope.org/download/bz-LethalNews06.zip "Interview of the Month"] Lethal News: Aydin, Metin L. (1990)
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