Producer Noah Strik is set to premiere his debut 70-minute feature documentary, Project Nepal, at the Beholders Film Festival on this Sunday 4 October, following an extraordinary three-year journey of personal transformation and self-discovery.
Originally heading to Nepal for just four weeks as a bright young producer with the ambitious idea to record a collaborative EP with local musicians, Strik saw his initial plans completely derail when a major earthquake hit on his second day. Faced with immediate isolation in a foreign country, he pivoted from a structured studio project into an unscripted exploration of human connection, ultimately teaching himself how to edit, score and produce a feature-length film entirely from scratch upon his return.
Central to his ability to adapt to constantly changing circumstances was his compact setup built around the USB bus-powered EVO 8 audio interface. With unpredictable conditions forcing spontaneous recording sessions in local homes, villages and remote jungle locations, the interface’s rugged build, intuitive single-knob operation and Smartgain feature meant Strik could trust his gear without technical friction. The clarity of the unit’s preamps also allowed him to keep his deeply personal voiceover narration raw and completely unprocessed, whilst capturing ambient field recordings that formed the backbone of the film’s full musical score.
“The EVO 8 might have been my most underrated setup choice looking back,” says Strik. “So many times, we had to improvise and adapt our setup, but the EVO 8 was the one thing that just worked. It made professional recording feel portable, and I never felt like I was compromising on quality simply because I wasn’t in a studio.”
Reflecting on his journey from music producer to filmmaker, Strik adds, “I went from trying to just make songs to trying to find out if music could bring us together. The journey completely changed the way I view music. I hope people leave the cinema either feeling empowered to connect more with those around them or feeling recognised in their own personal struggles.”
For more information, visit audient.com.
