Allow me to introduce the people behind Art of Aries Studios (located in Jefferson and Ankeny): Tyler Gathercoal, Producer and Engineer; Kristopher Gathercoal, Director and Artist Development; and Tollef Sorenson, Cinematographer and Photographer. I’ll admit that my questions were written for visual artists, as I know very little about creating multimedia art, but the guys at Art of Aries Studios (AOA) knew what I meant and answered in their own unique ways.
Did any of you go to school for art?
“I grew up with photography in the family and have over a decade of experience with pure love for the art of capturing moments,” answered Tollef.
“Yes, I went to school for creative arts and literature,” said Kris. “It was the best two months of my life.”
Tyler, on the other hand, has a Liberal Arts degree from Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). While at DMACC, he said he found a love for marketing.
“Marketing is telling a story effectively and efficiently – that’s what music and music videos are supposed to do!” Tyler said. “I’ve learned most of my audio capture and recording competency from Brett Bojack who graduated from Full Sail University in Florida with a bachelor’s degree in the Recording Arts. I transferred the skills of audio editing to my video editing software and now am proficient with both Pro Tools and Davinci Resolve. Before audio and video production took over my life, I was a solo drummer and pianist.” He’s been playing drums for 28 years and piano for 16 years. He also managed Through the Darkness, a performing rock band, for nine years. Through the Darkness has opened for many national acts, has 15 music videos, and has been streamed over 1.8 million times!
The most popular piece they’ve done is a song called “Fragile” by Through the Darkness. You can watch it on YouTube here:
Tollef, how would you describe your forms of art?
“I have a few key words for what I do. For photography, it would be candid... or natural would be a good word.” He said he strives for photography that ‘s focused on being in the moment. He also prefers natural lighting as opposed to setting up studio lights. “I try to blend into the event or environment so that everyone acts naturally, as if they’re not being photographed. I prefer not staging things, it makes my photography more genuine. I also like to use vintage lenses for... extra ‘character’.” Tollef cites growing up watching movies in the 80s and 90s for his love of film grain, and enjoys a more organic look vs a sharp digital image.
“As for video, I’d add that I enjoy long shots and wide-field-of-view so that I can see a bigger picture rather than cutting things together in the editing process. Cinematography has its moments where multiple angles and shorter shots are absolutely required, though!”
Kris, what's your favorite thing to write?
Kris answered that he enjoys writing poetry or fantasy fiction inspired by real life.
“As for fiction, a concrete narrative with abstract ideas from emotions both cohesive and opposing. For instance, a boy walking in the woods. The woods are simple, but the things the boy sees represent fantasies and dreams as well as nightmares in the form of realistic, everyday fears. What's real, what's not, and what really matters?” he said. “Or, in a poetic sense, I try to write in a way that expresses feelings through symbolism and declarations of a main theme or purpose.”
Tyler, how would you describe your forms of art?
“Composing music is very therapeutic for me. It starts on the piano most of the time… it doesn’t end there, though, I have written a handful of orchestral pieces, punk rock songs, and metal tunes. The music I write is usually driven by emotions or events and most of the time has a simple melody followed by a powerful chord progression. My music is melodic and purposeful,” he explained.
“Drums on the other hand, I just like to beat ‘em up. They’re complex, demanding, and fun!”
What’s your favorite piece of work and why?
Tollef: “Saving Silhouettes is my favorite video project we've finished to date. Kris did such a fantastic job directing and its shots turned out beautiful. As for (not) my work… Killing Them Softly or The Batman. Those were shot so well!”
Tyler: “A lot of the productions today sound the same… it's becoming harder for me to find unique sounding music. When every kick drum, snare, guitar tone, vocal (both singing and screaming) follow the same song structure, and same ‘formula’. Everything sounds the same… That’s not fun for MY ears. I understand that it’s formulated to be successful, but I enjoy hearing things I haven’t heard before. So currently, my favorite productions are older albums, where uniqueness is more distinct.
I would say my favorite song that I’ve written is called “Into the Light”, it’s unreleased but it’s absolutely beautiful. Now for a piece of music that we’ve released; I’ve only written one and it’s much like the unreleased track. It’s called “Reunited” and it features my friend, Lydia, whom I met at a Polaris concert in Chicago. Reunited has a music video that was shot by Tollef and directed by Kristopher!
My favorite production that is not my own is probably “The Mortal Coil” by Polaris. The songwriting is great and the production is perfect for their sound. I’d have to add the Stand Atlantic album, F.E.A.R. Her voice is so good! The album has a handful of different genres meshed into songs and they did a fantastic job mixing it.”
Kris: “”Saving Silhouettes” is my favorite video and narrative piece that we've made as a studio and/or band as well as my favorite song from our home band, Through the Darkness.”
“Forrest Gump rocks. ‘I GOTTA FIND BUBBBBA!’” Kris added.
Do you teach classes? If so, what do you teach?
“AOA teaches piano and drums to anybody willing to put in the work to learn. We also provide the opportunity for anybody to discover their love for music. We like to focus on the positive impact music can have on an individual. Art is supposed to be a meaningful release of expression; learning a form of art should be uplifting and motivating!
Learning an instrument helps you understand the intricacies of music. You’ll learn to separate the instruments involved and be able to begin teaching yourself. You’ll experience music in a different way. You’ll start dissecting it and appreciate your favorite music even more!
Tollef plans on developing a photography class curriculum soon!
AOA also offers an artist and project development opportunity for young, upcoming musicians and artist groups. This involves a handful of things... ‘To help individuals craft their artist identities through thematic photography, graphic design, general concepts, lyric analyzation, and overall project presentation on social media platforms as well as public relations.’”
What's an issue or stumbling block you've encountered?
“Fully capturing the image I started with in my head,” answered Tollef. “I'll have something specific in my head for a shot, movement, lighting. But trying to acquire all those aspects can feel impossible when it’s time to film it.”
“Sometimes I write a piece of a song but cannot figure out how to finish it and am left with a great piece of music that I cannot see through to the end,” admitted Tyler. “It ends up on the back burner until the inspiration comes. Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn't.”
“Every time I get close to finishing a long project, Tyler and Tollef make me do other ones,” said Kris.
Tyler: “If you come to a point where you are discouraged and don't want to work on art anymore, reach out. Take a break. Find inspiration from others on YouTube or find other artists who encourage you to continue. Networking and a positive environment are where the magic happens. It’s not always this, but it’s a helpful phrase to remember when debating whether or not to have a conversation with someone, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’.”
Tollef: “Don't be afraid to make mistakes. You will learn from them. So go out and do it. Focus on what you messed up. You can fix what you don't like next time. Keep shooting until you have the image or quality you're going for.”
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
“We're looking for opportunities to bring other art forms to song and cinema. A painter, a poet, a writer, a dreamer.. someone who wishes to see their art join another form, such as music and storytelling. We provide artists a platform of song and cinema to tell their story.
We have everything song writers, performers, singers and instrumentalists need to record their next track or album! Our audio and video services provide a one-stop-shop opportunity that no one else in Iowa currently provides for musicians. Art of Aries Studios is here to help other passionate artists create quality audio and video representations of their art.
If you would like assistance, we are here!”
You can find more information on the Art of Aries Studios website, as well as follow them on Facebook and YouTube. You can also follow Tyler Gathercoal on social media @tgg2112 and Tollef Sorenson on Instagram @ts_stills.
