The Amazing Rolo

I am a freelance sound designer and musician based in Scotland. I am founder of Lucky Frame Limited, a company which is developing my Loop Machine software that I began whilst completing my Masters of Science in Sound Design at the University of Edinburgh in 2007. I established the company with the support of the University of Edinburgh through EPIS and NESTA. In addition, I am currently Artist in Residence at the University of Abertay Dundee, a position funded by the Scottish Arts Council. In my spare time I work on sound design for video art and films, as well as original music recording and production, and recording engineering.
I have worked on a wide range of sonic and musical projects over the past five years, from sound design in a submarine to producing an album in a 1930's concert hall outside of London.

This online resume contains a selection of my most recent activities, as well as my qualifications and skills. The "work" section shows my own personal undertakings, while "employment" lists my official employment history. Click on each project name to read details.

Please do not hesitate to contact me for any reason. Send me an email at yannseznec@gmail.com or call my UK mobile at +44.7847.588.685.

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(photo by agata adamowicz)

University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Master of Science in Sound Design

September 2006-August 2007

Thesis project - You are here : Negotiating the space between creator, listener, and technology

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

Major in Anthropology and Music, Minors in Music Technology and French

GPA 3.6, University Honors May 2004

Artist in Residence, Abertay

October 2008 - June 2009

Artist in residence in the Whitespace at University of Abertay Dundee

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NESTA Starter for Six

June 2008

Financial award for Lucky Frame Limited, through the Starter for 6 scheme

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Edinburgh Pre-Incubator Scheme

January 2008 - January 2009

Official Support from the University of Edinburgh for my company, Lucky Frame Limited. Interest-free loan and placement within the Univeristy, as well as business advice and support.

:: sound design ::

Developing standalone software for using a Nintendo Wiimote to compose and manipulate music. Featured on Engadget, Amazon, Create Digital Music, and more. For many more details visit wiiloopmachine.com.

Original Sound Design for a piece of video art by Lucy Keany. The sound was composed mostly from a collection of archival videos from the 50's, which matched the aesthetic of the video. You can watch it on my blog.

Original music and sound design for a play at a 13th century abbey outside of Paris, with my brother Cory. We wrote and arranged music for a 10 person choir, as well as electronic sound design and music for ourselves to perform onstage.

Original music and sound design for a play ("The Walls Have Ears") written and directed by Fabrice Macaux (loosely based on the novel by SpôjmaïÊ ZariâÊb) and featuring Delphine Zucker in the lead role. I played the part of her colleague, who disappears after warning her to stop reading books. You can read this review (in French), watch this video, or read about it and hear some of the music on my blog.

Developed an interactive sound and music generation system using a tea set as an interface, with Pete Vilk. See our project page.

Original music and sound design for a play at a 13th century abbey outside of Paris, with my brother Cory.

Sound design with Chris Reid for a 5 minute animation by Lee Marshall.

Original music and sound design for a play at a 13th century abbey outside of Paris, with my brother Cory. More details and sound clips are available here.

Sound design for an interactive exhibit on a WWII-era submarine at the Carnegie Science Museum in Pittsburgh, PA. Sound clips, a newspaper review, and other details are available here.

Blog and podcast located at theamazingrolo.blogspot.com. At least 1,000 unique readers a week worldwide, with peaks of over 10,000. Feature free music, videos, stories, and photographs.

A short movie with a strange sci-fi narrative that takes place on another planet, where sounds and lights are perceived differently than on Earth. Watch it at vimeo or on my movies page.

I have made many short movies with original music, sometimes by compiling thousands of still photographs and sometimes using digital video. See them on my movies page.

A series of audio stories, designed for radio, which describe various true events from a car breaking down to the first time my friend heard techno music. Listen to them all on my stories page.

:: music ::

Original eclectic folk music with my brother Cory. Played shows in the USA, England, and France. See our website at seznecbros.com.

My "solo" music, which blends acoustic and electronic elements to create nostalgic pop music. I often release this music for free on my blog, click here to listen to samples.

A band with my friends Jonathon Brodsky and Alberto Almarza, featuring Jon on Nintendo Gameboy, Alberto on drums, and myself on guitar with electronics. A cult favorite in Pittsburgh, we sold out of every CD we ever made (4 albums). Our website has been preserved in it's final state, awaiting a reunion tour when we are all three in the same country again.

:: original music ::

Original music for a full length documentary by Fabrice Macaux.

Original music for a stop motion animation by Shona Macdonald.

Original music for a TV show pilot by Wos Studios. Winner of a 2006 Telly Award! Learn more about this project and watch a clip here.

:: recording and production ::

Recording and production of music for a claymation film by Julia McLean.

Recording and production of an 8-piece traditional Persian music group.

Recording and production of a full length CD and DVD (stereo and 5.1 mix) documenting a large scale performance at the Talbot Rice Gallery in Edinburgh, with Sean Williams.

Recording and production of SCO musicians playing pieces by young Scottish composers in Edinburgh, Dumfries, and Kirkcaldy.

Recording and production of a concert at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh with Dimitris Miyakis. Available for free download at 7hings.

Recording and production of debut album in a 1930's dancehall outside of London. Blues in Britain gave it a 10/10, saying "It is produced so well it almost seems as if they are in the room with you." More details and examples about this project are available here.

Assistant recording engineer. This CD won a Diapason d'or and received a 5/5 review at allmusic.

Lucky Frame Limited

February 2008 - current; Edinburgh

Founder. Developing creative music software for video game motion controllers, based on the famous LoopMachine, which was developed as part of my masters in 2007. The company and product have been featured on BBC's Dragons' Den, STV, RTL2, and in major newspapers and publications such as The Independent, Develop, The Skinny, MAKE Magazine, and more

Dundee Rep Theatre

December 2007, September 2008; Dundee, Scotland

Piano, keyboard, trumpet, electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and computer electronics for "Jack and the Beanstalk" and "Mother Courage and Her Children" at Dundee Rep Theatre. Music composed by John Harris.

The Amazing Rolo

October 2005 - current; Pittsburgh, London, Paris, Edinburgh

Freelance music, sound design, and recording engineering. See "projects" and "credits" for a selection of work.

Segs in the City Segway Tours

June - October 2005; Annapolis, MD

Gave Segway tours of historic Annapolis

Lycée Couffignal

English Language Assistant, October 2004 - May 2005; Strasbourg, France

Taught high school level English conversation classes in a French technical and professional high school.

Carnegie Mellon School of Music Pre-College

Teaching Assistant, June - August 2004

Taught recording technology (recording, mixing, mastering) in the professional recording studio

Carnegie Mellon University School of Music

Recording Engineer, September 2001 - May 2004; Pittsburgh, PA

Part of a small team responsible for recording all recitals and concerts at the university.

Pittsburgh Digital Recording and Editing

Recording Engineer, Summer 2002; Pittsburgh, PA

Edited, mixed, and mastered classical recordings for sale and private use.

Fluent in French

French and United States dual citizenship

Play piano, guitar, trumpet, bass, drums

Designed and coded (HTML and CSS) all Amazing Rolo websites, as well as groanboxboys.com, hollywoodfarm.com, coryseznec.com, seznecbros.com, and others

Sound

Extremely comfortable in studio environments, having worked in recording studios around the world. Can instantly settle into any recording environment.

Highly skilled in microphone technique, including X/Y, A/B, Mid/Side, and (my personal favorite) ORTF, as well as close-mic recording and multitracking.

Can record, edit, and master music of all styles, from classical and opera (with Pittsburgh Digital) to experimental electronic music, by way of traditional American folk.

Software

Highly proficient in:

• ProTools
• Ableton Live
• Logic Pro
• Max/MSP
• Cubase
• Reason
• Peak
• Sound Designer II
• Dreamweaver
• Photoshop
• Office
• Mac and PC
• HTML
• CSS

Knowledgeable in:

• AfterEffects
• Flash
• Final Cut Pro
• ActionScript
• JavaScript

Interests

I am also an avid amateur photographer. See my flickr page for examples.

I am keenly interested in music from around the world, particularly from West Africa, as well as 1920's Harlem Stride piano and Mississippi Delta blues.

I also love history, the Patrick O'Brian Aubrey-Maturin (Master and Commander) novels, Krazy Kat, and reading newspapers cover to cover (and comparing them).