About

Short Introduction

Michael W. Bell is a composer, sound designer, spatial audio researcher, and lecturer whose work bridges cinematic scoring, ambient sound design, and immersive technologies. As the founder of Bell Creative Labs LLC and its label division, Aurora Eclipse Productions, his music has featured in films, television, and international exhibitions, with a catalogue spanning twenty projects — including Void: A Sonic Pilgrimage (2025), solo albums, collaborations with SkyQuaker and Iceni, and the newly formed ProtoVoid.

In his role as a lecturer, he brings together professional insight, critical engagement with audio technology, and creative mentorship to support students in developing real-world skills and artistic confidence.

Michael is currently completing a PhD, “Experiential Soundtracks: A Creative, Programmatic Approach Utilising Contemporary Spatial and Multichannel Audio Technologies (CS-MAT)” at the University of Northampton, exploring how spatial and object-based audio can reshape contemporary composition.

Highlights at a Glance

  • Film & TV: Scores for short films, documentaries, and trailers including Francis, Blanket, One Day, and Fragments.

  • Awards: Fragments (Winner, Best Soundtrack, Out of the Can Festival 2020) · Blanket (Nominee, Best Score, Views of the World Festival 2016) · Æ Har Det Bare Bra (3rd Place, Innsbruck Nature Film Festival 2013).

  • Exhibitions: Presented Void: A Sonic Pilgrimage — a twelve-minute immersive Dolby Atmos soundscape — with the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) in Las Vegas (2025), following earlier UK collaborations.

  • Industry Placements: Music synced across major international networks and platforms including A&E, Discovery, Investigation Discovery, CNN, MAX, Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Peacock, Bravo, Oxygen, History Channel, Sky, and more. Additional international broadcasts include Canal D (Canada), Crave (Canada), DR1 (Denmark), and Emirates in-flight entertainment.

  • Collaborations:

    Direct: Clare Estelle, Stephen Hope-Wynne (Kidz Next Door, Sham 69, SkyQuaker), Georgie Mac (Gabrielle, Chaka Khan, Sting, Snoop Dogg), ProtoVoid (Les Plumridge), Emily Jackson.

    With SkyQuaker: Contributed to sessions featuring guest artists including Roo Savill (Florence + The Machine, Nile Rodgers, 30 Seconds to Mars), Mike Garson (David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails), Davinder Bedi (Desired Effect), Paul Jordanous (Clark Tracey, Kit Downes), Ben “Ferdy” Ford (Motörheadache), Andy Prince (Sham 69), Brian Gulland (Gryphon), Severn Duo, and Talisa Yorke.

  • Mentorship & Industry Links: Trained under Stace Constantinou, Phil Bodger (Phil Collins, The Cure, Sinéad O’Connor) and Matt Hodson (aka Matthias) at the University of Brighton; has worked alongside producer Tony Platt (AC/DC, Bob Marley, Iron Maiden) at the University of Northampton.

  • Discography: Over twenty releases to date, with Michael contributing as composer, producer, or musician — spanning solo projects (Void: A Sonic Pilgrimage, 2025; Cinematic, 2021; Fragments, 2020), ProtoVoid (90377 Sedna, 2024), and collaborations released through Aurora Eclipse Productions.

Early Life & Influences

Born in London in 1988, Michael moved frequently in his youth, spending much of his early life in and around London and the South East. His first memorable experience of film and music came from Disney’s Fantasia, later deepened by watching films such as Gladiator, Armageddon, and Mission Impossible II with his father on one of the earliest Yamaha home surround systems.

As a teenager, he discovered heavy metal, performing as a rhythm guitarist and gigging around the UK. This love of sound led him to study Music Production, initially with the aim of becoming a live sound engineer — but it was film music assignments that revealed his true passion for composition.

Training & Foundations (2010–2013)

Michael studied both Music Production and Composition for Film & Media at the University of Brighton, where he trained under a diverse group of mentors, including creative musician Stace Constantinou, engineer Phil Bodger (Phil Collins, The Cure, Sinéad O’Connor), electronic artist and educator Matt Hodson (aka Matthias). Their combined influence shaped his hybrid approach to composition, bridging traditional studio craft, contemporary electronic production, and experimental sound practice.

During his time at Brighton, Michael co-produced, mixed, and mastered Hatriotism for the Brighton-based metal band Demental and scored his first short film, Francis. He also created a cinematic soundscape for the US band Shores of Acheron, worked as a foley artist for the student film Æ Har Det Bare Bra (winner of 3rd place at the Innsbruck Nature Film Festival), and began developing workflows for merging sound design with composition.

After graduating in 2013, he launched his music production company and studio, Aurora Eclipse Productions Ltd, which became the vessel for his creative output for over a decade.

Building Experience (2014–2016)

Michael scored numerous student and independent films (Local Girl, Survival, Jogger, Night Owls) and began composing for trailers and branded idents, working with companies such as Silver Lining Pictures and Silver Hound Pictures. His music accompanied YouTube documentaries including Mad Frankie Fraser: His Last Interview (now with over 750,000 views) and Legends: The Kray Twins Story.

By 2016 he had released Awakening: The Early Scores and Lurking in the Delta Waves, scored the festival-nominated Blanket (shortlisted for Best Score at Views of the World Festival in Canada), and produced records for bands such as Black Noire.

Breakthroughs & Collaborations (2017–2019)

In 2017, Michael began pitching to trailer houses such as Cavalry Music, with one of his cues later used in the Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom teaser announcement, which has since gained over 325,000 views on YouTube. He collaborated with Clare Estelle and Stephen Hope-Wynne (Somehow, Tangitise branding) and scored Crazy Woman Got a Gun for All Visions Align, shown at festivals in Los Angeles.

By 2019, Michael was remixing tracks for Netflix’s 13 Reasons Why and pitching trailer music for The King and Doctor Sleep. While these placements were not secured, the process expanded his reach into international trailer campaigns. At the same time, he grew Aurora Eclipse into a record label, re-releasing Iceni’s back catalogue, co-producing Clare Estelle’s single Sacred Night, and recording Queen Kong with SkyQuaker — notably featuring the final recorded words of Soviet dissident Vladimir Bukovsky.

Recent Work (2020–Present)

In 2020, Michael scored Andrea Ratti’s (Sister Boniface Mysteries, Testament, Built to Be, Fractured Minds) short film Fragments, which went on to win five festival awards including Best Soundtrack. To celebrate, Aurora Eclipse Productions released the score and pressed it to limited-edition vinyl. From this point onward, his cues and compositions began securing broadcast and streaming placements, with music synced across Discovery Channel, Investigation Discovery, Paramount Network, Sky, Netflix, and TikTok.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, Michael launched the AuroraCast podcast as a way to connect with fellow creatives and sustain dialogue during lockdown. Over its two-year run he interviewed composers, musicians, producers, and artists before retiring the podcast in 2022 to make way for new projects.

As the world began to emerge from the pandemic in late 2021, Michael took up a lecturing role in Music Production at the University of Northampton. Through this position he has worked alongside legendary producer Tony Platt (AC/DC, Bob Marley, Iron Maiden), strengthening his links between professional practice and academic research.

In 2024, he introduced Bell’s Laboratory, a new platform for sharing his research and creative practice in spatial and object-based audio. That same year, he co-founded ProtoVoid with Les Plumridge — a collaborative project centred on cinematic and atmospheric composition, with future works planned for immersive and spatial release. Their debut album 90377 Sedna marked the launch of the partnership, expanding Michael’s discography into new conceptual territory while maintaining his focus on atmospheric and spatially rich sound design.

In 2025, Michael released Void: A Sonic Pilgrimage, a large-scale immersive soundscape showcased internationally with the Royal Society of Arts in Las Vegas before its public release. The project reflected both his creative practice and his research into spatial composition, drawing together themes of theology, narrative, and sonic immersion. Michael has also been an ongoing member of SkyQuaker, collaborating closely with Stephen Hope-Wynne until Steve’s sad passing in 2025. That same year, Michael helped complete and release the album Severed Souls, ensuring the project reached its audience, and he continues to support and preserve the band’s catalogue as part of his ongoing work.

Now operating under the umbrella of Bell Creative Labs LLC — with Aurora Eclipse Productions continuing as its label division — he continues to compose, produce, and research, with his PhD examining how spatial and object-based audio can reshape contemporary music composition. The formation of his U.S.-registered company reflects a growing focus on transatlantic collaborations and immersive work in the American creative sector.

Selected Credits

As Composer

  • Fragments (2020, Short) – Winner Best Soundtrack

  • Blanket (2016, Short) – Nominee Best Score

  • One Day (2016, Short)

  • Francis (2011, Short) – First scored short

As Sound Designer / Mixer

  • Without Ear Rings (2023, Short) – Sound recordist, designer, mixer

  • Æ Har Det Bare Bra (2013, Short) – Sound design, mixer – Award-winning project

As Producer / Engineer

  • SkyQuaker – Queen Kong (2019) – Recording, mixing, mastering

  • Clare Estelle – Sacred Night (2019) – Co-production, mixing, mastering

  • Black Noire – Tales of the Unaffected (2015, EP) – Producer, mixing, mastering

→ View Full Credits

Discography (Selected)

  • Void: A Sonic Pilgrimage (2025)

  • 90377 Sedna (ProtoVoid, 2024)

  • Winter of Horror (Sketchbook) (2023)

  • Fragments (2020)

  • Blanket (Original Score) (2016)

→ View Full Discography

Awards & Nominations

  • Best Soundtrack – Fragments (Out of the Can International Film Festival, 2020)

  • Best Score Nominee – Blanket (Views of the World Film & Music Festival, 2016)

  • 3rd Place – Æ Har Det Bare Bra (Innsbruck Nature Film Festival, 2013)

Personal Note

Beyond composing, teaching and research, Michael shares his perspectives on music, technology, and creative practice through YouTube and podcasts, encouraging both emerging producers and seasoned composers to explore new sonic frontiers. Rooted in his Anglo-Catholic faith, he finds balance through theology, history, and philosophy — and still treasures quiet moments with a sketchbook, a good pub, a glass of red wine, or an unhurried conversation.