more punk than punk
Director: Azeem Rajulawalla
Producers: Azeem Rajulawalla, Thomas Sheriff
Festival Selections: Aesthetica Film Festival, Doc'n Roll Film Festival
Role: Sound Editing, Re-Recording Mixer
Overview
More Punk Than Punk is a feature documentary exploring the life and cultural impact of Aki Nawaz, the outspoken frontman, musician, and activist who challenged what punk could mean. Directed by Azeem Rajulwalla and produced by Azeem Rajulwalla and Thomas Sheriff, the film examines rebellion, identity, and the power of music to push against the mainstream.
Noise and Order joined the project to handle the final sound mix and bring cohesion to a film rich with archive, live performance, and interview material.
Challenge
The documentary arrived ready for a mix, but I felt that with a little additional audio editing and worldbuilding, the film could feel more polished and immersive — something that would truly match its bold visual storytelling and musical energy.
The recordings were generally strong, but the mix of sources — interviews, TV archive, live gigs, and voiceovers — needed clean-up, tonal matching, and atmosphere to sit comfortably together.
Approach
I handled dialogue editing, noise reduction, and sound design, using iZotope RX and Clear to clean and balance the material without losing its raw punk character.
Some subtle design layers were added to build atmosphere and narrative flow — small moments that give the film its sense of place and energy.
The film was mixed for both online and cinema playback, ensuring clarity, dynamic impact, and consistency across platforms.
I loved the creative process — music is close to my heart, and this project’s spirit of challenging the status quo really resonated.
Collaboration
I was brought into the project through director Edem Kelman, who introduced me to Azeem Ismail at a Dailies screening.
Working with Azeem was a genuine pleasure — we share similar values and interests, and his thoughtful approach to documentary storytelling made the collaboration easy and inspiring.
Outcome
The finished film feels cohesive and broadcast-ready — true to its punk ethos, but refined enough for festival and online audiences.
It’s now premiering at Doc’n Roll Festival and has been officially selected for the Aesthetica Film Festival, where it continues to reach audiences who value art with both attitude and insight.
I’m thrilled to have been part of it — and I’m looking forward to working with Azeem again. He’s an incredibly talented documentary filmmaker, and More Punk Than Punk shows just how powerful his perspective is.
