Hollywood stardom beckons for horse with the ‘WilhelmWhinny’
ONE horse’s neigh, whinny and snort sound just like any other’s to the casual listener.
But there are subtle differences. Take that from the horse’s mouth.
One of the UK’s leading horse sanctuaries is now working with a film sound studio to find the most genuine equine sounds for use on screen.
Redwings, the horse charity, is collaborating on a project in which owners are invited to submit high-quality recordings of their horse’s noises.
The winning horse will be chosen by a panel of judges and entered into the archive of De Wolfe, suppliers of sound effects to the film industry
Those effects include the “Wilhelm Scream”, a sound file of a person shrieking that has achieved cult status.
Voiced by actor Sheb Wooley, it is named after Private Wilhelm, a character in The Charge at Feather River, a 1953 western in which the character is shot with an arrow. It has gone on to feature in more than 400 films, including Star Wars and Titanic.
Now a British horse could achieve celluloid immortality by providing the “Wilhelm Whinny” – which could be used in films for decades to come.
Nic de Brauwere, Redwings’ head of welfare and behaviour, told The Sunday Telegraph: “Horses use a complex set of quiet signals to communicate between themselves and humans.
“They will only make loud noises, such as the classic high-pitched neigh so often heard on film, in times of high stress or separation from their friends.
“It can be frustrating for those who spend time with horses to hear such noises being used out of context.”
Redwings is working with the Equilab app, a training and social network for equestrians, on the project.
Dr de Brauwere, Adam Torkelsson, the Equilab co-founder, and Janine De Wolfe, director of De Wolfe SFX, will select the winning horse.
Mr Torkelsson said: “Horses are creatures of immense personality and intelligence.
“We are delighted to be contributing to a greater depth and variety of horse noises in film.
“Through De Wolfe’s legendary archive, we can now give a horse the chance at movie stardom.”