July, 2026.- From the moment Jamute started working internationally, James Feeler studied how those markets operate. What he found was that, on a creative level and in the quality of sound they deliver, they were already on par with the biggest sound houses in the world. That gave him the confidence to push forward—and the response was very positive, confirming they were on the right track.
Feeler, Founder and Creative Music Director of Jamute, has built a team that has earned 117 Cannes Lions, including 1 Titanium Lion and 3 Grand Prix; 122 Clio Awards (including 2 Grand Prix); 40 D&AD Pencils; and hundreds of other awards at leading international festivals. In 2024, Jamute was ranked the #1 Audio Production Company in Brazil by the Meio & Mensagem Award and was named Production Company of the Year at the prestigious Caboré Awards.
In this interview, Feeler discusses the campaign “18 Months” for Second Nurture (Klick Health USA), which won a Yellow Pencil at D&AD, a Grand Prix at Clio Health, and 3 Golds at ADC. It starts with an inspired music choice: Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years,” which wraps the film in emotion and gently carries you toward the intensity of the judgment. Around that, the sound design shifts between truthful, realistic ambiences and moments of bold sonic creativity that fully immerse the audience in the film. That emotional precision is what resonated with so many different juries.
Feeler also reflects on working across distances—with agencies in New York, London, and São Paulo. It begins with being one hundred percent prepared on the business side: a US bank account, E&O insurance, a US entity, an address, everything an American studio would have. Then comes the team: bilingual, fluent in English and global culture. Distance stops being a barrier when preparation and relationships are strong.
On awards recognition, Feeler notes that awards are a measure of consistency. They work as a sensor, showing how the studio is performing and where their work stands on the global scene. But their attention is always on consistency—process, deliverables, and keeping and refining an amazing team—so they can increasingly become a global studio, and one of the best.
1. A Brazilian Sound Company on the Global Stage: Jamute has won awards for campaigns created by agencies in the US, UK, and Brazil—including 9 Lions at Cannes 2026. How does a sound production company from Brazil successfully compete in the US and European markets?
From the moment we started working internationally, we studied how those markets operate. What we found was that, on a creative level and in the quality of the sound we deliver, we were already on par with the biggest sound houses in the world. That gave us the confidence to push forward — and the response was very positive, confirming we were on the right track.
2. “18 Months” Across Multiple Festivals: “18 Months” for Second Nurture (Klick Health USA) won a Yellow Pencil at D&AD, a Grand Prix at Clio Health, and 3 Golds at ADC, among many others. What made the sound design for this campaign so distinctive that it resonated across so many different juries?
It starts with an inspired music choice: Christina Perri’s “A Thousand Years,” which wraps the film in emotion and gently carries you toward the intensity of the judgment. When the verdict arrives, Day Limms’ soft voice leads you into the celebration, and Charly Coombes’ vocals complete this beautiful musical journey through a deeply sensitive story. Around that, the sound design shifts between truthful, realistic ambiences and moments of bold sonic creativity that fully immerse the audience in the film. It’s a marvelous piece of musical and sound craftsmanship — and I believe that emotional precision is what resonated with so many different juries.
3. Working Across Distances: You’re working with agencies in New York, London, and São Paulo. How do you build and maintain client and agency relationships across long distances, and what’s the biggest challenge of remote collaboration in sound production?
It begins with being one hundred percent prepared on the business side: a US bank account, E&O insurance, a US entity — Jamute US LLC — an address, everything an American studio would have. Then comes the team: bilingual, fluent in English and global culture, tuned in to what’s happening in the world. Charly Coombes, one of our producers, is British, and Gabriela Alberti is an executive producer dedicated to the international market. Our team supports everything — festivals, meetings, reel presentations, contacts, referrals — while my own network keeps generating real opportunities and relationships. I’m always ready to get on a plane for a festival, an award show or a meeting with the amazing friends I’ve made in New York, Miami, Chicago, London, Madrid, Dubai, Singapore, Tokyo and beyond. That’s why I put so much energy into building the best team I can — distance stops being a barrier when preparation and relationships are strong.
4. Sound as a Strategic Differentiator: The campaigns Jamute has worked on span health, social causes, and consumer brands. What role does sound play in making a campaign emotionally resonant—and when do agencies undervalue it?
Honestly, my team and I feel very respected working with international markets. Deadlines are planned so we can deliver our best work, there are dedicated audio meetings — something unusual in Brazil — and we’re always talking to people who are completely focused on audio. So, we never feel undervalued; we love it. Sound is the most remarkable, deep, memorable and intense sensation a human being can experience — and that’s not me saying it, it’s in scientific literature. That’s why sound composed and built to fit a film precisely is so powerful. What took us to the level we’ve reached is the way we cluster creativity with the brilliant talents at Jamute. We have a true dream team, connected by creativity, and I’m proud to conduct those ideas as a producer. I can still feel my beginnings in 1996, when I did everything myself — now represented by this team.
5. From Local to International: Jamute has been working primarily with Brazilian agencies, and now you’ve built a strong international presence. What was the turning point that opened the door to US and UK agencies?
Even as an audio and music producer, I’ve always had a strong business instinct for running the studio, so I watch for opportunities — responsibly. We’re 20 people at Jamute, and I feel responsible for every one of them, so before every step I ask myself whether I can truly deliver what I promise. With that mindset, the first big call came from my dear friend Bernardo Romero, at the start of his fantastic career, and we’ve worked together ever since, always with his amazing team. My dear friends Fernando Pellizzaro and Jean Zampronho entrusted us with our first Super Bowl, three Grand Prix and a Titanium, always placing enormous trust in our production. Rafael Rizuto, an amazing friend, is now CCO at Droga5; Pim Leewankamp and Chinkara are great friends and brilliant producers — and there are many others who trust Jamute deeply. I’m grateful to all of them; the full list would be too long. This year it was time to shine with Bruno Guimarães, Fernando Fregate and Natxo at VML with Beat Cancer Off, a true work of musical production. And it keeps growing, alongside the thousands of Brazilians filling the world’s creative industry with joy.
6. The Awards Recognition: Jamute’s sound work has been recognized across Cannes, D&AD, Clio, The One Show, ADC, New York Festivals, and more. What does this level of recognition mean for a sound production company—and does it change how agencies approach you?
Awards are a measure of consistency. I’m based in Brazil, and they work as a sensor, showing how the studio is performing and where our work stands on the global scene. Being seen by market matters, of course: recognition opens doors and shows the world what our team can do. But our attention is always on consistency – process, deliverables, and keeping and refining an amazing team – so we can increasingly become a global studio, and one of the best.
