Where are you currently working?
I’m a sound editor and mixer at the Sound Lounge in New York.
Current project?
I help mix “Sesame Street” and just finished sound editing for the upcoming animated show “#1 Happy Family USA” produced by Ramy Youssef, which will be available on Prime Video. Working on both has been one of the most fun things I’ve had in my career so far.
Describe your job.
As a sound editor and mixer, I am available to work on any project the company works on and apply my skills as needed. This includes working on dialogue or sound effects for one project, overseeing ADR (automatic dialogue replacement) and effects editing for another project, and mixing while overseeing other sound editors. We are faced with a variety of jobs and I love the variety. But most importantly, my job is to support the team and our customers. I know it’s a business, but I really enjoy working with my colleagues to do the best work possible and make things that people will enjoy.
How did you first become interested in this industry?
In high school, a friend recruited me to join the auditorium stage crew, where I was first exposed to live sound. The intersection of technology and creativity is so fascinating and really draws me to it. I learned how to record an orchestra and get a good drum sound, and that’s where I wanted to end up. But after a few internships, I quickly discovered that the 8am to 3am music studio life was not for me. I contacted an alumnus, Steve “Major” Giammaria, and he invited me to apply for an ADR internship at Sound Lounge. That was a turning point for me. Seeing the collaborative process between actors and directors—the countless decisions that go into making some of my favorite shows and movies—is eye-opening. I knew then that I wanted to develop my career in the same collaborative environment.
Who gave you your first break?
If by “first break” you mean my first job, it was Steve Koch. He was our machine room manager at the time and he offered me an assistant position. Since then, I have worked hard to reach my current role. If we talk about the first project break, then my work in a film called “Story Ave” was a progressive moment for me. It was one of the biggest features I’d ever worked on and my first time as a sound editing director. It’s expected to premiere at SXSW in 2023, so I have to make sure I give it my all. After leaving office, I became even more convinced about the career I wanted to have.
What was your first union job?
That would be the first season of the Netflix comedy-drama Survival of the Thicker as Dialogue Editor and ADR Supervisor/Editor. My mixer and director of sound editing, Evan Benjamin, was the real guiding light on the project. He taught me many tips and strategies to speed up my workflow. While supervising ADR, I also developed some key skills in working with actors. It was so inspiring to work with such talented people who were locked in from the beginning. Shout out to the season 1 AEs: Bart Keller and Marina Catala, who saved my life more times than I can count!
What credit or course are you most proud of?
It feels so cliche, but I’m always most proud of what I’m currently doing. I think I make progress on every project, and I always feel like my best work is what I’m going to do next. In particular, the effects edit I did on “#1 Happy Family USA” was a challenge well worth solving. I’m also proud of my work on Season 1 of Survival of the Thicker. I felt like I was working harder than I ever had before; I learned entirely new skills and workflows in a matter of days, and somehow retained them all for over eight weeks. I feel like that experience prepared me for any project.
What is the biggest challenge in your job (or on a specific project)?
The challenges faced by different jobs are always different. Recently, I was working on a short film with a client and we had been reviewing a scene involving a body being dragged across the ground. After exhausting the sound options in our library, we still haven’t found the perfect drag sound. Finally, I got up and ran to the janitor’s closet, grabbing a mop and bucket. I wet the mop, pointed the 416 (Sennheiser MKH 416 microphone) at the floor, and handed the mop to him. After a few takes, we found a movement that felt real and that’s the sound we used in the short! The inspiration that struck me in moments of utter frustration taught me that with time and a little luck, you can find a solution.
What’s the happiest thing about your job?
I have a lot of fun wandering around the office with my headphones and my H1N compact digital recorder, asking people to record the occasional little sounds that come up on my projects. Recently, I created this anime fight sequence styled after the 90s Japanese anime series “Dragon Ball Z”. I had to cross-reference the sounds with the actual performances and create sounds that matched the mood and era. I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time! Whenever you get to do something that shocks the childhood version of yourself, it’s very cool and very special.
Work-wise, what do you hope to be doing in five years?
I am very satisfied with my job now. My coworkers at Sound Lounge are great and I’m very proud to be a part of Local 700. Mixing is where I feel most creative and where I connect with my clients. I’d love to do more of this in the coming years – maybe even a full series!
What are your outdoor activities, hobbies and passions?
I like photography. I started shooting with film before 2020 and then switched to digital photography earlier this year. Film is an amazing medium that gives real-life images an ethereal quality that I love. I also really enjoy games in general: checkers, board games, card games, pen and paper, etc. See you. This has been a nice break for me in recent years.
Favorite movie? Why?
I usually give two answers to questions like this: favorite movies in general and favorite movies with sound. Overall, Daniels’ (writer/directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) “Everything Happens at the Same Time” is right there. Seeing this in the theater was a very special experience for me. I’m also a huge fan of John Carpenter’s The Thing because I think it’s truly a perfect film in terms of structure and execution. For sound, I often think of Darius Marder’s “Sound of Metal.” Using contact microphones and mimicking cochlear implants is not only creative, but feels like magic when it appears on screen. I just want to be able to make something where the sound is an integral part of the story.
Favorite TV show? Why?
I have some, but I guess I’ll just give it to Adventure Time. I absolutely love and appreciate many animated shows, but Adventure Time sums up animation perfectly for me. It’s part silly, part serious, part fantasy, part mundane, part impossible, part real. From an audience perspective, it’s a really fun, beautiful show; as a sound guy, I can’t imagine how much fun the post sound team had to do on this.
Do you have any industry mentors?
I won’t say it officially, but I often rely on the advice and knowledge of my friend and colleague Steve “Major” Guimaria. In addition to having a keen ear and an impeccable sense of sound and narrative, he often provides me with ideas and solutions from completely unexpected angles. It’s always refreshing to know his perspective on things. He’s been in my shoes, so when I have someone to ask, “Is this normal?” I’m excited to learn from him and work with someone I greatly admire.
Have you ever been in a situation where you needed to rely on your guild for help or assistance?
Not yet, but part of the reason I’m proud to be in the Guild is that I feel like I have a lot of brothers and sisters in my corner. It can be scary to think about the state of the industry and the livelihoods of professionals, but my instinct has been to lean on the community and stay united in the face of this uncertainty.
Is there anything you would like to say to guild members?
I’m a relatively young and new voice to the guild, but I hope we’re always learning and listening to each other; I get a lot out of my work when I do both with colleagues and clients Improvement, I think change is ultimately a force for good. It’s good to strive to be a little better, a little faster, and take a little pride in your work. I think change will push us all to better adapt.
Compiled by David Bruskin.
