3 minute read
LISTEN UP
Sound pros share their best advice for breaking into—and staying in—the industry
By Matthew Nerber
WHILE IT’S TRUE THAT FILM IS PRIMARILY A VISUAL MEDIUM, IT’S
the pairing of sound and moving image that makes for a truly cinematic experience. Luckily, there are many jobs for aspiring filmmakers in the sound department. A sound designer is responsible for creating the specific effects that go on a soundtrack; a sound mixer is often the head of the department, ensuring that all recorded sound is properly leveled; and a sound editor will take all the elements that make up a soundtrack—score, dialogue, effects— and weave them seamlessly into the final cut.
Whether you’re interested in mixing, designing, or editing, there are several routes you can take to land that first job. Here’s some career advice from the best in the business.
Always be on the lookout for teachers and mentors.
“I went to film school with this notion that I was going to be a cinematographer. My film professor, when I graduated, said, ‘I have a job you might be interested in: It’s working for the Saul Zaentz Film Center in Berkeley, [California,] in the sound department.’ And I said, ‘Oh, I want to be a cinematographer.’ And he said, ‘Chris, take the job. You’re gonna be rubbing shoulders with the biggest names in the business. Then see what you wanna do.’ I was working with a lot of really talented people, and I started to watch what they did and how they took all of these sounds and folded them into this track that became [an] integral part of telling [the] story in a movie.” —Christopher Boyes, sound editor, sound designer, and re-recording mixer, “Avatar”
When you’re just starting out, offer to work for free.
“I was always drawn to sound; I was always intrigued by it. [I] used to walk around the house and record stories just with sound. As I was getting ready to go to college, I thought, Maybe there’s something to this. But it wasn’t something people talked about; you just weren’t taught to do that. We had two [sound] designers come and speak to us, Richard Anderson and Mark Mangini. They were speaking about sound design, and I basically was like, ‘Oh, my God, this is it.’ I went up and asked if I could work for them, for free, as an intern. And that’s how I started with them, and [I] just kind of worked my way up.” —Karen Baker Landers, sound editor, “Skyfall”
Take a job that will get you on set with pros.
“I went freelance and did a lot of documentary work before I met a cameraman who invited me to a party, where I met a sound mixer who asked me to be a boom operator for him. It was a four-week job [and] there was no money, but I was young and hungry, so I grabbed that opportunity. His name was Lee Orloff, and he [now has] a [Cinema Audio Society Filmmaker Award]. So, somehow, I hooked up with the best, which was an amazing learning experience. While I was working with him, I got the bug to mix on my own for narrative work.” —Mathew Price, production sound mixer, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”
Be patient.
“I started off as a runnercum–tea boy in an audiovisual company, which was more to do with audio slideshows. Then, I managed to get a job as an assistant picture editor in commercials, which took me about two years of applying for lots of different jobs…. You really had to have a passion to get in.
As an assistant picture editor on commercials, it was my responsibility to lay up the sound effects, which is where I became aware of that particular discipline…. I then worked on lots of TV shows before going back to features. They were good ground to learn the skills I needed.” —Harry Barnes, sound designer, “Doctor Who”
Don’t be afraid to knock on doors and volunteer.
“I went knocking on doors of production companies, asking if I could help out on any shoots. Most of what I’ve learned has been on the job. I learned by doing: making films with equipment and other enthusiasts from a film and video workshop. I started volunteering on more professional shoots; then, I got on a trainee scheme where I was attached to various productions assisting in different departments—but mostly in sound. After that year, I worked [as an assistant] but was quickly pushed into recording sound for corporate videos and documentaries.” —Stuart Wilson, sound mixer and recordist, “1917”
George MacKay in “1917”
