In preparation for my career following graduation from LCC I spent the first quarter of the year preparing connections in the world of audio post production for film. Most of my network is in Los Angeles, because of runner positions I held during high school, however, in anticipation for my most to New York this coming summer I spent time reaching out to studios and post production companies based in New York to express my interest and seek out advice. Following a lucky phone call with a distant family friend I was put into contact with Goldcrest Films and Formosa Group which both have audio post production studios in New York and London. After emailing back and forth with various members of the team at Goldcrest in New York I was able to get into contact with Mark Kaplan the current VP onsite. I arranged a meeting for when I was going to be visiting my younger sister in New York, and when I met up with him I received some great advice, got to tour studios A and B on site, and he was able to put me into contact with other relevant figures in audio post production based in New York.

The main takeaway I had from this meeting with Mark at Goldcrest was his emphasis on network. Not seeking out jobs and opportunities, but just making gaining contacts and establishing potential friendships that can help you out in the industry. The form of a blog post limits my ability to explain my current perspective in an academic context, however, I learned that it is more likely you will be sought out to fill a position if you aren’t driven by desperation searching for a job, but rather exposing an eagerness to learn and to be taught. Advice can be given out for free, jobs and careers cannot. The caveat is, and this is in the most positive sense, people love to give advice, especially in this industry. I have emphasized that I would like to eventually work for an established post production studio alongside my freelance practice because of my fascination of the film process as well as the appeal of the environments that I have been exposed to around this field. Current positions that I am discussing right now with Mark as well as other studio techs and studio directors mainly lie in the realm of assistant work alongside dialogue and music editors, as well as sound designers. I am very focused on the idea of starting as an assistant and learning the necessary professional skills tailored to a specific audio post production studio not only to eventually work as a lead sound designer or composer eventually, however, I also want to learn how to transfer knowledge in efficient and practical ways, so that I know how to articulate my own practice in professional contexts.