Say Smile and don’t be a Prick
I gave a talk at the UNC School of the Arts Sound Department last week along with my good friend and colleague Elisheba Ittoop about life as a a sound designer three and four years out of school and the differences between being a resident sound designer (me) and a freelance sound designer (Elisheba). The first question that was asked was “How do I get a job?” This isn’t surprising, especially for the students about to graduate, but it’s one of the hardest questions to answer. Beyond all the typical advice about resumes and portfolios, it boiled down smiling and not being a prick. When you’re in a theater for 14 hours at a time, the last thing you want is to hang out with someone mean or someone who is grumpy. We’ve both found that having that smile on your face makes you someone others want to continue to work with. It’s a little thing, but I’ve done the opposite in the past and have been working on it and am much better then I was say three years ago, but it’s good to be reminded of this lesson and to try and practice it.
