Being Present

By Aaron Carter

As a Film and Digital Media major, my work involves wearing many different hats. Some days I set up lights in a studio, or operate a camera.  Other days I’m working on a screenplay, editing a film, or maybe even working with actors! One of my favorite jobs is working with sound. Some of my most memorable moments were those spent in the recording studio at Castellaw. I have recorded everything from punching sound effects to radio dramas. I have recorded audio and dialog for entire movies there—alone in the little soundproof room, waving my arms around like an idiot, trying to produce what I thought a scared frog might sound like.

I have however learned that the room is not completely soundproof. I was recording a series. This means I made the sound about twenty times over the course of a minute, got into it. One time I was imitating what it might sound like to get shot, and I got really into it. While I was recording, I noticed someone looking through the window on the door and they took off laughing. I was almost embarrassed. Almost. But I knew that I needed to craft the best voice effects possible, even if it meant looking like a fool! If I had tried to play it cool and produce that, it never would have worked. Your throat goes dry and you do things quietly and the work always turns out bad.

What I mean to say is this: If you do not allow yourself to be completely present while you’re working, you are usually wasting your time. Nothing amazing can be done halfheartedly. That does not mean you must like everything you do. But you must do everything to the best of your ability, even if it involves getting weird looks!