MPSE Wavelength

M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S I 15 record me doing more complicated Foley. I was also able to do the sound design, but not the mix. Indiana Bones & Raiders of the Last Bark was my first credit as a soundperson. In a week, it got over a million views. At the same time, I was working as a PA in a music studio called Seahorse Sounds for a former professor of mine, Mehdi Hassine. I was setting up sessions and equipment for artists, changing mics when needed, doing the craft services and running errands for anything that needed to be done for the recording session. I also worked as an audio archivist for another former professor, Vickie Sampson, on a project dedicated to her mom, the Kay Rose Sound Preservation Project. We would take old 35mm film reels from her sound library and transfer them into Pro Tools. I learned how they edited sound before the digital technology! Ms. Sampson would also hire me to be a voice in her loop groups. At one point, I took on a 72-hour film project where you would make an entire film from script, production, and post in 72 hours. I would not turn down any work. My drive and ambition was noticed. Mehdi Hassine noticed I was doing Foley gigs on a regular basis and introduced me to Advantage Audio Post Sound Services in Burbank, CA. They were hiring a VTR (video tape recorder) assistant. I showed up in a suit and did not get the job. But a few weeks later, they remembered that I do Foley and hired me as a secondary Foley mixer for animation. Since this would be my first gig at a new studio, I was asked to sit in with their primary Foley mixer at the time, Aran Tanchum, to get a feel for what I needed to do, where to place my work files, and pick his brain about his technique and his workflow. I sat with him and John Sanacore for weeks. I went back to my Foley professor, Solange Schwalbe, and asked her for advice. I even went to her Foley class the day before my first day at Advantage Audio Post to make sure I was on the right path. She assured me that I would do well! Shortly after, I went on to record my first Foley session for Scooby-Doo! Advantage Audio Post would continue to call me every few weeks. Their primary Foley artist, John J. Lampinen, their weekend Foley artist, Craig Ng, and I really clicked. I worked on everything and anything for them, sometimes bringing in my old clients like Zach King for his commercial work. Five years later, I am still with Advantage Audio Post. In my second year in 2017, I was nominated for two MPSE Golden Reels and an Emmy nomination. The following year, I received another Golden Reel nomination and an Emmy nomination. By the end of my fourth year, I received two Emmy nominations. Finally, in 2020, my fifth year, I won an Emmy! Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Daytime Emmys were streamed virtually. They used social media to announce winners. I was among the many staring at my Twitter and Instagram account to see if my team and I had won an Emmy. Suddenly, it was announced, "Best Sound Editing in a Preschool Animated Program goes to... Elena of Avalor!" I jumped! We won!! It was all so surreal. My mind immediately raced through my short but amazing career (up to this point). It has all happened so fast and I am constantly aware that that's not an every-year occurrence. I feel blessed to have the career I have always wanted. David Bonilla has been an active member of the MPSE since 2019. He is a graduate of Video Symphony and a Foley mixer/artist at Advantage Post Sound Services. L-R: John J. Lampinen (Foley artist), David Bonilla (Foley mixer), and Craig Ng (Foley artist) at Advantage Post Sound Services in Burbank, CA. David Bonilla and fiancée Giovanna dressed up and celebrated the 2020 Daytime Emmy Awards at home. The ceremony was held on June 26.

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