Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1521956
21 S U M M E R Q 2 I S S U E W H A T O U R M E M B E R S D O alumni who work in the film industry. One in particular, Rob McIntyre, was working in post sound, and that's what I wanted to do. I interned with him in Los Angeles for a summer, and after I graduated, he took me under his wing and gave me my first sound jobs. It was the opportunity of a lifetime. Right out of college, I was working on Foley editorial for "SpongeBob SquarePants" and sound effects editorial for various other TV shows. Rob and I are still great friends. When I get the chance to work with him now, it's always a nostalgic and gratifying experience. I can't thank him enough for basically fostering my sound career. Q: What was your first union job? That was on a Disney+ series called "She-Hulk." I only did a few episodes of that show. After that, I quickly jumped to "Ms. Marvel" where I was sound effects editing for the whole season. So it was kind of like a "2-for-1 First Union Gig" special. Q: What credits or projects are you proudest of, and why? Although I've been professionally sound editing for over a decade, one of the projects I'm proudest of occurred about a year ago when I worked on my f irst commercial theatrical feature film, "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania." I was asked to be the Foley supervisor, and it was an incredible experience. In all honesty, we also had an amazing crew that I was honored to be a part of. That movie will always have a spe- cial place in my heart. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I edited sound effects on my first Star Wars show, "The Acolyte." I'm both a Star Wars fan and a sound design enthusiast, so the magni- tude of experiencing that "first" was, and still is, mind-blowing for me. Q: What was your biggest challenge in your job (or on a particular project) and how did you overcome/solve it? As a woman in a male-dominated in- dustry, I find that every new project or new studio is a challenge, especially when you're the only female or one of a few women on a team. Women have a different approach to making our opinions and artistic value known within those realms. A big part of that is learning the dynamic of the crew you're on and learning how to navigate many different personalities while also being your own champion. It's not always an easy thing, but I tend to let my work speak for itself and the rest seems to follow. However, there are times where being your own champion is paramount and takes precedence over any type of work. In those moments, you have to choose yourself and your own well-being. Q: What was the most fun you've had at work? I'm a big believer that "the crew makes the show." I've been fortunate enough to work on some creative and fun post-sound crews. Since I work mostly from home and across the country from the crew I'm on, it's always rewarding to meet these folks in person. Back in December, I flew to San Francisco to meet my fellow crew members for a Marvel Spotlight show I did this past summer, "Echo," as well as a few other crew members from other shows I've worked on. I had a blast. They are all extraordinary people and I'm honored to be able to call them my friends. Q: Jobwise, what do you hope to be doing five years from now? Honestly, I am so happy with the status quo. I love what I do. I love the people I work with. I love that I am constantly learning and growing as a sound professional. So maybe that's the hope: just keep learning, growing and being able to challenge myself with something new on each project. However, if I did have to pick something, I would love to do some immersive-type sound design or sound editorial for a Disney attraction. That's been a lifelong dream of mine. Q: What are your outside activities, hobbies, passions? Outside of what I do professionally, I love weightlifting. I do a lot of deadlifts and bench presses in my basement in the wee hours of the morning. I'm also a huge Disney fan, so I try to get to Walt Disney World when I have a hiatus. But aside from that, any free time I have is spent with my wife and my daughter. They're the reason I work so hard. We recently signed up our daughter to play soccer, and I cannot wait to be a "soccer mom." Q: Favorite movie(s)? Why? Oh man. There are so many. I'd have to say that my absolute favorite movie of all time is "A Goofy Movie." (I'm currently drinking coffee out of my "A Goofy Movie" mug!) In no particular order after that, some of my favorites are "The Mummy" and "The Mummy Returns," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze," "Toy Sto- ry 2," "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Star Wars: Episode V — The Empire Strikes Back," "The Muppet Christmas Carol," and "Tron: Legacy." "Tron: Legacy" was one of the first films I saw that inspired me to pay close attention to sound and dive head-first into film sound as a career. The movie has such a unique palette of sound effects and sound choices. It piqued my interest, to say the least. Q: Favorite TV program(s)? Why? Once again, there are a lot, but I recently caught up with the first two seasons of "The Bear" in order to prepare myself for the next season that's coming out soon. I've also been deeply absorbed in "Shō- gun" on FX. It's such a compelling and visceral experience. From top to bottom, it's produced exceptionally well, and the sound is incredible. Q: Do you have an industry mentor? I feel that as we go through different stages in our careers, we come across different people who want to mentor us, to offer guidance and ultimately elevate us. O ver the past two years, I've been working closely with sound designer and supervising sound editor Jon Borland. He has an incredible ear for what needs to be going on at any moment, not only to create something sonically stunning but also to propel the story forward. It's been amazing to see how he works and to work with him. He makes me a better sound effects editor — and he's a pretty cool dude as well! Q: What advice would you offer to some- one interested in pursuing your line of SEE PAGE 52