Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1529890
66 W I N T E R 2 0 2 5 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y I've always been an advocate of learning and have found inspiration recently from listening to business audiobooks while taking a morning hike. Listening to these types of books gives me a lot of insight into human psychology, different ways to communicate effectively, and how to respect the value I can bring to a project to ensure I'm working with the right clients and being compensated at an appropriate rate. Exercise, fresh air, and the visual stimulation of nature makes my body feel good and offers a mental reset. Another source of inspiration is just talking to people and asking a lot of open-ended questions. One of my favorites is, "What's on your mind?" Not everyone will give you a life- changing answer, but you might just make someone's day by showing a genuine interest in their thoughts. When I began writing for this magazine, I was definitely outside of my comfort zone. I hated writing papers in college and, as a natural tinker, it was hard to know when to stop editing. But through talking with other mixers, I've learned there are many different ways to be a great mixer. So, I can just pick and choose what works best for me. Another wonderful thing about writing for the CAS Quarterly is that I get to pick the brains of so many of you—the best in the biz! I asked Lindsey Alvarez CAS, Craig Henighan CAS, Nicole A. Fletcher, and Ken S. Polk CAS to share what they like to do to get inspired, b y C A S A s s o c i a t e S a m C a s a s stay motivated, and get out of their comfort zones. Lindsey Alvarez CAS When I'm feeling a bit of a creative roadblock or overwhelmed, I have a few suggestions. Simply and calmly remove yourself from the console for a few minutes. Pass it over to your mix partner and go for a walk. Better yet, take a walk together and talk about anything else. If you're working on a lot, maybe you'll stumble into the property department, which has a treasure trove of film memorabilia. Speaking from experience, seeing all those cool trinkets is truly awesome and inspiring. I've also had situations where I finish the day and I'm so drained and think, "How am I going to come back with an open mind?" My answer is waking up early for a yoga workout and meditation. For me, it really works!! Craig Henighan CAS Chance Operations is something that I'll visit from time to time, having been inspired by the works of John Cage. This is the practice of generating sounds and mixes independently of how I "think" they should go together. It's akin to "throwing darts or rolling dice." You're looking for a side angle or a viewpoint that you might not have thought of if you'd built up a mix for a scene the same way you always do. It can also happen when a director says something—even one word—and it sets you off in a whole GET TING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE One of the things I find most challenging as a mixer is finding new ways to be inspired. At a certain point, you might start to think, well, I know how to do the job, but perhaps I'm falling into a rut. So how can we think outside of the box, keep growing, overcome obstacles, and get out of our comfort zone? Lindsey Alvarez CAS Craig Henighan CAS Sam Casas