# Where to go for re-recording/foley mixing?



## Paul Iverson (Aug 8, 2016)

Hello - I am at a crossroads in my life and looking for some advice/guidance. 

I graduated from Hofstra U with a BA IN Film/TV back in 1995. Took a straight corporate job outside the industry for 20 years while dabbling in video/audio editing/mixing on the side. Doing the work comes naturally to me, but I need to brush up on the technical side and get back into it fully. 

I'm 43 now and have some perspective on life and dealing with the real world. I live in Southern California working part-time (gave up the miserable corporate world for the time being) and am thinking of either going back to school FT or taking classes to get the training and network.

I am having a hard time finding programs than focus on audio production/mixing/foley for film and TV. The Recording Arts program at LAFS appears to be an excellent fit for what I am looking for. 
Recording Arts Course List - The Los Angeles Film School
My concerns are that the school is terribly pricey and recent reviews indicate that they are more about recruiting than actually teaching. A red flag goes up when ads for the school appear everywhere.

I am trying to find schools in the area with similar programs (UCLA, USC, Chapman) but yet to find one that fits.

Any advice, perspective or tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you kindly.


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## skip (Oct 18, 2016)

As I remember back on my time at USC, I was a serious member of the Sound Department.  And in spite of my years of exposure, not to mention my taking most every sound class you could, I still feel like mixing was something that I had only basic exposure to.  Yes, we were shown consoles and how compressors, EQ and reverbs worked.  Yes, we had instruction on faders and yes we completed mixes for other students and ourselves.  But with all that, I still wouldn’t say we were taught _how_ to mix.

But that was a long time ago.  And, as curricula do evolve, I thought I would reach out to a couple of colleagues at USC and LMU and ask what they thought of their programs now.

The USC instructor replied with, ‘We’re trying to teach a bit of mixing but we are, bottom line, a film school full of directors…’  That leads me to believe that my position might still hold true.

The LMU contact said that his program was a much broader, less focused undergrad program that headed more in the director of Mx mixing.  Again, not something that sounds Film mixer-centric.

When I think about that, plus the fact I see you already have a degree in Film & TV, I would assume the pursuit of another formal degree might not be of interest, not to mention expensive, and still might not result in the abilities, confidence and expertise necessary to land a gig.  The other thing I noticed about the posting is that the goal mentions Mixing, but with diffused focus, mentioning 'audio production, mixing, Foley’ as potentials.  I have come to find out that, professionally, those skill sets are drastically different.  I should also point out this business is quick to pigeonhole people, even in Sound.  Most people would not quickly assume that a Dx editor can cut Fx or  - and this is a real example - that an ADR Supervisor could possibly become a Re-Recording Fx Mixer.

Should you chose a career as a Foley or ADR mixer, you might later find the leap to becoming a Feature Re-Recording Mixer excruciatingly difficult.  Not because of abilities or limited slots (which is exceedingly true), but rather because of people’s perception.  That is one bit of advice I feel compelled to mention.

That having been said, we all have to start somewhere.

Then there’s this other part of mixing no one really talked about when I was coming up:  client relations.  At least half of a Mixer’s job happens behind the credenza - a fair amount of Feature and ADR mixing is keeping the clients/talent happy.  No matter the skill on faders, the less flexible, the more disagreeing or argumentative, the greater lack of people skills, the worse the mixer.  Period.  Personality is a huge component.

And then there’s the discussion of having to hustle clients.  Where does the work come from??  That’s an entirely other, daunting task...

Back to the question at hand:  what would people recommend?   I reached out to some colleagues here to see if they had some alternative ideas.  Below is a collection of info and suggestions I received from several editors and mixers.

Schools / Programs
—------------------------
USC - USC Cinematic Arts | Film & Television Production

UCLA - School of Theater, Film and Television | UCLA

LMU - Recording Arts

SAE Institute Los Angeles - Los Angeles, CA

The Los Angeles Film School - Learn Filmmaking at The Los Angeles Film School

Los Angeles Recording Connection - Los Angeles Recording Connection AUDIO & MUSIC SCHOOL

Full Sail University (this one comes HIGHLY regarded) - Full Sail University

Vancouver Film School (also recommended) - https://vfs.edu


Supporting Articles
--------------------------
Hollywood Reporter Top 25 Film Schools - Yale University  - THR Ranks the Top 25 American Film Schools

Top Film Schools - https://www.smc.edu/StudentServices/TransferServices/AreasofStudy/Documents/top_film_schools.pdf

Best Audio Engineering Schools in LA (has links to several other similar posts at the bottom of this post) - Best audio engineering school in Los Angeles? - Gearslutz Pro Audio Community

Audio Assemble - Best 24 Audio Engineering Schools in the U.S.A - 2016

Being settled in LA, the out-of-area programs mentioned (NY, Florida, Vancouver) might have little appeal.  Because I saw value in the program comparisons, I decided to cast a wide net anyway, in case review of these programs helps reveal any insights and/or narrow focus.

Lastly, there was a bit of consensus from editors I work with that perhaps the best, most efficient way to acquire training is on the job.  I would agree that much of what I learned to do now didn’t come from my degree, but rather by being in close proximity to process and learning by osmosis… or failure.  The closer you can get to the action, the better.  Keep in mind that might not be in an employed position.  Might interning be an option?  If making rent isn’t a pressure at the moment, perhaps donating time - in lieu of tuition - might start the ball rolling.  Certainly, the smaller the studio, the more likely the chance of learning the actual process and opportunities for putting hands on faders.

This last one is tough, I’ll admit.  Working at a major studio, I too, bemoan the fact that neither they nor the union seems interested in or have the ability to demand the training of future generations of editors and mixers.  Neither is there the money in the budget to properly staff a feature film, let alone have additional funds for an introductory position like apprentice or PA.  And THEN there’s the issue of having non-employed persons, whose presence on lot leads to additional liabilities such as the risk of injury or exposure to unreleased content.  Finding the right entry level will inevitably prove challenging.

People always ask me, ‘How do you get in the business?’  I’ve come to realize there is no, true answer since everyone’s entry story is different.  Kind of like finding your soul mate.  How do you do that?  Probably some combination of preparation and absolute, dumb luck.  Schools and their structure help alleviate that fear of entry, but it still exists even with a certified training.  And, of course, having a diploma can mean very little in opening the right doors.  The hardest part might be navigating the uncertainty and finding that perfect person or opportunity and jumping in with both feet.

My advice would probably be to focus your energies on starting your career and find the training on the job.  And, one more thing: don’t wait for that opportunity to find you.  It’s likely it won’t on its own.  Instead, make it happen.

Wishing you the best of luck as you navigate this business.


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