A COLLABORATIVE POST
WRITTEN BY BOOM BOX POST
Since opening our doors in 2015, we have had the privilege of teaching 25 interns. Our first intern program consisted of coming in every other day for three months and training them through field recordings, shadowing editors, setting up mix stages, and more.
We relaunched our internship program in 2021 and transformed it into a paid apprenticeship. Throughout the course of this everyday six-month program, our apprentices go through eight lessons, two final mix projects, and eventually editorial with credits. We are currently training our fifth apprentice.
Our interns and apprentices gain valuable industry experience as well as a window into Boom Box Post's internal creative processes. We reached out to a handful of previous interns and apprentices to see what they have been up to since their time with us
Evan Lomnitzer
What year was your apprenticeship?
2016
What are you currently doing?
I work as an audio and media operator at Pixelogic Media and produce music in my free time.
Did you find your internship was helpful after it was finished?
Yes, this internship was incredibly hands-on and very informative. Out of two different post house internships I completed, Boom Box Post was a much better experience and I learned a lot from it.
Since your internship, what piece of advice have you used the most/ stuck with you the most?
While I am not sure I received this advice directly; but what I’ve learned from my experience is to take opportunities that are given to you and never stop searching for these opportunities, even when you feel discouraged. Everything you do adds up.
Did you move or stay in the Burbank area?
I commuted from the Inland Empire area during the internship and currently still reside there.
ISABEL roney
What year was your apprenticeship?
October 2022-April 2023
What are you currently doing?
I’m freelance sound designing for short films, and also exploring some other aspects of film and TV, like production design and writing! One of my unexpected takeaways from working at Boom Box was being inspired by all of the different stories and types of animation currently in development. I’ve always loved animation, but it wasn’t until I was an apprentice at Boom Box that I realized I wanted to be on the team that writes new shows for kids!
Did you find your apprenticeship was helpful after it was finished?
Absolutely! Although I had a great sound design program at my university, nothing beats the hands-on learning, wonderful mentorship, and professional industry experience offered by the apprenticeship. Working at Boom Box taught me what it meant to work in the audio industry and how animated TV shows are made. It gave me the support and education I needed to grow as a sound designer and business professional, and helped me figure out how I wanted to shape my career.
Since your apprenticeship, what piece of advice have you used the most/ stuck with you the most?
The 5.1 mixing lesson with Jacob and additional practice with Kate were game-changers for when I mixed my first indie feature just a few months after completing the apprenticeship. I don’t think I could have done it without those lessons. Also, Katie definitely influenced my approach to sound designing thanks to her letting me sit in on a bunch of her editing sessions. She was always so great at explaining her process to me and answering my questions, all while designing crazy fight scenes at the speed of light. There was one time in particular where she helped me improve some explosions I was designing by building out the tails that follow the initial impact. Dissecting the layers of a sound with her definitely improved my technique.
Did you move or stay in the Burbank area?
I stayed in the LA area for about a year and a half following the apprenticeship, during which time I interned down the road from Boom Box at Nickelodeon and worked on a few short films. Now, I’m moving to Chicago to spend some time with family! I plan on continuing to sound design and write once I remember how to function when it’s less than 60 degrees out.
Colin Andrew Grant
What year was your internship?
2018
What are you currently doing?
I currently work in the game industry as music designer at Respawn Entertainment, most recently shipping the game Jedi:Survivor. I also occasionally do some freelance sound design/engineering/composing when time permits.
Did you find your internship was helpful after it was finished?
It was incredibly useful! It gave me so much insight into how to work with a team, how to take feedback/criticism and quickly iterate, and just made me an all around better editor. Right after my internship I spent a brief amount of time doing sound design for animation at a children's learning company and I could really feel how BBP prepared me for that sort of environment. An aside but my base design template in Pro Tools is actually still built on what I was taught at BBP.
Since your internship, what piece of advice have you used the most/ stuck with you the most?
I think the biggest advice that I still hold onto is to just be flexible and quick to react on the fly. Every client and project is different and it doesn't matter how good of an editor/designer you are if you're too rigid and can't adjust to what random requests and situations get thrown your way.
Did you move or stay in the Burbank area?
I left for a job opportunity in SF not too long after the internship ended and have moved all around since then, but I've actually moved back and have been living in Burbank for the last two years!
Jessie Brewer
What year was your internship?
2019
What are you currently doing?
I’m currently working full-time as a sound editor/designer for Banana Post.
Did you find your internship was helpful after it was finished?
I found the internship to be very helpful. The intern ‘assignments,’ where you get to learn and practice the different roles in editing, were especially useful. I had previous education in audio post, but the consistent and practical experience gained during this internship was invaluable. Shortly after my internship, Boom Box hired me as a part-time dialogue editor. I found seasonal work with another studio in the area through a post Kate had shared on social media. Both of those experiences helped land me my current job a few years later.
Since your internship, what piece of advice have you used the most/ stuck with you the most?
Keep your session organized. The intern assignments were big on keeping sessions organized and easy to interpret visually (through color coding, stair stepping, etc.). This is something I’ve remained conscious of and tried to incorporate into my own work ever since.
Did you move or stay in the Burbank area?
I’m still living in LA, working in Burbank.
Jon Odate
What year was your internship?
Winter 2020 (Feb-March)
What are you currently doing?
I'm currently doing freelancing for sound and music. It's not a lot of work at the moment but I'm hoping to keep building a larger clientele. Also since I'm in Japan I've been slowly working on building a library of sounds that you can only find in Japan.
Did you find your internship was helpful after it was finished?
I'm thankful for the experience I received from attending the internship program. Unfortunately due to the pandemic and lock down I never was able to properly finish the program. However from the month I was able to work there I felt I learned just enough to know how to format my editing timeline to structuring the sound used in sound mixing. I really enjoyed learning about the process of dialogue editing and digital foley.
Since your internship, what piece of advice have you used the most/ stuck with you the most?
I think what I learned most during the internship was the importance of maintaining good relationships with clients and coworkers. On top of that, maintaining good organization is great when working on sound (or even music) whether on your timeline or your sound library. Having a structured work environment is fundamental to working quickly and efficiently.
Did you move or stay in the Burbank area?
I actually moved back to Tokyo.
Due to the pandemic I found myself not finding much on set work and had more luck finding it virtually through social media. I think especially after the pandemic it became more apparent that being able to communicate with others online through social media became more practical for engaging with a larger audience.
If you would like to read more about what we do here at Boom Box Post take a look at these posts:
9 MILESTONES FOR 9 YEARS AT BOOM BOX POST
LUNCH AND LEARN: PRO TOOLS AUTOMATION 101
THE MAKING OF A SOUND LIBRARY: SHOPPING CARTS