One of the pillars of our creative learning environment here at Boom Box Post is our internship program. During the program our interns shadow editors, record foley props and participate in a series of lessons encompassing the different sound services Boom Box provides, such as dialogue editing, sound effects editing and mixing. For more information on our internship program click here. We collect applications year round and would love to hear from you.
As our current class of interns nears the end of their time here at Boom Box, we wanted to showcase their unique personalities and backgrounds. We hope you enjoy this brief look into our program and our fantastic interns: Madeline Kushner and James Singleton.
Madeline Kushner
What is your background in sound, prior to joining Boom Box Post as an intern?
Mostly I took a sound design class in undergrad, to compliment my video production knowledge. The sound design class was focused on using synths, and we had digital versions of them on the computers that we could use, like Moogs and Jupiters and those sorts of things. Outside of that it was maybe just some editing that I was doing for video production projects I was working on.
What has been the most educational part of the BBP intern experience?
I'd say it's sitting with the different editors when we finish the intern assignments and getting to hear their comments and feedback on the projects. A lot of people can edit sound to picture, but getting the details and understanding of how to be more skillful is whats been great. For example, sitting with Brad for my sound editing project, it was important for him to point out that you should always have sound for things that aren't on screen, that intensify what's happening, but aren't as obvious, like a thunderstorm or lightning strike.
What is your favorite whacky, hilarious or exciting sound, heard here at Boom Box or elsewhere, and why?
Whackiest or most amusing has been sitting at the desk, being very focused on my work, then hearing Bowie(BBP Editor Mak's dog) howling like no other. She's such a small dog but she knows how to project!
What is your favorite arctic animal?
My favorite Arctic animal is an Orca whale. Originally I think it's because my brother and I loved "Free Willy," and now I just generally like them.
James Singleton
What is your background in sound, prior to joing BBP as an intern?
Well it all started with my interest in music. I always loved how much emotion music brought to films and I don’t think I realized until I was in college how much of an emotional impact sound has on the overall experience. I started diving into sound design courses that focused on incorporating all areas of sound practices for film and instantly fell in love!
What has been the most educational part of the BBP intern experience?
I would definitely say the most enlightening part is getting to have an experienced sound supervisor spot a session with you before you begin to add sound. I recently had the privilege of sitting in with Jeff and having him spot a clip I’m working on for my sound reel project. He talked about how specifically the sound should help tell the story and gave me so many excellent ideas about how to develop the sound throughout the clip to make a powerful impact, and bring the picture to life in a way I couldn’t have imagined on my own.
What is your favorite whacky, hilarious or exciting sound, heard here at Boom Box or elsewhere, and why?
I would say the most hilarious sound is when a bunch of the editors participate in creating group walla or angry kid vocalizations. It’s fun to see everyone get into character and just really have fun with what they do everyday!
What is your favorite arctic animal?
My favorite arctic animal is definitely an arctic fox! Probably just because I watch a ton of planet earth type documentaries and love seeing young arctic foxes jump around and play in the snow.