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SoundGirls at Mix Sound for Film

Every year in the fall Mix Magazine presents a Sound For Film and TV conference.  Hosted at Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City, California, it is a congruence of the many different facets of film and television sound.  This year SoundGirls had a good showing, there was an energetic group of volunteers that braved the morning rain to register and greet the attendees. SoundGirls were attendees and even presenters.

New member Kristina Morss was excited about the wide variety of panels.  She lamented that the Animation and First Man panels were at the same time, which meant she could not go to both.  Coming from a video editing background, Kristina wanted to learn more about the sound side of post-production.  She had heard of the event from the Soundworks Collection, which also records some of the panels and hosts them on their website.

I too struggled to narrow my itinerary. Beginning with the keynote Scott Gershin, who focused on the possibilities of immersive sound, I made sure to see a sampler of different sound niches.  The Parade of Carts presented by Cinema Audio Society is always a must-see for me because each Mixer’s cart is a master class in problem-solving on set.

Parade of Carts

At the Animation Panel presented by Motion Picture Sound Editors panelist Eileen Horta promoted being bold, while she and the other panelists warned the differences between animation and live action.

Karol Urban moderated the Mixing Dialog: Audio Pipeline Panel, which followed the dialog process from location recording to final mix. You can listen to the panel Karol moderated here

To round off my day I attended the Future is Female Panel. This was the only panel with only women presenters, but that was not the focus of the talk. Each panelist is a respected composer in the industry, and each one presented a sample of their work and an explanation of their creative process.  Other panels that I missed included Composing for Video-games, The Sound of A Star is Born, Ambisonic Recording, and hands-on Dolby Atmos demonstrations.

Future is Female Panel

At the cocktail hour, there was finally time for networking.  Breakfast and lunch held similar opportunities but within a shorter time frame.  It was in these brief moments that I connected with another new SoundGirl Julie Keller, a former choreographer who is pursuing her new love of sound editing.  She told me about the panel on The Sound and Music of Black Panther, and how the design balanced between the cultural (African drums) and the futuristic. Afterward, I went to the local SoundGirls meeting and met even more amazing people in the industry.

This was my third time attending the Sound For Film and TV conference, and it keeps getting better.  The panels and talks are always insightful, and they cover many aspects of sound for film. I feel that there is almost not enough time to see all of the panels I was interested in, and there’s a lack of networking time.  I would also like to see more booths and vendors. Overall, however, I just want to see this event continue and grow. Let’s get more SoundGirls there next year!

Editors’ note: Althought SoundGirls was not involved with Mix for Film & TV Sound, we hosted an event at Sony Studios in September. You can view our panel discussion here. Moderated by Anne Marie Slack – Panelists: Karol Urban, Kate Finan, Onnalee Blank, and April Tucker

 

Teaching the Next Generation of Audio Engineers

Life hardly ever takes the simplest route.  Many in the field of Audio embody this sentiment.  When I first moved to the Nashville area from the West Coast (I live in neither location now), I joined the Nashville Chapter of the Audio Engineering Society on Facebook, and as soon my request to join was approved I received a friend request.  I am no social butterfly and was surprised by the notification. Audio Instructor and Engineer Jill Courtney noticed that another female Sound Engineer had joined her beat, and that was reason enough for her to connect. However, in getting to know Jill, I learned that it is natural for her to mentor and support her sisters in arms.  In the spirit of #breakingtheglassfader, I thought I would get Jill to share some of her secrets of teaching the next generation of SoundGirls.

What is your current job title?

Audio/Video Producer/Educator of JCreative Multimedia at www.jillcourtney.com

What subjects and grade levels have you taught? Any preference?

I have taught K-12 and college, and I think I prefer college, with middle school being a close second. High school would be third, and elementary fourth. I love all my students, though. I just relate to college and middle school students the most. Both college and middle school are defining periods in a student’s life.

What got you into teaching audio?

My first truly entrepreneurial adventure was a partnership called Sharkbait Studios, which originated in NYC. When my partner and I relocated the company to Nashville, we were networking among the local universities, of which there are many. During a networking meeting with the Chair of the Music and Performing Arts department at Tennessee State University, the Chair asked for my resume, and I happened to have it handy. Right then and there, he asked if I would teach TSU’s audio production classes, and he even utilized me as an applied voice instructor and the Director of the vocal jazz ensemble.

I was newly out of my Master’s program at New York University and had only taught music, voice, Spanish, and other K-12 topics. Once I taught at TSU for a year, I was in demand as an adjunct (ha!). I ended up working for Belmont University, The Art Institute of Tennessee-Nashville, and Nashville Film Institute, along with a 2-year out-of-state residency at Lamar State College-Port Arthur, where I taught Commercial Applied Voice, Songwriting, Piano, Music Theory, etc. Once back in Nashville, Sharkbait Studios was closed and JCreative Multimedia, my sole/soul venture was established.

What skills (both audio and life skills) do you focus on in your classroom?

I teach my students to listen to details in the music at hand, do their best in building the sound from the ground up, if that is their task, editing when the materials are flawed, and polishing a song into a finished product for online, CD or video applications. I teach them to keep the end goal in mind from the start, to plan too much, protect the quality of sound at every stage, and be a life-long learner without ego. Once you think you are a badass, you are finished. The most revered artists are the ones who are never good enough for their own standards and strive to be better than their former selves with every new project. I believe each new project should reflect an evolution of growth, and personally, I don’t believe in stagnating. So my skill set is constantly being added to or refined. A growth mindset is where it is at, and I hope that conveys amongst my students.

Equally important, I teach them that they must be prepared, punctual, professional, persistent and passionate about their work. If one of those elements slips, then the commitment won’t be present enough to find continued success over time, unless they luck upon a hit or a really fortunate employment scenario. I teach them to be twice as good and half as difficult as their competitors. In addition, I think it is important to paint a picture of reality for them on the job, because I would be doing my students a great disservice if I made it seem easy or glamorous because it takes a lot of years of hard work for the ease and glamour to show up, if ever it does.

I also teach my students the importance of beating deadlines. If a song or project is due on Tuesday, to have it done completely on Sunday to allow for tech glitches, tweaks or a buffer time for life to mess with you. Inevitably, life WILL mess with you, so having the peace of mind and a happy client is worth the extra effort. I love to under-promise and over-deliver with my clients. Often, the only pat on the back I get is a return client and a recommendation, and that is how I know I am doing well. This business isn’t for those who need verbal praise.

My students hear me preach about the importance of knowing the business side of the industry (music or film) as much as the technical/creative side. This is how you can be forever employable and indispensable to a company, team, or client.

What is generally your first lesson?

All lessons begin with the ear. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am an excellent talker. However, it is my listening ability that keeps me working. Learning about the craft of sound in relation to spaces, the tools you utilize, and the subjects you wish to preserve through video and/or sound are crucial. But learning how to listen and reiterate what a client is seeking is perhaps equally crucial. If they come to you for a country track and leave with one that is a little too rock-like, they may love it, but will feel unheard or manipulated on some level. If the client makes those decisions along the way, that is one thing. But the client needs to steer that ship, and as professionals, it is our job to facilitate that vision and only inject our creativity or opinions if requested. There is such nuance in human communication, especially these days. Being a great listener and an effective communicator is arguably as important as having well-refined artistry.

What have you learned from teaching?

Teaching had refined my own skill set immensely. I wouldn’t know my craft as well if I didn’t have the pressure of being on top of my game so I don’t make a fool of myself in front of a room full of students. Especially in audio, being a minority, I have to know my subject well, or inevitably, it will become a reason why a student is disrespectful or discards my authority or knowledge. Teaching has also highlighted where my strengths and weaknesses exist. It has allotted me a second chance at fully learning the parts in which I was deficient, so I can parlay that effectively, and has given me practice and a platform for showing off my strengths, conveying my secrets to success with the true joy for teaching and helping others. It has given me as much as I have given to the world over the last 20 years of teaching. I have also connected with the next generations in a way that I never would have otherwise. I love kids and young adults, but I never wanted to be a mom. In this way, I get to leave a legacy in the minds of the masses, which better serves humanity, in my opinion,/circumstance.

Why is it important to include Arts (and STEM) in the general curriculum?

Funny you should ask this, as it is so very timely. My current research for my graduate Ed.S. program in Educational Leadership through Lipscomb University is focused on this very subject. The title of my research is “Promoting gender equity in audio and other STEM subjects.” I think that audio fields, specifically, are a perfect merge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math, and with the new STEAM initiatives that are trending, the Arts portion is also covered. With STEM skills, it allows students to be versatile, and ultimately more successful in their future adult endeavors, which translates into more economic security, which translates into less hardship.
The more skills you have, the less you will starve. I am a walking advertisement for that fact, cause this body hasn’t missed a meal in 42 years. Ha!

What makes audio a unique subject to teach?

Audio/Sound is a trade or skill that at its root seems simplistic in nature. However, as you peel back the variables, the other factors around it become more vital. The space, the tools chosen, the subject, the mood, the health of the individual… there are so many variables that can distinguish one moment in time from another. And yet, it is also an art form. Some pay little attention to the process with a sole focus on the product, but audio must consider both as equally crucial. To further investigate, the business side, legalities, personal relationships, niche markets, and self-concept/limitations can all play into the final scope of one’s career in audio. It is unpredictable, beautiful and an immense challenge. It can be a dream come true or a total nightmare, and everything in between. Teaching this subject is as subjective as each individual in the class. It is constant differentiation.
Not everyone has an equally musical ear. Not everyone has gumption. Not everyone is healthy. Not everyone is intrinsically motivated. The best I can do is find out more about my students (by listening) and then cater to their strengths and enhance any identified weaknesses or lack of knowledge, provided that they are open to allowing me to do so.

I know you started a girl’s club in one of your schools, what was your goal in implementing it? How did your students respond? Do you have an interesting story from the group?

First, Nashville Audio Women Facebook group is an online place of connection for the few women who are studying and/or working in audio/sound in Nashville. The other was a girls’ club that I began at the middle school where I was teaching last year. My main mission for this club was girls’ empowerment because the middle school years are perhaps the most crucial for a growing girl in so many ways. Many of my students from that school, a Title 1 school, don’t have strong role models in their lives. Many had never met a woman like me.

Developing relationships based upon trust and respect was my primary goal. My secondary goal was to allow them to observe me as a strong female in this world, and once they knew me, they paid attention to how I interacted with the world. Another goal was to give them a person whom they could come to with all the questions they might have about being a female, kind of like an open-minded big sister. I think in this way, I was able to act as a role model that is unique – one that teaches because she digs helping kids, but also goes out and makes movies and recordings, sings with a rock band, pursues more academic degrees, and obsesses over animal photography in her non-teaching time. I wanted them to see that all of this is possible so that they might internalize it. My bottom line with my girls was to instill confidence and parlay life lessons. While they picked up on all of these things, they also wanted a space (in my classroom) where they could play touch football without boys. They wanted a place to paint their nails and video fake-fights for Snapchat. They wanted to ask me about boys and about periods and how to handle dramas with “haters.” I provided the space for all of that, as much as I could. I let the students direct how their club would go, largely, because I wanted them to build their own capacity as leaders and give them an honored voice.

How is mentorship important for young audio students?

I have many mentors. Many have been men, but I have found some incredible women too in more recent years. I believe they are crucial to growth and can help guide your career and provide you with a reality check and advice as you navigate the workplace. Mine are nothing short of lifesavers. For young audio students, I think one thing they don’t realize is that if all are successful, the audio instructor will eventually become a colleague, so the relationship they build with teachers is ever the more crucial. The teachers can help them find employment, write recommendation letters, and help them create lifelong connections. The reach of the teacher is often the potential reach of the student if the student proves her/himself to be worthy of such extensions of help and resources.

Any advice for the next generation?

Oh my, where do I begin? Well, I would highly suggest that any interested potential audio/sound student be as crystal clear as possible on the economic realities of this industry right now. I would encourage them to build an arsenal of skills that they can utilize in a variety of related industries. I would recommend focusing on the parts of the industry with the most jobs and welcoming atmospheres, and to be open-minded to all styles of music and sound jobs. I would also advise that they interview as many people as they possibly can along the way so that they can make informed decisions about how they want to paint their lives. Education has been key for me in remaining relevant and employed, both in the industry and beyond, and while I probably take it to an extreme that not everyone can handle, I recommend being a life-long learner. I am like a sponge with information, and am wholly unafraid to admit that I am uneducated in certain areas, but these are often the areas that arouse my curiosity. My former boss called me the ‘Swiss Army Knife’ of the department, which is flattering and probably a bit accurate. I want my students to be similar so that they can survive in their chosen industry for as long as it makes sense for them.

In addition, I always thought my career would be linear. We are always taught this as we grow up. But my career has taken the most unpredictable zigzags, and I have finally come to understand that in some cases, this is the norm. This business rarely sees someone graduate with a college degree, go into the field, stay at the same company and retire with a pension. So creative thinking, a diverse skill set and a willingness to change it up when necessary are crucial for forward motion

 

Basic Sound Circuit Glossary

Have you ever read the spec sheet on your favorite piece of gear and wondered what the terms mean?  Are you interested in modifying your gear, but are intimidated by the jargon? Now you can have a cheat sheet for those little components that work hard to make electricity into music.

Active device – A component that uses an outside electrical signal to control current.  Transistors are generally active devices.

Attenuator – A signal dampening device that is often in the form of a potentiometer (pot), a variable resistor like a volume knob or fader, but can be as simple as a single resistor.

Capacitor – A passive component that stores charge, and is often used in the circuit like a temporary battery.  It is also used to remove unwanted DC electricity from a circuit. When repairing circuits this is the little demon that can cause harm even when the power is off.  It also has a tendency to short, and is generally the first component to go bad.

Diode – A component that only allows current to pass one way.  It is used in voltage rectifying (turning AC into DC). Light emitting diodes (LED) are another common application for these components.

Inductor – A passive component that stores magnetic charge, and resist changes in current.  It can be used to block AC electricity while allowing DC to pass through.

Load – Any device that you plug into your designed circuit.  It is the catchall term, especially when the circuit is in the designing stage.

Operational Amplifier – A voltage amplifier that uses an external DC voltage to produce a high gain output.  It often takes the difference between two input signals and outputs a single amplified signal. They are a key component in analog circuits, and have a variety of useful functions when combined.

Oscillator – A circuit that creates a periodic signal, often sound when energized, usually by a DC signal.  There are a variety of ways to build an oscillation circuit, but many of them function on the principle of creating a feedback cycle that self-sustains.

Passive device – A component that does not control the electrical current by means of an outside electrical signal.

Resistor – The simplest, passive component on your circuit board.  It attenuates or dampens the signal. Every circuit has a resistor in some form, and a circuit without any resistance is a short.

Transformer – A device that transfers electricity to another circuit using magnetically coupled inductors.  They can be used to step-up or step-down the voltage from one circuit to the next.

Transistor – An active device that can amplify or switch electric signals.  It is one of the key components in electronics. They are used in analog and digital circuits, and can be found in tube or chip form.

 

Editing Sound Girls into Wikipedia

This March I unofficially participated in Kickstarter’s Art+Feminism Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon.  An edit-a-thon is an event where the attendees edit and update Wikipedia articles. Often these events have a specified purpose, and with Art+Feminism it was about women and the arts. While it generally happens in March, the Art+Feminism banner has hosted over 500 events almost every week across the globe since 2014. Events have occurred in places like the Ivory Coast, New Zealand, Uruguay, United States, and Germany.

Why is editing a Wikipedia article so important?

First of all, Wikipedia is the modern equivalent of an encyclopedia; it is the first stop in finding an answer. With over 5.6 million articles in the English language, it is one of the most comprehensive collections of knowledge available. Currently, there are very few female Wikipedia editors and a very small percentage of female-related articles. Art+Feminism is looking to change that by training new Wikipedia editors (it could be you or me or anyone). They are not the only ones either. Wikipedia has its own group of Wikiprojects dedicated to providing female-related articles.

Editing an Article

While I had not formally edited a Wikipedia article before, I was vaguely familiar with their style and guidelines, so I thought I would try my hand in becoming a Wikipedia editor and share my experiences with SoundGirls. I had some knowledge of formatting and citing in the Wikipedia style, but I also made sure to keep several tabs open of Wikipedia’s helpful tutorials.

Wikipedia requires strict standards in sources, citations, and sentence structure. There is a lot to keep in mind when writing an article, and so Wikipedia has tutorials and templates to copy from. Self-promotion is not permitted when creating an article. Therefore, sources cannot be a personal website or an IMDB page. Bias is also frowned upon, which means many controversial articles are locked from the fledgling editor.

Often new editors are guided to almost complete topics, ones that only need cleanup in citations or a couple of extra facts.  Many niche articles are plagued with improper citation and writing flags. From there, an editor can build up their chops before turning to a completely new article. Focusing on pre-existing articles also helps with the moderating backlog that is a constant problem for Wikipedia.

Creating an Article

Even knowing all of this, I still decided to create a completely new article.  I wrote about Karen Lam, a female film director, and producer, known for her horror short films and for promoting other women in film.  While I did meet her briefly, I have no professional association with her, and therefore I had no conflict of interest with which to color the tone of my article.  She had been interviewed several times in local and national magazines, and her films had won several awards. This meant that she was relevant and documented enough to have an article based off of her. I, the lowly blog writer, still early in my career, do not have the right credentials to have a Wikipedia article, and so it goes. As an added bonus, a film directed by Karen had its own article already and therefore referenced my subject. An article that is not referenced by anything else is an orphan, which often suggests the irrelevance of the topic.

Not including the time it took to research her, I was able to write my article and submit it for the first time during the Art+Feminism event, and within minutes I received my first error flag. I had cited IMDB for awards won by my subject, and so I updated the article, took out a few awards that were only listed on IMDB, and put a new award mentioned in a reputable press release. I did not hear back for a month an a half. My article was then finally approved.

Wikipedia Advice

Wikipedia was made to be edited by the public, and it can be another tool to grow the influence of women in media and to break the glass fader.

 

Playing With Voices

When I went to the Acoustical Society of America’s meeting a few years ago, I did not know what to expect.  I was presenting an undergraduate research paper on signal processing and was expecting individuals with similar backgrounds.  Instead, there were presentations on marine wildlife, tinnitus, acoustic invisibility and the speech patterns of endangered languages.  One individual, I met there was Colette Feehan, a linguistic doctorate student at Indiana University.  I gravitated to her upbeat personality and affinity towards collecting awesome trivia. When she mentioned to me in passing her interest in voice acting, I thought I should follow up and pick her brain on the nuances of voice acting.

Colette Feehan

What is voice acting?

Voice acting is providing vocalizations for various kinds of animated characters and objects. This can be speech, grunts, screams, musical instruments, animal vocalizations, and a whole array of other sounds. When watching an animated TV show or movie, every sound you hear has to come from either someone’s mouth or some creative use of props. Often voice acting draws from generalizations about language that both the actor and the audience hold. In a way, some might think of voice acting as acting with a handicap. You’re not just acting with one arm tied behind your back, your acting without the help of any of your body language, facial expressions, etc. You need to convey all that information using just your voice. It’s honestly quite fascinating.

What got you interested in voice acting?

As a kid, I would always imitate sounds from baby elephants to musical instruments to voicing children younger than me. I can’t think of one specific moment that made me interested in voice acting, but I can certainly say it has always been a part of my life.

Who are your favorite voice actors?

I have too many to count. Some classic voice actors are Daws Butler (Yogi Bear, Elroy Jetson, Cap’n’Crunch) and June Foray (Rocky the Flying Squirrel, Cindy Lou Who, Mulan’s Grandmother). There is also Charlie Adler (Cow, Chicken, and the Red Guy from Cow and Chicken, Mr. and Mrs. Big Head in Rocco’s Modern Life), Frank Welker (Fred Jones from Scooby Doo, Nibbler from Futurama), Rob Paulsen (Yakko Warner, Carl Wheezer, Pinky), Grey DeLisle (Mandy from the Grim Adventures of Billy and Mandy and Azula in Avatar), Tara Strong (Timmy Turner, Bubbles from Powerpuff Girls, Dil Pickles), and Dee Bradley Baker (Momo and Appa from Avatar, Olmec in Legends of the Hidden Temple, Perry the Platypus).

What are your favorite voices to do?

First, I think it’s important to mention that I study the linguistics, phonetics, and acoustics of voice actors MUCH more than I actually do voices myself, though I have lent my voice to some improv, plays, friends animated projects, etc.

I’m a bit of a one-trick pony when it comes to voices, though. I can do teenagers and little kids, but not much else.

Any favorite tricks or sounds?

In contrast, I can do loads of weird sounds: kazoo, trumpet, electric guitar, mourning dove, cats (meow and purr), dogs.

Does voice acting have a specific lingo, and if so what terms should directors learn for more efficient directing?

It does! I’ve actually considered starting a bit of an informal dictionary on terms while working with voice actors on the linguistics of voice acting. Most of the lingo that I’ve really paid attention to are linguistics concepts like what linguists call “dark L” some voice actors call it “Lazy L”. “Breathy Voice” in linguistics is called “Smokey Voice” by voice actors. The one that is really interesting is what Rebecca Starr (2015) calls “Sweet Voice” this is an EXTREMELY specialized kind of breathy voice found in Anime that indexes a very specific character archetype.

I have heard that you are doing some research on voice actors, could you tell me a little about that?

In the Speech Production Lab at Indiana University, I am using a special 3D/4D ultrasound set up to look at the articulatory phonetics of adult voice actors who produce child voices for TV and film. A lot of people either don’t know or don’t think about how when we listen to child characters, particularly in animated TV, those voices are often being produced by an adult. The big question I am asking with my dissertation is–What are adults doing with their vocal tract anatomy in order to sound like a child?

So if anyone doesn’t know a lot about how ultrasound works, here is a quick and dirty description:

Ultrasound works by emitting high-frequency noise and timing how long it takes for those sound waves to bounce back. We place an ultrasound probe (like what you use to see a baby) under the participant’s chin and record ultrasound data of their speech in real-time. What we can see using ultrasound is an outline of the surface of the tongue. The sound waves travel through the tissues of the face and tongue, which is a fairly dense medium to travel through. When the waves come into contact with the air along the surface of the tongue, which is a much lower density medium to travel through, they show up on the ultrasound as a bright line which we can trace to then create static images and dynamic video of the tongue movement. So what does 3D/4D mean? We have a fancy ultrasound probe that records in three planes: sagittal, coronal, and transverse. So we take all these static, 2D images, trace them, then compile them into one 3D representation of the tongue. Then we can sync this with a recording of the speech creating our 4th D, time. So we can create videos of what a 3D representation of the tongue is doing while speaking and we can hear what it was doing at that moment. It is really cool.

So back to voice actors. With my dissertation research, I am imaging a few voice actors in two conditions: 1) doing their regular, adult voices and 2) doing their child voices. Then I compare what changes across those two conditions and what doesn’t.

So things I am looking for are: What is the hyoid bone doing (the bone in your neck near where your neck meets your head)? Does the place where the tongue touches the roof of the mouth for different consonants change? Are general tongue shapes and movements different across the two conditions? How do the acoustics change (how does the sound change)? Are those changes in acoustics changes that we would predict based on what the anatomy is doing?

How balanced is diversity in the voice actor industry?

Voice acting has a bit of a double-edged sword in that you don’t have to *look* the part to get the role. It’s just your voice! So someone who might not be your size -6, blonde-haired, wide-eyed beauty can still get the opportunity to play that character. Where this becomes negative, however, is with actors of color. Because you don’t have to look the part, I think a lot of white actors get roles that otherwise would have HAD to go to an actor of color. I do know the field has recently been trying to address this issue, but we can certainly do better.

So what is your opinion on vocal fry

I love creaky voice (I’m going to use this term instead). It can mean so many different things, socially. Is the speaker a man or a woman? Are they in their 20s? Are they using uptalk? Are they just running out of air at the end of their utterance?

Why is there the focus on women’s vocal fry?

I can’t say I’ve studied why specifically women’s creaky voice has blown up so much recently. Creak is really common in deeper voices, so men do it all the time, but we don’t seem to notice. Maybe when women started doing it more people unconsciously associated it with being manly and negatively reacted to it. Or maybe it’s that creak is often paired with uptalk, so it became stigmatized really quickly.

How are men’s and women’s voices different?

Again, I’m not sure I’m the most qualified to talk about this, but I can say that men’s and women’s voices differ in many different categories. First, there is simply anatomy; men have an Adam’s apple which increases the area for resonance in the larynx. They also tend to be bigger, have bigger lungs, etc., making their voices different. Then there are a lot of social ways in which men’s and women’s voices differ. Taking creak for example again, when women use creak it is associated with very different things than when a man uses creak. So the same “thing” performed by a man compared to a woman doing the same thing can be interpreted quite differently. Humans are fascinating.

 

The Sound of Cinematic Femininity

What do feminine films sound like?

Masculinity is well established in the sonic world:  baritone voices boom, while the steady pacing of drums interplay with fists or bullets landing their mark.  Femininity, in contrast, seems to be developed only as far as to say “not manly,” or in characteristics that attract the leading man.  Just as scripts provide women with roles that exist solely in relation to the men of the film, sounds that are feminine often act as an antithesis to the masculine and nothing more.  I want to explore what films get right and wrong aurally about femininity, and create an argument for diversity in how a character design is approached (and by extension diversity in the field of sound design).  Full disclaimer, this is not an exhaustive list, but a journey to see past shallow stereotypes.

Let’s start with the baseline of what is masculine.  In skimming the top “manly” or “masculine” titles from popular men’s magazines and film review sites, I see recurring themes of sports, war, and fighting action.  The lead is usually a man with muscles, a confident catch-phrase, and he is usually armed. Building up the sonic world we have guns with their loud and jarring accessories of bullets, ricochets, and death screams (The Godfather, 1972).  Any sport, including martial arts, require grunts and intensive body movements that might include collisions and punches (Bloodsport, 1988).  With the intensity of the action, these films are often loud; there might be explosions, helicopters, police sirens, and even robots (Transformers, 2007).  The leading man’s voice is steady, and according to The Pudding’s 2016 article on film dialog by Hanah Anderson and Matt Daniels, the leading man (and his male co-stars) dominate the conversations.  Musical themes, when orchestral, are full and will give a nod to Gustav Holst’s Mars when war is included (Gladiator, 2000).  80’s action films, which relish the masculine tag, often benefited from hair metal title tracks (Rocky, 1976).

I do not have to search long to find examples of masculinity, and even with gross generalizations, there are many genres and lists that support these stereotyped characteristics.  There is variation, but the archetype is well established. The initial films cited are from the United States, but I could also use Machete (2010, Mexico) and Oldboy (2003, South Korea) as examples.  I feel I almost do not have to mention the low percentage of women in the crew of these films, Django Unchained (2012) for example has one woman on the sound team, Renee Tondelli as ADR mixer.  That is not to say that women are incapable of being sound crew members, Paula Fairfield (Emmy Award winner) shows, along with the other names I drop in this article, the skill does exist from an underrepresented pool of talents.

With masculinity established, I want to look at femininity from a male context.  What I mean by this is femininity created by and for men: male directors, male crew, and possibly male protagonists.  This is not always coming from an uninformed mindset and can be perfectly nuanced for the LGBTQ community. First, however, I will look at what does come off as cliché and expected.

As soon as sound was introduced into film there was an expectation of what starlets should sound like. A notable example is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) with Snow White’s delicate soprano voice singing opera with the birds.  The voice actress was even kept hidden from the public eye to keep the perfect illusion of the character.  Her frail voice, like its main character, was an object for the masculine to acquire and was not any more developed than pure and frail.  The transition to talkies with the focus on voice timbre was parodied too with Singin’ in the Rain (1952) when the blonde bombshell’s voice was too shrill, nasally, and contained the edge of city life.  Debbie Reynolds’ warm alto was more “leading lady” material, although her own voice was overdubbed by soprano Marni Nixon for “You Are My Lucky Star.”  Nixon is the invisible songbird of many classic performances, and her voice is a great example of the feminine stereotype, clean and sweet. Synonyms like dainty, modest, careful, nice, and pure could also describe her voice.  Often leading ladies are cast as “vulnerable,” “fragile,” “frail,” and “passionate.”

Soundtracks latch onto these words for love themes, embodied by the string section of the orchestra, for example, Dr. Zhivago (1965), and Once Upon A Time In The West (1968).  Xochimilco (1944) is another film that focuses on the fragility of women and uses the set of the lead’s solitary home on calm waters with rain and nature to contrast the bustling town that antagonizes her.  The silence does not overcome noise, and like the main character, it exists in a brief moment only as a spectacle. In the world of male directors, composers, and sound designers, femininity is an object to be won in love or tossed aside in favor of strength.  Where it finds its footing is when it is embraced by LGBTQ stories like Moonlight (2016).  In this battle of masculinity and femininity, the most intimate moments are quiet, soothing, and peaceful.  Ocean waves complement a refreshing breeze, tiny bell chimes, and meal-lovingly prepared sizzles. This is tenderness and vulnerability intertwined with hope.  Femininity becomes a character that is part of the journey and exists as both positive and negative. The strength is subtle, breaking silence with a tiptoe and not a roar.  Hedwig And The Angry Inch (2001) roars, but it too has vulnerability and anguish woven into the soundtrack.  As Hedwig is trying to figure herself out, her songs explore many emotions while fading in and out of diegetic context.  For Hedwig femininity is a spectrum, and not an end goal and so it cannot be as static as films of old would have it.

Femininity can be portrayed properly and improperly in the hands of men, but what about from us?  While there is still a ways to go in representation, there is a surge of female-driven films across a variety of genres.  The Little Hours (2017), yes the raunchy nun romp is directed by a man, but there is no doubt Aubrey Plaza (whose boyfriend directed the film) has a lot of control.  Profanity, dry sarcasm, and deadpan absurdity fill the mostly improvised dialog, and it contrasts with the saccharine purity of choir music. Hildegard von Bingen is vital to the period comedy’s soundtrack, and that choice is deliberate as she is a keystone in medieval sacred music.  As with any comedy, sound effects and their timing are essential to the jokes. The setting is isolated, nature surrounds the scenes, and many jokes are about keeping silent or listening for little sounds. Andrea Gard, the foley artist, had many punchlines riding on her shoulders. Patience was rewarded, in a way that some films, like Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) and The Hangover (2009) do not have time for.  In fact, the whole opening sequence with the women’s choir is a lesson in waiting.  Even with the extremity of the comedy, this feels more naturally feminine than Bridesmaids (2011), another female ensemble comedy.  For all of the pink dresses and drunken karaoke, explosive diarrhea and vicious catfights do not have the same nuance as an old crone’s whistling breath.

An example of femininity in the thriller category is Into the Forest (2015), a tale of two sisters’ survival directed by Patricia Rozema.  The foley artist in this film was Sandra Fox, the sound effects editor was Katie Halliday, and they are joined by several other women on the sound team.  This film was full of intimate moments and loneliness. This was not an apocalypse of explosions and running, but of impending isolation and staying still.  Even with the amount of quiet and the lack of volume of this film, there were moments like rhythmic diegetic sounds to portray perseverance and intensity. The two sisters face two ends of the femininity spectrum, and while they falter at times, in the end, there is balance.  Neither sister could survive without the other, and their tenacity is woven into the soundtrack, both ambient and musical. Meek’s Cutoff (2010), directed by Kelly Reichardt, is similar in many ways to Into the Forest, with its survival elements and solitude in nature, but it is set on the Oregon Trail.  The time period, location, and thematic elements would normally call for raucous gunfights and shouted threats, but instead, the families are slowly lead to their fate.  The prairie wind dominates the design, and the desolation is matched by the scarcity of animal sounds. Leslie Shatz, the sound designer, gives us the subtle and claustrophobic silence that gnaws away at the confidence of the guide and builds the despair of the group’s situation.  Silence should not be confused for passivity. Another big thing to note is that in the world these women are from, they are homemakers and not survivalists, but they are determined to endure. I found it important for Shirley Henderson to get serious screen time and dialog with a voice as iconic as it is.  She is not an exaggerated parody, like her turn as Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter franchise, but a real human lost in the expansive West.  With a focus on the female pioneers, the sounds of the West morphed and provided a refreshing take on a cliched genre.

Femininity is not treated the same across genres with the variety of films I listed with proactive female crew members, and that is important.  John McClane in Die Hard (1988) does not have the same masculinity as John Wayne, so why should femininity get the cookie-cutter treatment?  There are complaints of Hollywood remaking the same films for box office draws instead of risking on original screenplays.  With the all-women reboots, instead of just changing the cast and calling it a day, there are capable women behind the scenes that can provide nuanced direction to revitalize the industry.  Thanks to the many organizations and celebrities who are using their power to bring up the nontraditional film crew, there are many outstanding choices. For those truly original scripts that happen to feature femininity, instead of resorting to tired tropes of damsels, why not branch out to a multifaceted embodiment with resilient, subtle, conniving, elegant, deliberate? Why not let them exist for themselves, and center a world around them? There is a sonic world out there ready to be explored that is not just weak or anti-masculine.  Femininity is an underrepresented frontier, and the world is ready for it.

 

Hand Drafting for Impromptu Meetings

In the age of computers most drafting is done with sophisticated software, however not every production meeting is done in the office.  What happens when you are asked to make changes at bar or café away from your desk? And if the changes are only half thought out, is it necessary to delete several hours’ worth of work to accommodate them?  Hand drafting is the old world solution to a new world conundrum. I was fortunate enough to learn hand drafting in a theatre-specific drafting course (computer-aided drafting was covered later). Besides the basics of drafting, it covered an entertainment business requirement:  how to do your work at a bar with little space and little resources. The final exam was to draft stage plots on diner placemats while eating and conversing with classmates (in my case delicious Finnish pancakes with thimbleberry jam). So, besides it being the best final exam ever, it was one of the most applicable.

The key is clarity.  A stage plot is useless if your hungover future self is unable to read the mess of beer stains and drunken scrawl. This might mean you have to take your time or use several napkins. Do not be afraid to write clarifying notes, especially when your drunk brain is not on the same wavelength as your sober one.  Also, I generally print in all caps if I want someone else to read my handwriting. There is a proper way to draft each letter that involves methodical straight edges and deliberate italics, which I struggle to follow.  In any case, it is probably best to avoid cursive. The letter ‘M’ is a good guide for spacing between words. If there is any chance of someone other than you using your napkin sketch as a reference, then avoid shorthand.

The clarity in sketches comes from straight lines and consistent proportions.  Discount cards are great straightedges, cocktail napkins for paper, and coins and picks are useful for curves.  In my diner final, I was restricted to what I generally carried on my person, so I used a pen and a student ID. If a more complicated sketch is required of you, start by using boxes and lines to set up proportions.  From there the more organic shapes can be estimated, and usually intricate details can be listed for later rendering in a more appropriate workspace. Also, be mindful of the scale of the actual dimensions and proportions.  Sometimes drawing a figure to represent a 6-foot tall human will make the error of the 18 inch Stonehenge obvious before its construction. A handy guide for drawing humans who look humanesque is to start by drawing seven evenly spaced horizontal tick marks.  In between the top two ticks is where the head is, the second, third, and fourth tick marks are for the upper body as four vertical parallel lines. Finally, the last half of the tick marks are for the legs with three vertical parallel lines. This little figure is useful for anywhere you want to upgrade from a stick figure:  lighting plot, mic plot, set design, and even storyboards.

If this article seems relevant to your work environment, then practice drawing shapes and writing in block print.  With time it should become faster and easier, and your sketches will make more sense. Sketching is one of those hobbies that can easily be an on-set pastime or make a long bus trip seem shorter.  There is a whole segment of the art community dedicated to quick sketching of the scenery around the artist: Urban Sketching. It is like people watching, but with style. And if you need inspiration, look at Sylvia Massy’s artwork of the audio world.  Or if you have a more literary bent, you could work on calligraphy, and have the hottest slates at the studio. Okay, you do not have to master bar sketching, but working in a little practice here and there will up your communication game.

 

Boom Op: Head to Toe

There are many articles that cover technical gear of location sound, but I want to focus on the skills and personal touches that will make a Boom Operator more efficient on set.  While the majority of these guidelines come from my own experiences, I also draw from Richard Patton’s Sound Man:  An Introduction to the Art, Science, and Business of Location Sound.  Richard Patton is a film Sound Mixer with 40 years of experience and over 70 credits.  Patton describes the job of a Boom Operator as the “placing of all microphones.” including the boom mic, lapel mics, and other miscellaneous mics planted for the scene.  It is important to note that sometimes there is only one location sound person on set, and therefore they become the Mixer, Recordist and Boom Operator.

Set etiquette

A hierarchy on set exists that determines who is in command of whom.  The two main groups are divided into “Above the Line” and “Below the Line.”  This refers to how the budget is arranged but is a smart way to think about interactions with others on set. The Sound Department’s domain is audio, and so even if the crew consists of two other people, a Boom Operator’s job is never to direct the actor. Therefore do not interfere with eye-lines.  Direct interaction occurs only when wiring an actor, or when someone Above-the-Line initiates conversation.  Getting a repeat contract depends on respecting these rules.  Speaking of wiring talent, be professional.  Respect boundaries and let the actor be in charge of how much help they need.  When wiring younger actors, have their guardians present and walk them through the process.

Head

Not every set is a temperature-controlled warehouse.  There will be sun, cold, and extreme heat from halogen lights.  I keep a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, and a bandana with my kit no matter the season.  Other creature comforts include headphone covers (they make a huge difference), and a towel.  I have depended on towels for drying hands, puddles, tears, and cables.  They are the true answer to life, the universe, and everything.

During a take, a Boom Operator must capture the dialog.  They have to know who is talking and direct the mic to them.  Even during a monolog, the boom operator is thinking of more than just the script. Is the actor on or off axis?  Loud noises like airplanes or dogs barking will require more takes, but sometimes now is not the time to cut the current take.  Patton gives an anecdote in his book about caramel keeping loud pups occupied.  There is also the housekeeping of collecting room tone and making track notes.

Eyes

While sound is the medium of the Boom Operator, the camera is king on set.  It is crucial to watch the camera’s movements and to get a feel for different lenses and focal points.  The last thing any director wants is the perfect take ruined by the boom.  Often the Boom Operator dances a duet with the camera crew.  This can be complicated by a wire tether (recording audio to camera) or an intricate long take.  If the choreography was not complicated enough, the mic must be just out of shot and not visible via shadows or reflections.  Whenever possible rehearse the scene.  And while each crew is different, learn to communicate with the camera team; a good relationship can facilitate recording.

Arms

A tense body is one that fatigues faster.  Keep hands and arms relaxed. The hand closest to the mic should act as a shelf to hold the boom, while the other is a counterweight that controls mic direction.  The boom is steadier when hands are further apart.  There are several arm positions that rely on the skeleton rather than muscles to support the weight. Therefore these are the most natural positions to hold.  The first is the arms straight up.  This is the stereotypical boom position. The second is elbows at the sides with the hands straight out and facing upwards.  Often one hand is staggered higher to get the boom above the camera.  The third is arms completely down.  This one is used for when the boom is below the actors.  Other positions can be used but at the expense of the Boom Operator’s energy.

Body

Actors are meant to be seen; the crew are meant to be invisible.  This means wearing black clothing with quiet fabrics.  Long sleeves are better than short sleeves, but it is not a hard rule.  Make sure to dress for the weather.  Merino wool is an excellent place to start, and Army Surplus stores always have good deals.  Fingerless gloves are useful for keeping hands warm while maintaining dexterity.  Make sure they do not have tacky (and therefore noisy) grip enhancers.

The secret to surviving long set days is core strength.  Good posture includes keeping the stomach sucked to the spine, relaxing shoulders, and having a wide leg stance.  Wide stances are more stable, especially when standing on a step stool.  To not fall, one’s center of gravity should be kept between one’s feet.  It is better to lunge than lean. Locked knees is a recipe for disaster as it restricts blood flow and can lead to fainting.  Cue half of all America’s Funniest Home Videos.

Feet

Twelve-hour days last an eternity if one does not have proper footwear.  Boots are often required or requested for safety, but that does not mean fit has to be compromised.  I know that several respected brands have models that are custom built for women instead of “smaller men’s” boots.  It is essential to break in boots before working in them for a full day, and there is no shame in swapping for a more comfortable insole.  During the colder months make sure that boots accommodate thicker socks.  Boots that are either too tight or too loose cause blisters.  And keep in mind that although athletic socks are okay, merino wool is better.  I suggest keeping an extra pair in with the gear.

Sometimes a scene is relatively stationary, but not to the point of requiring a stand.  A rubber mat works well as a foot silencer, but also to make concrete floors more forgiving. And if a boom operator is short, like me, then an apple crate can be used as a step stool. Apple crates deserve more than a few sentences but note that film apple crates can hold weight, the local grocery store’s probably won’t.

As I mentioned before:  boom operators dance with the cinematographers. Therefore one should traverse like a dancer. Someone who is light on their feet will fall less often.  When walking backward the weight should be on the balls of the feet, and the body should lean ever so slightly forward.  Falling forwards means a bloody nose, but falling backward means a concussion.

Film crews can be like family, and by using these tips, I hope that future boom operators are seen as assets rather than glorified Production Assistants.

 

Celebrating Women in Small Town America

Not often does a small southern town host a women’s event that stretches beyond wedding expos or Ladies’ Nights, so when I heard about the Carolina Lily Festival, I was intrigued.  Boasting an all-female line-up, the Festival serves as a fundraiser for the local non-profit women’s shelter (Coastal Women’s Shelter) in New Bern, NC.

The Coastal Women’s Shelter’s focus is on those who have suffered from domestic abuse.  As outlined on their website: “During the fiscal year 2015-16, we served 550 individuals in Craven, Jones, and Pamlico counties. One hundred women and 46 children lived in the safe house for an average stay of two months. We can house up to 19 individuals at any one time.

Bailey and Grant

The Carolina Lily Festival is celebrating its third year.  This year The Brown Pelican, a nautical-themed bar, is the venue.  On stage is Gabrielle Christie, playing guitar and singing a mix of covers and originals with a creamy voice that fills the room.  And the place is bursting at the seams with people of all ages and genders.  In the back is the raffle table where I find Bailey Evans and Grant Golden, key members in GEM productions, an event company hosting the festival.  They are the festival’s event coordinators.  I reached out to these three to find out why they chose to get involved.

Nicole Kirch (NK):  What is the Carolina Lily Festival and why is it important?

Gabrielle Christie (GC):  The Carolina Lily Fest is an event to raise money for the Coastal Women’s Shelter while supporting and celebrating local female artists. It’s important for several reasons. One, we need to continue raising awareness for CWS so that any woman in need knows that services exist and knows how to access them. Two, as a community we need to help financially support organizations like this. I think it’s our duty to make sure places like the CWS can continue operating. And three, I will always jump on the chance to support and cheer on local artists.

Bailey Evans (BE):  Coastal Women’s Shelter works to end domestic violence by providing women in our area with the skills, support, and confidence to live better lives.   It felt in keeping with the spirit of the organization to spotlight and support female artists during this event.  It’s been important to us to empower all artists to take the stage and follow their dreams, but Carolina Lily Fest is a celebration of women because empowering women is the reason we gather for this particular event.  Small towns like ours benefit from festivals dedicated to women for a number of reasons.  First and foremost, this specific festival highlights an organization that actively improves the lives of local women.  It reminds us of the challenges many women still face but also allows us to be part of the solution.  Additionally, it’s no secret that the entertainment industry is and has been rife with sexual harassment, so it’s important to give women some extra and exclusive opportunities to shine safely.

NK:  Is this your first time performing at the festival and why did you want to perform?

GC:  No, I had the honor of performing last year. I’ll always be happy to get involved. I think it is a cause worthy of our time and our donations.

NK:  What were your reasons behind a full female line-up?

BE:  We struggled with committing to the concept of an all-female line-up when we began planning the first Lily Fest.  We weren’t sure if that was the best way to develop an inclusive community-minded vibe.  However, we decided that there’s nothing problematic about celebrating a particular group and having an all-inclusive event.  This event focuses on women, but it welcomes everyone and invites all people to be involved in supporting a vital community organization.  This night is about encouraging the potential of women in our community, so it feels fitting to incorporate that concept into our line-up as well.

Grant Golden (GG):  We had a hard time deciding if we should do a full female lineup. Do we need to have an all-women lineup to empower female musicians, does it feel patronizing to make it feel like an entirely separate event? Ultimately we decided that an all-female lineup is the best way to ensure that the most female voices are heard, highlighted and praised. This seemed to be the best way to show that Carolina Lily Fest is here to serve as a safe-space for all attendees and a day to honor the strong women in our lives.

NK:  Have you ever performed in an all-female line-up before, what is your impression of it?

GC:  No actually, last year when I performed I did a solo set then got my band Bearfoot Monty to play as well which has male members. But I am so stoked for this year’s all female line up.

NK:  What made you interested in music and performance?

GC:  I’ve always loved music. And it’s been a long journey to performer. I was lucky to be brought up in a home where lots of different music was played. My sister bought me the album “Lungs” by Florence and the Machine when I was about 13, and from then on I knew I wanted to be a songwriter and performer. But I wasn’t until I was a junior in high school when I met an amazing music teacher did I get the push to pursue it. He made me learn the guitar so I could back myself up on stage. He told me I don’t ever want to have to rely on someone else for my music and I need to be able to do it myself. So I did. And over the years I just continuously get inspired by people and music and get encouraged to go further and further.

NK:  Define female empowerment.

GC:  Female empowerment… I think it’s the ability for a woman to be in charge of herself and not feel ashamed. It’s tough to truly get there though. I know I get put down a lot or condescended to and it can make you feel like you’re less. But being empowered means pushing past that and knowing your worth.

BE:  Encouraging women to determine their paths, assert their boundaries, and define themselves free from stereotypes or cultural expectations.  It’s such a hard thing for me to define eloquently because it includes so many concepts.  I just want everyone of all genders to be allowed to follow their paths and be treated as whole human beings on their journey.  Gender shouldn’t be allowed to define one’s personhood, limit one’s potential, or determine one’s role in the world.  In many places and for many people, being a woman still comes with restrictions and constraints that are unacceptable.  Female empowerment is encouraging women to break free from what they are told a woman is and become whatever they want to be.

GG:  As a male, I likely will have a slightly skewed definition of this, since it’s not necessarily a battle I have to fight on a regular basis, but to me, female empowerment is the act of empowering women to be the fearless leaders they indeed are. There’s always been an implicit disadvantage that women face in society, whether it be lower pay in the workforce, undermining of their thoughts and opinions in both career and social settings, or the constant sexual harassment they’re subject to. Female empowerment is how we can help to push past these struggles and work towards a mutual goal of development and sustainability for females in their communities.

NK:  Why is it important to have a festival dedicated to women and why should small town America have a festival dedicated to women?

GC:  I love that this small town is doing something that even some big cities aren’t. It just shows how much character this town has. It’s important because we are a tight-knit community and we need to be here for one another. Support is everything.

GG:  The music industry itself has always been somewhat of a boy’s club. Females in the industry always seem to have to push a little harder and speak a little louder to gain some traction in their scene, and if you have the power to help change that then you 100% should be doing that. Small towns can sometimes exist within an echo chamber, and while by and large New Bern seems to do a great job of elevating women in the community to positions of power, there is always room for improvement and GEM Productions wants to further help the development of gender equality amongst our town.

NK:   How has the festival changed in it’s three years and where would you like to see it go?

BE:  Lily Fest, like most of our events, is always an evolving concept.  Our ultimate goal is raising money for the Coastal Women’s Shelter, so we’ve made adjustments   It went from a ticketed event to a free one.  Each year we’ve tweaked our raffle and auction idea to better serve our audience and see greater returns.  It’s also beginning to make itself known as an annual event, so we are gathering regular supporters and volunteers.  I’d like to see that support and participation continue to grow because it’s those connections that allow us to grow the event and reach new donation levels.  I’d love to see it grow into a more significant, full-day event with more interactive aspects like panels, creative workshops, and the like, that raises more and more money each year.

GG:  Carolina Lily Fest is an ever-changing event. We’ve moved venues since our first year and changed it from a ticketed event to a free night of music at The Brown Pelican. While we had a larger production scale for our first year, it seemed to be a bit more pomp than it needed to be. We’ve minimized our overhead costs, and almost all of the artists are donating their time and talents to the cause, which is a fantastic contribution that we can’t be thankful enough for. As for where we’d like to see it go, I think having more community involvement would be fantastic, more visual artists and businesses being highlighted and contributing their goods is a great way to show how much our community truly appreciates the females in our scene and our lives in general.

NK:  How is this year different than previous years for the festival?

BE: This year we’ve seen far more interest in the event in the weeks leading up to the festival.  People remember it or they’ve heard about it and have reached out about getting involved or helped spread the word.  The buzz is a bit bigger, and hopefully, that means the crowd and donations will be as well.  Our raffle prizes and silent auction items are more numerous than in previous years.  Overall the spirit and intentions of the festival are the same as they’ve been since the beginning, but our skill set has grown each year, and this year we’ve hit our stride and feel much more confident about being able to achieve or exceed our goals.

GG:  This year features our biggest headlining act yet, Laura Reed, which is someone we’ve wanted to bring to town for years now. Laura serves as a beacon of light amongst the North Carolina music scene in terms of female empowerment. She’s worked with Grammy winning producers, has performed the national anthem at several national sporting events, and has toured internationally with some immensely talented artists. Laura is without a doubt one of the most accomplished artists we’ve brought to New Bern and having her on board to help support this great cause is nothing short of fantastic.

We’ve also forgone the traditional array of “vendors” that we have at events and are instead having people donate their supplies so that all money raised goes straight to CWS.

NK:  Any closing thoughts.

GG:  Carolina Lily Fest is our most significant fundraiser throughout the year, and it’s continued to grow along with GEM Productions. We’re always thrilled to see the feedback and reaction from Lily Fest because so many of these folks may not be familiar with the breadth of local talent our community contains. We’re lucky to be a part of such a supportive and inviting community, and we can’t wait to share another evening of fantastic local art with New Bern!

BE:  It’s a privilege to answer these questions and share my opinion with you, thank you for the opportunity.  This area has an incredible network of women in the music industry, and it’s an honor to be a part of it.

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