We were lucky to catch up with Kevin Strahm recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Kevin thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?
I’ve always been fascinated by the film industry. Growing up I would see productions shooting scenes for a movie or TV show and stare in wonder at all the creative processes taking place. The crew members working, the lights and cameras, and of course it would be exciting to catch a glimpse of a famous actor or actress. There was just something magical about the whole endeavor. I even made a few of my own short films over the years just for fun. Yet for some reason I never thought about a career in the business until my mid-thirties. I had a background in music production, both live and in the studio, and experience as an audio visual technician by that time, so I was familiar with a variety of sound equipment and wireless systems. I was working as an equipment manager at an art school that had a film and television program, and our students would go out and create short films for their classes, so I knew a lot about the tools they used and the filming process and one day it just kind of clicked. I might be able to earn a living recording sound for a movie or TV show, in fact, I could probably do a pretty good job at it, too.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
As a production sound mixer, it’s my job to record dialogue and other sound on location at the highest quality possible while the cameras are rolling. I record this sound with highly specialized equipment, and I’m actually in charge of a small department of typically a boom operator and a sound utility. Once filming is completed all my tracks go to a post facility for sweetening and polishing, eventually being combined with music and other sound effects to create the finished sound you hear when you watch a TV show or movie.
I’m mostly known for the work I’ve done on my most high profile projects, which as of this date are The Peanut Butter Falcon, starring Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson, The Girl From Plainville, starring Elle Fanning, and most recently The Black Phone, with Ethan Hawke. I’m proud of the work that technically challenges me, the shows that people recognize, and the projects that allow me to work with some of the most talented people in the business, both in front of and behind the camera. It can be difficult to set oneself apart from others in this business. Eventually, we all rise to the same level of technical ability more or less, and all have access to the same high-quality equipment, but what I try to do is work on relationships and be a friendly person to work with. Being known as an agreeable and nice person in addition to being a technically proficient sound mixer goes a long way.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Having your own sound equipment is standard for a production sound mixer, as we bill our clients for labor and gear. When I first started my career I had a very humble sound equipment package, probably about $3000 dollars worth of prosumer microphones, recording equipment, and other accessories. One day, I had left my equipment in my vehicle for a few hours and came back to find it had all been stolen! The thief had just popped the lock on my vehicle door and made off with everything. Undeterred, I simply got out my credit card and ordered a replacement for every piece of stolen gear. I wasn’t going to let this unfortunate event kill my goals and dreams.
Can you open up about how you funded your business?
There were times starting out when money was tight, and I even pawned some personal belongings once to pay off my mortgage. But good networking and hustle lead to more work and I eventually began to grow in the business. When the time came to invest in much more professional sound equipment. I didn’t have a lot of extra money, but I did own a 2nd vehicle, a beautiful Ford Mustang that I babied, kept under a cover, and hardly ever drove. As the equipment I needed was specialized and very expensive, I reluctantly decided to sell that car for the seed money I needed, It turned out to be a great decision as the new gear kickstarted my career and allowed me to charge higher rental and labor rates.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.kevinstrahm.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kevinsoundmixer/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kstrahm
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-strahm-24014370/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/kevinsoundmixer/videos
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4887676/
Image Credits
Seth F. Johnson, Moon Rabbit Media