We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Rayana Villalpando a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Rayana , thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

On New Year’s Eve of 2021, I got a call that changed my life.

Before I tell you about that, let me take you back to where my story started.

For about 19 years of my life, I was a basketball player and it gave me purpose. When the reality of college and adulthood set in, I had to redefine my purpose and I landed on psychology. I grew up with a brother who has autism, he’s non-verbal and fully dependent on my mom. I witnessed people judge my brother without fully understanding his story and that fueled my curiosity to understand how the mind works. As most young adults do, I leaned towards security in a career that matched the trajectory of my major, so I decided to get my doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

On my fifth year of the program, I was working in a clinic as a Mental Health Therapist and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Technician (TMS). I had my own office in Downtown Los Angeles. I was fulfilling a dream thought I wanted because it was secure… I WAS MISERABLE.

Luckily, I’m in Los Angeles and this city is full of creatives.

I was randomly in an artist recording session and I met a cinematographer named B.P. Edwards. We became friends and a year later he asked me to help him with a short film by recording the audio. My first response was “I have no clue what I’m doing and why he’s even asking me.” As a sign of encouragement, he sent me a YouTube video, and that’s how I learned how to boom. He lent me the audio equipment (because obviously I didn’t have any) and I decided to take a risk and boom for his short film.

On set, other crew and cast asked me to do sound for their upcoming short films. I thought to myself, “This is my first day. Do I look like I know what I’m doing? No way could I do another job! This wasn’t what I went to school for” but I decided to take more risks and I said yes. Something about being on set, reminded me of the feeling basketball gave me – nothing to do with job security or career aspirations, I was simply having fun. I was learning new skills, physically and mentally engaged, I got really good, similar to my basketball days.

The call that changed my life is coming, but its not what you think.

Within three months of booming, I landed my first feature length film in Detroit, Michigan called “The Bandemic” which is now on Tubi. I was shocked by how a friend asking me for a favor turned into a career that had me flying across the country. I was thrilled at the thought of ending 2021 on such a high note…

Then I got the call. My mom was in an ambulance on her way to the ER. Her injuries left her incapacitated which meant I needed to step in as a full time caregiver for her and my brother. Which further meant, being a full time clinician need to take a backseat.

I quit my job and started helping my family. This moment in our lives gave me the opportunity to really take time to dig into a new found craft. Through one of the most difficult times our family has gone through there was the blessing of time and space to just be. Time I was able to give myself to fall in love with something new.

Since then, I haven’t stopped pursuing sound.

Life threw me curveballs from being asked to do something i had never done before to stepping up to take care of my family. I faced the challenges, took the risks and bet on myself and I never expected to feel this fulfilled in my life.

It was a risk worth taking and I would do it again.

I risked the structure and promise of a doctorate degree for my happiness. The bravery to choose myself over what feels “safe and secure” has lead me to a full time job as a sound mixer. I went from working 10 hours a day inside of an office dreading every day to working 10 hours on set, being creative and doing something that makes me feel free.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I ensure people feel comfortable while laving them, because I know it can be an uncomfortable situation for some. I am most proud of: being able to maintain close relationships with the colleagues that I have, and being able to pass jobs on to other sound professionals when I can’t do them.
I want people to know that I take each project seriously. I thoroughly dissect each script, scene-by-scene. I respect that these stories matter to the writers, and it’s my job to ensure the sound captures the essence of the story that is being told. I aim to be a true collaborator with producers and other crew members during all phases of production.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

A lot of my jobs come from repeat clients. I think I earn trust by being extremely organized, on time (if not early), and always ready to adapt. On my off days I’m learning new techniques or reaching out to my mentors with questions, constantly developing my knowledge base. Aside from education, I take time to organize my kit based on the needs of the production days before the shoot. I’m also extremely aware of equipment, and I set goals for how I want my kit to grow so I’m always up-to-date. All of that to say, I take pride in my sound, and I think that just shows.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

I learned everything I know about sound from these people:

Royce Hall
Chris Cole
Curtis Judd
Sound Speeds
Deity Microphones

And I attended YouTube University:

https://www.youtube.com/@curtisjudd/videos

https://www.youtube.com/@SoundSpeeds

https://www.youtube.com/@DeityMicrophones

https://www.youtube.com/@asbroadcasthk

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/ray_of_soul?utm_source=linktree_profile_share&ltsid=5830abe6-1ce6-4cfc-9511-b8211c3cdc28
• Instagram: @ray_of_soul
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rayana.villalpando/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rayana-villalpando-31824125b/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@RaysofSoulVlogs?si=PGjp4Nbz0PAQNP-p

Image Credits
@imagine.lotus_ @karolinabryner