As we reach mid-July, I slowly start to think about how I've been freelancing for exactly 2 years. This is something that I didn't plan on doing after graduating with my Recording Arts bachelor's degree. I guess it's safe to say that I got into freelancing in order to not "lose myself" while I finished my second bachelor's in Screen Studies. I had countless people tell me that doing a second degree was the worst possible thing I could do and how "freelancing in audio postproduction is not a thing". This statement, which actually came from a professional, really drove me insane to the point where I second-guessed my decision to come to a place like New York City. Still, I packed my iLok, a pair of Sony headphones, a drive with a bank that held a myriad of sound effects, and quietly crafted my own way. Three months after having landed in the Big Apple I got my first paid gig as a sound person. I got to wear all of the hats in the audio po...
Nicole A. Watlington is a sound editor and designer based in New York City. She holds a B.S. in Recording Arts and a B.A. in Screen Studies.