Today we’d like to introduce you to Mike Fitzgerald.
Hi Mike, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
My first job in film was as a production assistant on a short film that my brother was directing when I was fifteen years old. It was a small crew made up mostly of NYU film graduates and it opened my eyes to what a film set looked like. After that first taste of production, I always had a desire to work in the industry. I also had a background in studio recording through years of playing in bands, so it was likely only a matter of time before I ended up finding a passion in production sound mixing.
I went to college and majored in economics, then spent a year in law school after graduating, not really sure of what I wanted to do for a career. This is when I began freelancing and after getting a taste of a variety of different crew roles as a producer, camera operator, assistant camera and gaffer, I finally found a home in the sound department.
A friend and mentor of mine, Bill Winters, who is also one of the most talented cinematographers that I have had the pleasure of working with, is actually the person who first suggested that I buy some sound gear and try out sound mixing. Bill was also the Director of Photography on that very first short film that I worked on with my brother, which sparked my interest in production work in the first place. I took his advice and began learning all that I could about production sound.
I started out working mostly on corporate interview shoots and lower budget independent films to learn and become comfortable taking on larger projects. From there, I gained experience and moved on to larger commercial and documentary work. After ten years of sound mixing in New York, I relocated to Central Florida and still just continue to try to learn something new and improve my workflows over time.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In retrospect, I would say it has been a fairly smooth road. There have definitely been bumps and turns along the way, but it has always seemed manageable. I tend to think most challenges and obstacles can be navigated with the right mindset and attitude. Some things are also just not meant to work out the way you plan, so I have learned to go with the flow in those circumstances.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a production sound mixer for television, film and video. I work on a wide variety of projects including commercials, documentaries and corporate branded content.
Some television and streaming shows that I have worked on in recent years include ‘Telemarketers’ (HBO), ‘EPCOT Becoming’ (NatGeo/Disney+), ‘Can’t Look Away: The Case Against Social Media’ (DCTV) and a number of ESPN featured stories.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
One of the great things about Orlando for me is that it’s an approachable and welcoming city. I am coming up on five years as a Florida resident and I have felt at home here since day one. From a film/tv production standpoint, Orlando is a terrific place to find varied and unique locations, as well as amazingly talented and experienced local crew to create with.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://boommikefitz.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boommikefitz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BoomMikeFitz
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-fitzgerald-41700863/
- Other: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1770024/?ref_=fn_all_nme_1
