Today we’d like to introduce you to Edson Alvarez.
Hi Edson, We are so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Born and raised in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, I dreamed of working in the entertainment industry as a recording engineer. After moving to Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduating High School, I decided to attend Full Sail University. There, I earned an associate’s degree in recording arts in 2001 and returned for my bachelor’s degree in 2007. After Working with various record labels and dying in the US club circuit, I interned for a company that produced Reality TV shows called Pink Sneakers in Apopka, FL. Shortly after, I got hired as a production assistant and became a production sound mixer. Since then, I’ve been hired to work for most TV Networks doing reality TV Shows, Netflix Documentaries, Disney+ docu-style shows, and commercials for brands like Sprite. As the owner and operator of High Five Sound in Orlando, FL, we help production companies from pre-production to the last step in Audio Post and help bring projects to life.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been relatively smooth so far?
Being in the TV and film industry always has its struggles and challenges, but it can be gratifying if you stay on the path, work hard, and dedicate yourself to your craft. Challenges are always present. Dealing with family life and balancing relationships can be one of the most complex challenges. The long hours and traveling can take a toll on your personal life. Knowing when to pass on a job to nurture essential things in life is very important. In the sound department, there are technical challenges that you have to be prepared for as a sound mixer, and some of them are very unexpected. Learning your equipment, coordinating frequencies, and preparing for the shoot day is extremely important. Troubleshooting and learning to adapt to challenging situations are the keys to success in this industry.
Let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a sound engineer, and I specialize as a Production Sound Mixer; my work has to do with dialogue and SFX recordings that are used in Commercials, Docu-style, Scripted and Unscripted shows. I have various responsibilities on set. My primary responsibility is to mic the talent and record all the dialogue on set to be used in the program. Working through the years on set as a production sound mixer has given me opportunities to visit different countries all over the world. Being featured on commercials for Sprite shows for the NFL Network, A&E, Discovery, Travel Channel, CBS, NBC, ABC, Disney+, and Netflix, to name a few.
My best work and what I am most proud of is the design installation of the professional audio recording studios at the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center at the Orange County Library in Downtown Orlando. It is a 26,000-foot space of technology, Innovation, and creativity where people can take the courses, use the facility at no charge, and learn hands-on with professional recording and editing equipment.
What sets me apart from others is my willingness to learn and adapt. I am a student of audio technology and recording. Technology is constantly changing, and learning to stay ahead of the curve through the demands of production is something that I love to do. Knowing every piece of equipment used in the field is a learning process.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I use various apps for work, but my most useful is FreqFinder. It’s an app that coordinates the frequencies of my transmitters based on the location where I’m working. I read various magazines, including Mix Magazine, SOS, and Recording Magazine, to name a few. They give great reviews on gear and insights on what top-level sound engineers and studios use and for what application. It is super insightful on what is happening in the industry. Various books helped immensely with the start of my career: the Recording Engineers Handbook, The Mixers Engineers Handbook, and Location Sound Bible by Ric Viers.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.highfivesound.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/high_five_sound_llc/
