Q-and-A with Troublemaker Studios/Metric Post Sound Guru, Brad Engleking. He's worked on incredible movies like Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Sin City, Predators, To the Wonder, and so many more, all from his studio here in Austin. Let's hear how he does it.
Brad Engleking
So, what do you do again?
I am a Sound Supervisor and Re-Recording Mixer. I work with filmmakers and to create a sound track that adds depth and context to the stories they tell. On large budget-wide release movies and TV, I run a department of sound effects editors, dialog editors, sound designers, foley mixers, foley artists, and various assistants. On micro budgets projects, and most commercials, I am the sound department.
I spend a lot of my time in my studio playing pigs backwards, making huge explosions and recording every weird thing that I come across. I spend the rest of my time rescuing production dialog from the grips of ADR and making ADR sound like production. When all that is done, I take anywhere from 50 to 1000 tracks of audio and mix it all together to make a Bloody Mary or for a little extra a sound track.
How lucky are you and why?
I have been able to work with and learn from some of the most talented and generous people on the planet. Being able to do all that in the city that I love and grew up in, where my family is, makes me feel a little too lucky.
What do you love about Austin?
Austin has always been home. I think one of the things that makes it special movie-wise is that its a very close nit community. Filmmakers in Austin help each other, look out for each other and promote the wider community. And the food...
What were the major turning points that got you where you are?
My success professionally is really due to the mentors and teachers who brought me up. The first were my professors and mentors at the Sound Recording Dept. at Texas State University. There is no way that I would have been equipped to succeed had I not learned bedside manner and technology from those guys. The second was meeting Robert Rodriguez who gave me a once in a lifetime opportunity by allowing me to learn on the job and experiment to create new sounds and new ways of working. Finally and in very quick succession, I was able to engineer for Re-recording Mixer Sergio Reyes, who taught me how to go about mixing a film and most importantly taught me taste. I still consider all of these people friends and partners in my success and I'm very lucky to still be associated with all of them personally and professionally.
What helps you access your creativity?
I work really well under stress and that tends to help a lot in this profession as it's always there. Being creative on cue is challenging and when your mixing that's what's required. Fortunately sound is both an art and a craft; when the art isn't coming out, you rely on the craft till the inspiration comes. I also am a big believer in being in "the zone." When doing sound design in my cutting room or studio, I wait to do the really subjective stuff till I get into "the zone." When that happens I often knock out days worth of work in hours and my best creative ideas come out. Sometimes in sound design there is an element of trial and error where you bang your head against the wall for days or weeks but then you hit that eureka moment and it all pours out at once!
What are a couple of your most memorable projects?
My most memorable projects:
Once Upon a Time in Mexico (Dir Robert Rodriguez) This movie is the most fun I have ever had on a mix stage. Robert, Sergio, and I didn't stop laughing for 4 weeks. We mixed 14 hours a day with short and VERY competitive Halo breaks and random jam sessions. When I see the movie, all I can think about are the jokes that we were telling when we were working on each scene. in the words of Robert "CLASSIC!"
Predators (Dir. Nimrod Antal) This was a really fun movie to mix. We did part of the mix in austin and part of it at Warner Bros. in Burbank. The console was so large that my mixing partner Sergio and I had to almost yell across the room to talk!
Lovelocked (Rebecca Rodriguez) This short film was pretty much sound design from the first frame to the last. there was almost no production dialog. Rebecca sent me the script before she sent it to anyone else because she wanted to know if the sound design was even possible.
To the Wonder (Dir Terrence Malick) Working with Terry and his crew added a ton of depth to my story telling pallet. The way that he uses sound and music is totally unique and totally effective. Just being in the room with those guys is a master class in filmmaking.
What’s the most fun part of your job?
I really enjoy working with directors, producers, editors and even executives. It's fun watching their excitement when a film starts to come together. During and towards the end of the sound mix is often the first time that filmmakers get to see their movie come alive. Being there and getting to put the final sheen on what for many is the culmination of months or years of work is really an amazing feeling. There is nothing better than print mastering a movie and watching a director slump back in their chair as they realize that they did it. I don't care if it's your first or your fiftieth project, it gets to you. Every time on every project when the final sync pop plays, I stand up and shake the directors and hand and tell them "congratulations on your film." ..I get a little misty eyed every time.
What do you think Austin needs most to help its production community succeed nationally, internationally?
It's a bottom dollar business and really we just need to keep tax incentives going. It would be great for post if incentives were afforded to building new facilities.
What’s your favorite date night place in Austin?
Musashinos. In the old days, I would take a girl to see the Asylum Street Spankers at La Zona Rosa.
If you could shadow anyone for a day, who would it be?
My kids. I'd love to be a fly on the wall and see what 4 and 6 year olds talk about when adults aren't around. The stuff they talk about when they get home trips me out.
Best Austin experience?
I think watching Austin grow and mature has been kinda cool. People complain about how Austin isn't cool like it used to be but they weren't around when South Congress was where prostitutes and drug dealers hung out, the warehouse district was empty warehouses and junkies, and you just didn't go to East Austin -ever. There's way more to do now than when I was a kid and it's a lot safer.
What does success look like to you?
Success looks like me continuing to do what I do now. I want to work on more local independent projects in between some of the larger ones. I'm in the process of remodeling my studio to mix low and micro budget projects and to premix medium to large projects.
Who are your heroes?
I don't really idolize industry people. I have my list of favorite directors but most of my heroes have done something to make the world a better place or overcome some great adversity.
What do you wish someone had told you 10 or 20 years ago?
Join the Union. I'm in the Editors Guild and I wish that I had joined years earlier.
Thank you so much for answering the questions! Anything else to add?
YEAH! I send all my ADR to Shay because she's the best and makes everybody around her look smart.
(Aw. Thanks, Brad!)
You can see Brad's impressive credits here.