Today, we’d like to introduce you to Calvin Jackson.
Hi Calvin, 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.
I started working as a boom operator in the film industry because I started off really into both music production and film production. When deciding where to go to college, I decided to go more of the film route since I figured I had the most to gain from it.
From doing that and exploring the different avenues of what you can do in the film industry, my primary interest was boom operating on set. Doing sound on sets seemed like the best combination of my background and love for audio and music and my love for film, which is why I have been doing sound ever since.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The film industry is not an easy industry to get into. The film industry is an industry where connections are what give you the most work, so it can often be hard to find work until you’ve gotten your name out there and proven yourself to be good at what you do on set.
Another difficult thing is that a lot of times with sets, you are expected to use your own gear and equipment as well. Even if you’re doing a two-person setup with sound, a lot of the time you will have your own gear set up alongside the sound mixers setup. It can be very expensive to build up a good kit that lasts you a while and is professional enough to use on sets.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What I do is I am a boom operator on set. I deal with recording all of the audio on set. My work has primarily been documentaries, but I have also worked on some commercials and short films as well. I have also directed a few projects, one of which is an Among Us murder mystery called The Vents, which will be coming soon, so stay tuned.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
My take on risk-taking is that, especially in career fields that are harder to get into, risk-taking is sometimes necessary to get where you need to go. Sometimes, risk-taking can be beneficial, but you have to be smart about how you do it. The best thing you can do while taking risks in life is to find ways to have safety nets for yourself in case something doesn’t work.
Be aware of your situation, and if a risk would put you in a spot that would ruin you, maybe you shouldn’t do it, but if you have things to fall back on, then maybe it will be more worth it to take that risk. I have been very privileged to be in a spot where I can take more risks when picking up work that may or may not pan out well, but I can still survive if things do not work out.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sound_guy_calvin/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpvocgA2zk6goOcLW5IMDSg
Image Credits
Rogelio Rodriguez
