Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emerson Cole. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emerson , first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
Something I have dealt with, like many others, is the inherent imposter syndrome. Throughout my career I have struggled to find a purpose to why I’m doing what I do and tried to tell myself that I deserve it. Alas, I don’t think anyone “deserves” anything. You make your journey based on the people around you who believe in you and your work. When people hype you up and give you opportunities, it’s not because they are just being your friend. They believe in you because they know you can do it. Take those opportunities and prove it to yourself, your friends/colleagues, and to the person who trusted them to give you that opportunity. You soon realize that those opportunities will come more often and become bigger and better than before. The idea that you feel uncomfortable in the space you’re in just means you’re succeeding and advancing. Enjoy the comfort of being in bigger shoes, because the opposite is suffocating.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am a filmmaker and a business owner. I work mainly as a production sound mixer which is the person on a film set who controls all the audio on the location. If there’s a plane that goes by, I’m the one who tells everyone to wait. If there’s a bunch of people talking who aren’t on camera, I’m the one who tells them to be quiet. I’m also the person who puts microphones everywhere that seems fit. That means either a person, or myself, holds a boom pole over the talent’s head, puts a microphone under the clothes so it’s hidden, puts hidden microphones around the space just to capture everything that’s important.
I also dabble in other departments in the film world. I have worked as a locations assistant for Chicago Med, an electrician for a union feature film, a dolly grip for an Audible spot, a stagehand for Rammstein, a videographer for news sites, an editor for a small YouTuber, etc. I love every aspect of filmmaking and it’s because I love to tell stories. When I went to college it was for directing. I am currently in development with a script for a new film I will be directing which is super exciting. I’m super passionate about documentaries which is where I see myself going into more as a director as well.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. The more money you charge, the better the clients are to you. I learned pretty early on that by charging less for your services gives you a worse working environment because the people who don’t save up for someone better are people who don’t know what you do means to them.
2. Sticking up for yourself and your department is what gives you respect. Don’t be an asshole about it, but don’t let people steamroll over what your craft is.
3. Never be the smartest one in the room. If you feel like you are the person who people are looking up to or you feel like everyone else is below your skill level, you’re in the wrong room. Always feel challenged, always feel like you’re jealous of someone because you’re only going to push yourself to do better.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
In the film industry you are always looking for more collaborators. Everyone for the most part are freelancers and when one project ends, you’re waiting for another call. I always look forward to feature films, TV shows and documentaries. The challenging environment that allows for my creativity and mind to feel experimental is what I strive for. It’s the reason I didn’t take a desk job. I love traveling and I love exploring issues and ways to solve them. Social justice is something I’ve always been passionate about. If you are reading this and are a filmmaker looking for a passionate sound mixer who also likes to get his hands dirty, I am easy for find!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.noiseboysllc.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emersonc3799?igsh=MWdsM2pndXB0MnVhbA==
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emerson.cole.16
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emerson-cole-50ba6917a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=android_app
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@emersoncole1348?si=2kKAaxaTk4oEqI_d
Image Credits
Joshua Boshell Tom Krawczyk David Wolfgang Von Ehrlicter
