Sam was hired as a Location Recordist on an awareness project for World Happiness Day which showcases the Fijian 'Bula' spirit. We caught up with Sam to get an insight into his role on this project and how he landed such a cool gig! 

Tell us a bit about the work you have been doing in Fiji?

The campaign we were shooting in Fiji was basically an awareness project for World Happiness Day, showcasing the Fijian ‘Bula’ spirit. We spent 8 days Island hopping and doing super long shoot days in order to come up with loads of content for a 10-part video campaign. The first video to circulate is a TV Commercial however, there is a whole load of other content to be released. I freelance under a thousand different audio-related titles but in Fiji, I was working as the location recordist - operating the boom and all other audio gear (lapels, mixer, timecode locks, camera feed, etc). Now that I’m home, I’ve been working on all the Post Production Mixing and Sound Design for the campaign. 

How did you land the role to go over there?

I’ve been freelancing for around a year since I graduated and have been trying to meet and work with as many different production teams as possible. So, for this job I was recommended by a Camera Operator, I had previously worked with on a couple of jobs in the last month or two. Most jobs now are gained through return clients or recommendations from previous clients or production teams.

What have been your favourite things about the job so far?

I get to travel and find myself in really odd locations with challenges you can’t ever plan for.

What other projects have you been working on since graduating?

I have done a lot of commercial work for different social media and television advertisements. My last few clients for commercial work have been Nintendo, Stan, Bunnings, X-Games, Cover Girl and a few others. I still record a few bands however the sound to picture work takes up most of my time. 

What was your favourite thing about studying at JMC?

I made a close group of friends at JMC, we had a great support network especially during the stressful end-of-trimester periods and to celebrate the end of exam periods. That was probably the best part. I also really enjoyed getting a basic electronics knowledge as that has helped heaps after graduating!

What advice would you give anyone thinking about studying audio?

If you’re passionate about audio, studying at JMC will be one of the best times of your life, like any degree it comes with a load of stress, but it is definitely worth it. Pick your teacher's brains as much as possible, there are no dumb questions. You are there to learn after all.