Meet Ethan Zeitman | Sound Designer and Mixer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ethan Zeitman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ethan, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I think most people agree that risk taking is good in every aspect of your life. Some people are simply more inclined to step outside of their comfort zones, and I try to put that into practice as often as possible, but it’s always a new challenge. In the arts especially you must practice risk taking, whether that’s in the form of a new collaboration, or trying your hand at a different style or genre in your field. Simply putting yourself and your art out there feels like a risk, not knowing how it will be received.

The biggest risk I’ve taken in my career so far is making the move to audio post-production. I’m not the only one who changed course during the pandemic, but I feel very lucky that it’s worked out. I actually got my start in sound for theater and live entertainment, but in college I took the opportunity to dabble in film and television and I was hooked. That interest stuck with me, and when the time came I made the leap and changed course.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

The possibilities in sound are endless. You may read this in other bios I’ve written, but it truly is breathtaking, exciting and unnerving. One sound can be heard or presented in a million ways, and there are countless ways to tell a story with it. This is what simultaneously drives me and stops me in my path. There is much to consider, flesh out, and experiment with to discover the exact sound that fits.

When I start a new project I come up with a concept with the creator, to give myself a guiding principle to work by. I like to give purpose to every sound used, to keep the soundscape cohesive and to focus on the story being told. And as incredible as sound effect libraries are, I’ve recently been venturing out to record my own in the field.

Field recording has been such a joy and feeds the hobby side of my interest in sound as well. It can be very meditative, and pushes me even further to really listen to my environment. I’m only scratching the surface, but finding unique places to record, and experimenting with recording techniques is a fun new challenge. On the professional side, it gives you a little more autonomy by using material you’ve captured yourself for a project. It’s been wonderful to share this interest with some of my musician friends, who also see the value in field recording and have used my recordings or their own in their music.

The path to where I am now hasn’t come without its tests. There have been a number of instances where I’ve been thrown into the lion’s den and had to learn and act quickly. From those moments, I would say the biggest take away is to trust yourself, and be confident in your skills and your background that has led up to this. At the same time, I’m constantly learning on every level. Technology of course plays a big part, but even more importantly knowing how to be in the room. Everyday I observe qualities in other (perhaps more seasoned) professionals that influence how I want to work and relate to people as I continue on this journey.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
LA has such an exciting and diverse food scene and I try my best to explore it every chance I get. My favorite Thai spot is Jitlada, the crying tiger beef and morning glory salad are to die for. For pizza I’ve been frequenting Quarter Sheets in Echo Park, followed by some of the best espresso you’ve ever had at Stereoscope. And the best ambience of any restaurant has to be Dan Sung Sa in Koreatown. I love going on hikes and exploring in Angeles National Forest, and if they’re really trying to get outdoors I’d take them rock climbing. Perhaps we’d go to a Feels Like Floating event in Elysian to soak up even more sun. And lastly, one of my favorite bars is The Gold Line in Highland Park for vinyl spinning and delicious cocktails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have to start with my parents for influencing my love and exploration of music and the arts. From a young age I was obsessed with art museums and visiting one in every new city we found ourselves in. Eventually that obsession turned to playing music, and then to the oh-so exciting world of audio technology. The support of my parents and friends followed me on this journey. When I changed course to what I’m currently doing, I relied on the kindness of others to offer advice and time. I found myself reaching back into my “rolodex” to talk with old mentors and other connections, and more often than not would be referred to another kind soul who lent their wisdom. There are really too many people to list, and I feel fortunate saying that. What opened a lot of doors for me and brought me to where I am now, was getting my first position as a Mix Technician at Periscope Post and Audio. Not only did it get me into the union, but it taught me an immense amount and set me on a path.

Website: www.zeitmansound.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-zeitman-529a4a121/