Meet Alex Lockwood | Audio Engineer & Owner

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

Hi Alex, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
Our success comes from delivering a quality product, above all else. This means truly listening to your client’s needs, putting in time off the clock, and documenting as much of the process as possible. There is no better advertising than word of mouth. So, when your client tells their friends about the great experience and fantastic product they created working with you, it goes a long way.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I came to LA to attend college at Loyola Marymount University, studying Natural Science. While there, I found myself gravitating towards the Recording Arts Program. After graduating, I pursued my passion for audio technology and enrolled in SAE LA, a recording school in Hollywood. I excelled in the program and graduated as valedictorian. I landed a job at a modest recording studio in Hermosa Beach called Studio 637. The early days at the studio were spent grinding hard for our clients and doing what we could with our limited resources. After a few years, the opportunity to buy the business came up, and my family jumped at the chance to own a recording studio. For seven years, we built the company into a one-stop shop for everything audio/visual. We had three departments. Audio, Video, and Live Stream. The diversity of projects that we were involved in was staggering. From rocket launches to endurance races, famous musicians to sporting events, we truly worked it all. At the end of last year, it was clear we had to move on from our beloved studio and start fresh. We were unable to grow the studio business to a level that could support our team in the way they deserved. I started my own company, Hermosa Sound Lab, operating out of the same studio that I have worked in for my whole career. Our director of photography, Dylan Pelle, started his own company, DP Visual Media, and will operate in the same space. This is an exciting new chapter for our studio. It’s not over, it just looks a little different. At Hermosa Sound Lab, our goal is to provide professional and high-quality sounding productions, in a laidback and comfortable atmosphere.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I find it hard to leave my “bubble”. The South Bay is the place to be. It’s an escape from the high-intensity energy of Hollywood or Venice. As soon as you get south of LAX, the energy shifts and you find a comfortable cluster of beach cities. Manhattan, Hermosa and Redondo. All three have unique pier areas that provide great bars and restaurants to keep you entertained. Live music and events of all kinds are prevalent. The people are friendly and happy. It’s hard not to be when you live in such a beautiful place.

Recommendations:
For the best burger, go to Proudly Serving. For the best diner, go to Ocean Diner. For the best Brewery, visit Hermosa Brew Co. and Project Barley. For the best live music, go to Saint Rocke. For the best unique cuisine, go to Barsha. For the best sandwich, go to Granny’s Grocery and Deli.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would like to give a Shoutout to Studio 637 for giving me a place to hone my skills and broaden my horizons. The experiences we had together have laid a solid foundation to build my career on. Kevin Yamada (Yamada Clayton Realty), thanks for showing me that there is more to engineering than the technical aspects, you have to build a relationship with a client to truly get the best end product. Dylan Pelle (DP Visual Media), for sharing your wealth of knowledge for everything camera and lighting, and consistently being the most positive person on set. Finally, Claire Lockwood (Sun Bear Bookkeeping), my wife and studio manager, for being the best guide through projects and life.

Website: www.hermosasoundlab.com

Image Credits
Dylan Pelle (DP Visual Media)