Today we’d like to introduce you to Reggie Crawford.
Hi Reggie, 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?
Sure! I’ve always been fascinated by video and audio production, sound and visual effects. Even as a kid, I remember I would put an on-air sign (hand-drawn) outside my door and record myself imitating what I heard on the radio.
You might even say that I first got started with audio production way back then, recording myself doing silly things like ‘The Top 10 Farts’, even generating my own sound effects..(um, with my mouth).
In high school I had heard many times the statement: ‘You have a nice voice, you should be on the radio’. ( You know what, I just realized that no one ever said, ‘hey you have a nice face, you should be on tv’…hmmm) Soon after graduation, I was able to land a part-time on-air shift on a small ‘mom & pop’ radio station.
As I grew I had a notebook full of production ideas, with squiggly lines representing the sounds I would use if I could, but I just had no idea how to make my ideas happen.
Out of high school, I was working a job I did not like, and I remember literally getting the phone book and dropping it down to see where it opened. It landed on TV stations and it was at that moment I remembered that, ‘oh yeah, I’ve always wanted to work with video’, because by this time I had kind of forgotten about these things.
I called every tv station in the city, but without being in college, I was unable to get a foot in the door of the television at that time. I next started calling radio stations, and it was looking like it was going to be the same result, BUT one station did say they were hiring, so I rushed over and filled out an application. As I was sitting in the lobby, the Program Director saw me, and for some reason brought me into his office and talked to me, showed me around the station which was so cool, and then allowed me to continue to come back and hang out/train/help out doing some radio basics. I guess you could say it was ‘right place, right time’.
Finally, after getting experience being on the air in radio for a few years on a few different stations, I started audio production professionally by way of radio imaging/branding in 1999. I was full time on-air, and eventually became the Director of Audio & Commercial Production for the market. I was privileged to be able to write and produce award-winning promos and commercials for brands in the Top 40, Hip hop, Country, Adult contemporary, and News & talk formats.
Since then, I’ve been honored to produce audio for legendary radio voice-over talents and stations and podcasts around the planet including in New York City, DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Sri Lanka, the Bahamas, Canada, Kenya, and lots more.
During the quarantine, I decided it was time to stop thinking about it, and just START my own podcast. This has proven to be a great outlet for my creativity because, normally I am working on someone else’s ‘baby’, THEIR project, which means I have a set of constraints to stay within, based on their needs and wants. But with my own podcast, it’s my own ‘baby’, so I am free to voice, edit, sound design and produce each episode however I wish. It’s been a wonderful experience and it’s even managed to win a few awards in its first season which was a huge honor!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It’s been a long road, being mostly self-taught and, especially seeing as how I worked my way up from the bottom, aka initially not even on the payroll aka not getting paid at all. As an alum of Hard-Knock University, I’ve been trained thoroughly.
As you know, we’re big fans of Sonic Embassy™. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Thank you! Well, I founded Sonic Embassy from my deep nerd-like passion for the art of great audio production. The name Audio Production is a fairly broad category as it encompasses many different forms of sound work.
Throughout my career, I’ve been honored to produce content for amazing clients by way of (deep breath) Podcast Editing, Commercials, Voice Overs, Concert Tours, Dialog Editing, TV Promos,, Radio Promos, Product Videos, Sound Effects Editing, Radio Imaging, DJ Drops, Mixing, Audiobooks, Phone Messaging, Sound Design (whew).
Those moments when you deliver the final project to the client, and they are 100% satisfied and happy with what you did, and then they use you AGAIN later, that feeling never gets old.
It’s super fun and I love what I do.
I’m very proud when I’m able to receive an award, because it’s like getting an official recognition for my work and efforts and it’s a nice buffer for the other times when I may feel under-appreciated.
I’d love for your readers to know that, if it has audio, we can help…I’ve even edited together the performance audio for someone who was in a hair-stylist competition, and a bodybuilding competitor, things you might not think about (at least until you heard theirs up against everyone else who didn’t have their mix professionally produced.) 😉
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Finding a mentor requires humility, putting yourself out there and asking for help, to recognize that you don’t know everything. I’ve asked and been rejected but, overall I was fortunate enough to encounter several women & men over the years who were very kind and generous with their time and knowledge. I’ve tried to be the same way and not act like my knowledge and experience is some closely guarded secret.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.SonicEmbassy.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thesonicembassy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SonicEmbassy
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/sonicembassy
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQj_wZ8nBQUQAM92HDitF3g
- Other: solo.to/SonicEmbassy
Image Credits:
Leti C. RC!
Lillian Starr
