Aj Pyatak shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Aj, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
I think there’s a lot misunderstood about what I do, but I think it’s also a mystery to me sometimes. People come to me to make their movies sound better, but the process of getting from where they are to where they want to be is different for each film, making it a puzzle. Sometimes, making things make sense in the soundtrack involves removing elements instead of adding them, or changing something in an unexpected way that would have never been apparent until we are in the final session on the dub stage. The great thing, and the difficult thing, is there’s no one way to answer the question, “How do we make this sound better?”
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Aj Pyatak, and I’m a re-recording mixer and sound supervisor for film and television. I work for a company called Tunnel Post in Santa Monica, as well as create my own work under my long-time self-run effort NOvas ROOM studios. I have always billed myself as a one-man show who would clean the dialogue as well as write the soundtrack for your film. With Tunnel Post, I’m working with award-winning directors and composers, so it’s been incredibly fun and fast-paced, learning from seeing how some of the best in the business work. It’s fun to work independently, but working with a really professional crew on a big film can be rewarding and remind you why it’s so great to collaborate with other humans. On my own, with NOvas ROOM, I’m experimenting with new ideas and having fun making strange audio things, or writing music. Having that small outlet where I have complete creative control is a nice way to stay grounded when there is some odd audio idea I have that doesn’t really fit into any movies I’m working on.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
I think it was my parents from very early on that made me want to build my own business and work extremely hard to see that reality. They were jewelers who had their own shop inside our house. So you would walk into the back of the house, and my dad had the full blow torch, melting metal and repairing rings. It was exciting, and it showed me a way to work inside life that wasn’t a typical 9-5. I knew I wasn’t a jeweler necessarily, but I did know that whatever path I chose, I wanted to immerse myself in it and understand all the aspects.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Right before I got my job at Tunnel, in 2022, I wasn’t sure if I would have to pivot to something new. I spent some time programming digital signage, and I helped set up and explain some of the technology that later became the Las Vegas Sphere at a technology display showcase. I always thought I would fall into a more technical role somewhere, but now I’m on a much more creative path that honestly feels like a better fit all around.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I truly believe all movies deserve to sound awesome, no matter what level of production I’m working on. I think to make great art, you have to commit to the project 100%. I have a saying I started with my long-time sound editing collaborator, Frank Fussa. I’ll express that sometimes we have to be “Aggressively Creative,” which means we need to come up with good ideas FAST! We’ll focus on specific sections until they’re working correctly, but it’s not finished until we like it and everyone agrees it sounds the way it should.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
I know what I understand deeply, but I’m not sure I’m able to judge what others don’t. What I do know is that we as humans really benefit from creating art and expressing ourselves. I think it’s important to be yourself, and if that’s weird, be weird; if it’s not, then don’t, but it’s important to express who you are. Paint, write, sing, make movies, just make art that tells people what you believe and who you are, and you’ll make real connections with others that make life really worth living.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.novasroom.com, www.tunnelpost.com
- Instagram: gannon5000
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aj-pyatak-0ba1b0114/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@AjGannon
- Other: https://m.imdb.com/name/nm2756697/
Image Credits
Kat “Dangerzone” Pyatak
