Today we’d like to introduce you to Raul Vega.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
When I was a kid, music was everything to my family. We always had music playing in the house, in the car, and at family events. It was integral to my upbringing. It wasn’t until late high school when my appreciation for it grew into me wanting to play the piano. I started off mostly playing by ear, and always tunes from my favorite video game and movie soundtracks, (Final Fantasy, Resident Evil, Pirates of the Caribbean, etc.) and eventually decided that’s what I wanted to focus my future on – writing music for media.
In 2006, a year after graduating high school, I moved down to Southern California from my little hometown in the northeast bay area. I studied classical piano and composition at Irvine Valley College and received my B.M. in Music Composition from California State University Long Beach spring of 2011. Shortly after graduating, I was fortunate enough to land an internship through the help of my friend Sebastien Najand (Composer at RIOT Games) at legendary film composer Hans Zimmer’s music studio Remote Control Productions. When my internship ended, I was hired as a full-time employee there, working as a digital instrument creator for Hans. I’ve been here for the last seven years, it’s been a surreal experience to say the least!
My job requires significant audio expertise. I’m responsible for capturing the essence of a given musician, recording every note, sound, dynamic, and articulation into my Digital Audio Workstation. I then use all those sound bits and put them into custom software in the form of a digital instrument, so that Hans can play it on his MIDI controlled keyboard. Some projects with my sounds in it include Man of Steel, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Bladerunner 2049, Dark Phoenix and the 2019 re-imagination of Disney’s The Lion King.
My work at Remote Control Productions led me to delve into a passion project of mine – a fiction podcast series called Rose Drive. With highly polished production, voice acting, music score and sound design, this series has continued to gain popularity since it originally launched the Summer of 2017. With only one season of the series out, it has gained enough notoriety for Forbes to list it “One of The Best 10 New Podcasts of 2018.” From writing the story to directing, composing original music, and mixing every episode, I oversee all aspects of it.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
From a production standpoint, it’s been mostly smooth sailing. We’re under a lot of pressure here at Hans’ studio, working on the biggest movies the world experiences, so transferring that over to my podcast actually helped in developing a high bar for both quality and production value. My actors are brilliant, the sound design and edit portion is a blast, and so far the biggest hurdle has been scheduling since everyone lives all over this crazy city. The most challenging part for me are personal things, such as not having a budget to compensate anyone involved. Everyone has had such a deep passion for helping to build this world with me, (I’d argue it’s equally theirs as much as it is mine!) but because we’re producing at such a high value, there simply has not been any means of getting funding that would match the caliber of the show. We are currently working on this though, as the medium begins to be taken more seriously by financiers and investors.
The other trouble has been the writing. I write the entire story, including dialogue, but I by no means consider myself to be a seasoned storyteller – not through words, at least. I have a lot of self-consciousness about my writing because I’m the least experienced in that field. But in a way, that makes it fun to lean into the fear and challenge myself in ways I would never have considered before.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Phantom Ape story. Tell us more about the business.
Phantom Ape is my beta production company. After years of toying around with its identity, (a hip hop duo, a video and music editing entity, a film music company) I finally landed on it being a home for original, quality, and narrative-driven podcasts. Rose Drive has been the test subject for it, and so far I’m liking where it’s headed. My biggest goal with Phantom Ape is wanting to create a production company that really pushes the boundaries of how we consume audio-only entertainment. Many podcasts use the exact same formula to tell their stories, relying on the same methods their predecessors have established because, quite frankly, it works. We don’t function that way. It’s been fun finding ways to immerse our listeners deeper than anything else that’s out there. Whether it’s through signature soundscapes or integrating 3D binaural audio techniques, it’s all about having fun and inviting my listeners to play along. I may be the one creating the overall sound guides for the audience with dialogue, music, and sound design, but it’s ultimately up to them to let their imagination run loose and create their own interpretation of the story, which in turn creates a unique and personal experience for them!
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Let’s not kid ourselves – luck is huge when it comes to opportunity in this industry. Without luck, I wouldn’t have landed my job working for Hans, which undoubtedly shaped the skills I’ve developed to start producing my own podcast and production company. That being said, it’s not a prerequisite for success. Those who are gifted it will only gain success so long as they continue to hone their craft, develop taste, and above everything else, strengthen their work ethic. There’s no shortage of talent in this city. The opportunities are more transparent than you think. But what I’ve found is that people want to work with people who are never content or satisfied with their output. You have to want it more than anyone else, you have to want to grow and learn and constantly push yourself in a way that only you can. Within my short time working on my podcast, I’ve landed a spot in a major journalism outlet, have acquired representation with Paradigm Talent Agency, and have worked with some of the most innovative artists in this industry. Luck showed me where the door was. Perseverance, dedication, humility and work ethic helped me open it and walkthrough.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.phantomape.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rosedrive_podcast/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RoseDrivePodcast/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/RoseDrive_Pod
Image Credit:
Photography, Justin Blodgett, Illustration, Tim Auer, Logo, Will Engle
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