What does this Emmy nomination recognition mean to you both personally and professionally?
"Well, it doesn't get any better. Let's face it, the Emmys are the crowning jewel of television production. There's a lot of good programs out there with great work being done right now, and to be honored by that group of people, people that are doing that work, is amazing."
How did you encourage a cohesive and seamless sound mix for a complex series like Fargo?
"That’s a tough one to answer. My mixing partner, Kirk Lynds, and I have been working together for a long time, so we know each other very well. At the end of the day, we're just making sure everything we create supports the storytelling. That's really what we do, right? That's how you know you're doing your job well.
"As far as working together goes, Kirk and I know each other's sensibilities. We have a good sense of what the other person needs in particular moments in terms of support. It’s also helpful that we get to have a little pre-mixing time when we are able to go through the material on our own. Then for the final we're both sitting in the room letting the mix evolve."
Fargo is known for its intricate storytelling and rich character development. How do you approach sound mixing to enhance these elements and support the narrative?
"Fargo has its own world. I listened to an interview with Warren Littlefield, where he talked about Fargo having a tone, and I think that's a great way to describe Fargo - it has its own tone. And so everything, the storytelling, the character development, the music, the mix, all have to work together to create that Fargo tone."
Is there a moment that you can remember where you used a specific technique that made that Fargo tone click?
"One that comes to mind is in the later part of the Emmy episode, the gas station conflict scene. That's the first time that our hero encounters who we believe is the bad guy. In the scene, he breaks into the gas station and shoots out the front glass wall. Then he walks through and we're very close up on his boots. In that moment we really tried to emphasize the glass crunching under his feet, which is a very Fargo thing to do."
With the mix of dialogue, music and sound effects, how do you find balance, to ensure clarity and impact without overwhelming the audience?
"Well, at its heart, that's what mixing is — it’s about balancing those elements together."
Are there any specific sounds or scenes from this season of Fargo that were particularly challenging or rewarding?
"We did work on the main villain character named Munch - particularly his footsteps. The sound of him walking was quite often something we would focus on. He’s a big guy, very imposing, so we tried to give him weight and keep him present."
Do you have a favorite episode or scene from the season that you worked on in terms of sound mixing?
"That first episode, the gas station shootout conflict scene, was a favorite and the one we were nominated for. There was a lot of texture in it —fluorescent lights flashing, freezers going off in the grocery store area, and a lot of interesting sound sources constantly changing and evolving. There was very little music or dialogue for a lot of the scene, so we really relied on sound effects. It was a lot of fun to work on.
Another one worth mentioning is in episode 7 where there's a puppet show. The puppet show evolves from us watching it as an audience to it becoming part of the narrative. That was more challenging than expected and it was difficult to keep it feeling like a puppet show, but also make it feel like it was happening in reality."
Looking back on your career, where does Fargo rank in terms of professional achievements, and what makes it stand out for you?
"It’s right at the top. It’s an excellently produced program. Noah Hawley has brought in all the top people in every field, so to be included with them is a real honor. It’s just so well done. Plus, I personally love the show. If I wasn’t working on it, I’d definitely be watching it. That makes a big difference. At every moment, we’re either laughing out loud or just having a great time."
Are there any upcoming projects or series that you’re excited to work on? How do you think your experience on Fargo will influence your future work?
"Nothing I can mention now, but I do have projects coming up. What I can say is that working on Fargo, where sound is such an intricate part of the storytelling, has influenced how I’ll approach all my future work. Sound is in the Fargo scripts from the beginning. I used to joke about “Fargo-ing it up” with sound, to put it in that world. That experience will definitely affect how I look at sound in everything I do because it’s such an important part of storytelling."
What advice would you give to aspiring sound mixers who want to work in television and film, especially on complex and acclaimed series like Fargo?
"Always focus on telling the story. Ask yourself, what’s important to the narrative? Making a cool sound isn’t always the right thing for a particular moment. You have to make sure the sound serves the story. Especially on TV, where mixing is more challenging because of dynamic restrictions, so pick and choose your moments."