Audio Media’s Sound Of Success

Linda Dela Cruz
Wednesday - March 19, 2008
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Freddie Ancheta
Freddie Ancheta works the audio editing system for local, national and international projects

As a post-production engineer at Audio Media, Freddie Ancheta really gets into his work. One of his most recent projects was doing the sound for the film Chief, directed by Brett Wagner, which was screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

“I just push the buttons,” Ancheta says humbly as he whizzes through the Digidesign Pro Tools audio editing program.

The firm works on audio production for radio, TV and film projects done locally and internationally. They can add sound effects, edit music, record voiceovers and coordinate sound design.

“With our ISDN, we can transfer our work to anywhere in the world,” says Ancheta.


The TV series Audio Media has worked on include North Shore and Hawaii, as well as Aloha Scooby Doo with the late Ray Bumatai. One of the many Hollywood films the firm has had a hand in is the 2004 movie Blade Trinity, starring Wesley Snipes. Some of the talents who have passed through the doors of Audio Media include Hollywood types such as Britney Spears, Pierce Brosnan, Jason Scott Lee, Kelly Hu, Cary Hiroyuki Tagawa and Jason Momoa. The studio has seen nationally famous voiceover talents such as Joe Cipriano, whose voice is heard on the Today Show, the NBC show Heroes, and CBS’s Two and a Half Men. Character actor Earl Boen, who has a role in the Terminator series as Dr. Peter Silberman, drops in sometimes. Local voiceover artists who’ve recorded at Audio Media include Tracy Yamamoto, Krisha Fairchild, Billy Sage and Loretta Ables Sayre.

Ancheta, a Mililani High School graduate, says he got into the business in trial-by-fire fashion. A music major at Northern Colorado University, Ancheta had a friend who worked at Audio Media, and he thought she had the best job in the world.

When Ancheta began working at the shop six years ago, he brought some experience from his musical training.

“I’m good because of my ear,” he says. “I can hear a lot of things.”

While working on one of his first projects, Ancheta recalls that he really wanted to succeed, so he did his best to figure things out on his own and learn fast.

“Out of fear, I got fast,” he admits.

Veteran radio broadcaster Dunbar Wakayama started the company in 1977.


Previously he had worked with a different radio station every year because of ownership changes. He decided not to do radio anymore, although it was fun, because he needed something steady that he could count on as he had a family to support. Wakayama started the recording studio and decided to make it work.

One of their challenges Ancheta, says, is to publicize the company.

“The best way to get the word out is by word of mouth,” Ancheta notes. “When I’m in a session with a client, I treat them with lots of respect and produce the best spot I can, to build a good reputation.”

Audio Media is located at 1232-C Waimanu St. Hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday, and by appointment. For more information, call 591-2007, or log onto audiomediahawaii.com

 

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