Marc Fishman was inspired by the power of film audio early on, growing up as engrossed with the music and sound effects for Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark as the visuals. It quickly became obvious that this was much more than just a hobby, and after high school Marc enrolled in Full Sail's Recording Arts program. Now over two decades since graduating he has been involved in more than 150 film and television projects as a sound re-recording mixer – not bad for a kid raised on a diet of Spielberg and Lucas movies.

“My mom had always instilled in me that you have to go after the things you want, and that hard work really does pay off,” he says. “So I always felt when I left school I was ready to go out into the world and it was mine to either take or mess up. I think that’s the one thing that really helped me get to where I am today, I’ve just never said no.”

His professional attitude and ear for audio helped Marc build a successful career at many of Hollywood’s top postproduction studios, including Todd-AO, where he has spent over half his career as re-recording mixer. His role at the studio is as much a science as an art, with him sitting behind a huge mixing console and going through a film scene by scene to balance the dialog, music, and sound effects to give the soundtrack the right volume and emotional tone.

What makes this more impressive is the range of genres he’s tackled. Some of Marc’s most notable mixes include the hit comedies Bridesmaids and Mean Girls, horror franchise entries Friday the 13th (2009) and Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, and award-winning dramas like Crash and the mini-series John Adams, the latter of which saw his work honored with the Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing.

“One of the things about working in audio is that a lot of people don’t understand what we do, how we do it, or how it can have an effect on [the film],” he says. “You’re trying to tell the story through sound, and so winning the Emmy was really an amazing experience, because of how much we put into our work. It was a validation of what we do.”

Marc also explained that the less-public moments in the studio often provide equally poignant rewards as an artist. During his career he’s been fortunate to work with a number of top filmmakers, and has created ongoing collaborations with people who understand the importance of a well-crafted mix, like director Rob Reiner.

“What I love is when you get to sit with a director and help shape their film,” he says. “One of the things that’s been really special for me is that I have repeat clients I work with now who really value our part of the process. That’s been something really special, working with people like Rob Reiner or Paul Haggis. It can be very rare for some careers, and it’s something that I’ve been very blessed to have happen.”

What you quickly realize about Marc is that enthusiasm is always there no matter what part of his work he’s talking about, and he continues to have the same passion for audio as that kid who grew up fascinated by the sound of lightsabers and the crack of Indiana Jones’ whip. It’s that ingrained inspiration that keeps him dedicated to his craft as a re-recording mixer, and the role he plays in creating films that connect with audiences.

“I love what I do, and I’m always grateful that I get up everyday and get to go into the studio and make a living at this,” he says. “I get to work in a business that is known around the world. I can go anywhere and probably talk to somebody about a movie that I worked on over the past 10 or 20 years. That’s something really special.”