Digital Dreams is a busy sound studio in Burbank, California. The studio was founded by industry veterans Clancy Troutman and George Nemzer, and provides every post-production service from sound editing to the creation of foley and sound effects. Among Digital Dreams’ most recent credits are What The Bleep Do We Know? and Toolbox Murders. And among their most recent hires is VFS grad Scott Westley.

As a Sound Editor, Scott gets to do it all, from organizing recording sessions to working as a foley artist for creating sound effects for a film. He now has five feature films to his credit, including Mortuary, which was released in 2005 and was directed by Texas Chainsaw Massacre’s Tobe Hooper. Scott has also had the opportunity to work on other films exclusively as a foley artist.

Passion for Sound

Sound is Scott’s passion, no matter what form it takes, and it’s a passion he’s quick to share with others. Prior to attending VFS, he worked for many years as a house DJ and recently produced some of his own tracks. “I’ve always been interested in the manipulation of sound,” Scott says. “It’s important for people not just to hear, but to listen.”

It was only natural for Scott to take Sound Design at VFS. He found the program intense, but ultimately rewarding. “It was great, especially getting my Pro Tools certification. It’s the tool I use everyday.” But learning the tools of the trade was only the beginning, Scott says. “You also need the skills to know what to do with those tools.”

Pro Tools and a Little Networking

Skills like networking, which has been very important in Scott’s career. “Even though a lot of time is spent solo in your editing room, you have to be outgoing. You can’t be a wallflower,” Scott says. “A big part of the job is creating and maintaining relationships with various people, from directors to video editors to mixers to delivery guys.”

Scott put his own advice to good use and moved to LA just two weeks after graduating. He quickly began to hand out resumes and worked hard to meet professionals in his field. “I was fortunate to get a chance to look around at Digital Dreams’ studio,” Scott says. “When I was there, I met Clancy Troutman, the owner and long-time sound supervisor. We ended up hitting it off.” Shortly thereafter, Scott was hired.

Learning from Experts

Scott is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with industry veterans. “These guys have hundreds of credits in film and TV. They know what they’re doing and it’s a challenge to consistently meet their high standards,” Scott says.

But meeting the challenge is a reward all in itself. “Every project is a highlight this early on in your career,” he says, “but the best thing about my job is hearing my hard work come through after the film has been mixed.”