We had the good fortune of connecting with DeLaVanta Tabor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi DeLaVanta, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
That we are not magicians. People often think that we can take any audio sources and make the end product sound amazing with the press of a button.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art typically enhances the art of others. Working in Film/TV and music, I get to work with amazingly talented people and if I execute my role well, no one actually notices my contributions. Which is a catch 22 because as audio engineers, we want to be recognized for our work, but the goal is for our work to not be noticed; this is especially true in audio post production for film and television.

I got to where I am now because of being a consistent hard worker and doing well to maintain integrity and always delivering my best work at the time. There is also the element of favor that can’t be ignored. Some of the opportunities I’ve had, such as my time working for Tyler Perry, came out of no where and from situations I would have never been able to plot on my own.

It is certainly not easy because the hours can be long, schedules can change abruptly, and sometimes I am up against tight deadlines that have to be met because deliverables are heading to a network for broadcast. The only way to overcome the challenges for me is typically to work through them. Sometimes that means working through the night or on weekends.

One lesson I have learned is that people don’t often know how to explain exactly what they want in a technical way and a lot of things are based on feeling. That makes listening to what they are saying and decoding it a unique skill that can take years to develop. Another is that no matter how technical something is, it is my job to make it less technical from the clients perspective.

The thing I want people to know about my brand is that I always work with my clients to deliver above and beyond the expectation. It is always about them and their project. It is my job to make them sound good.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Atlanta is full of amazing places and even as a native I am always discovering new places I never knew of. Places we would eat would consist of Five Guys, Fellini’s, Fogo De Chao, Stoney River, Atlanta’s Best Wings, Grecian Gyro, and Marietta Diner. Places we would visit would consist of my studio, Chastain Park (if there are any good artists performing), Soul Asylum Studios Dolby Atmos Theater, Velvet Note, Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint:, Truist Park, and Porsche Experience Center Atlanta.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
God, my parents, wife, friends, and colleagues.

Website: www.hydrateent.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delmixedit/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/delavanta-“del”-tabor-95960474/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/delmixedit

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeLaVantaTabor/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVW8JdgL1P98m_b0iYsvO2Q

Image Credits
Tyler Willis

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