John Tompkins | Sound Design

Hello, I'm John. I am a sound designer and engineer.

I started out in entertainment at 13 years old when my brother brought me along to help out on his theatrical productions at school. My work on high school productions led to production work at the University of Southern California while studying recording arts & technical theater.Eventually I spent 24+ years touring as a sound engineer.After a series of accidents and injuries, I went back to school for my degree from SAE Sydney in post production audio.I've been freelancing in sound design and location recording since then.I recently completed the feature Evicted! A Modern Romance which won the Audience Award at Sydney Film Festival as well as the documentary Inspire Me.In the past few years, I've worked on ads for OfficeWorks and
The Law Society of New South Wales; as well as other projects including short films, podcasts, and location recordings.

Final mix
Double booms
Work from home
MIX magazine article
Short film mix
Neil Diamond crew
ADR selfies

About Me

I have been in professional audio for more than 35 years; from high school plays to university sound crews to touring internationally as a sound engineer for more than two decades; touring with Neil Diamond, No Doubt, and Tom Petty; to name a few.After accidents and injuries ended my touring career, I studied audio post production at SAE Sydney and have been freelancing as a sound designer and production sound mixer.

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Experience

Freelance sound design, Sydney NSW | 2016-present
Sound design/dialogue editor/re-recording mixer, location recording, boom operator for multiple short films, tv commercials, and podcasts.
Sound Image; Sound Systems Engineer | 1994 - 2015
Toured internationally handling large scale concert sound systems. I was responsible from pre-production to daily setup, operation, and strike of main sound system including system layout, rigging, time alignment, and system equalization for these artists:Brooks&Dunn, Jimmy Buffett, Crosby Stills & Nash, Crosby Stills Nash & Young, Melissa Etheridge, Dan Fogelberg, Tony Hawk’s BoomBoomHuckJam, Kid Rock,
Neil Diamond, No Doubt, Prince, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers,
The String Cheese Incident, Brian Wilson; and others.
Wiltern Theater, Los Angelec CA | 1989-2012
Audio/lighting technician, stagehand.
LA Sound, North Hollywood CA | 1987-1994
House/monitor engineer, technician.
Westwood Playhouse, Los Angeles CA | 1990-1994
Front of House engineer, audio/lighting technician, stagehand

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Education

SAE Sydney | 2016-2018
Bachelor degree - postproduction audio.

University of Southern California | 1986 - 1989
Music recording and technical theatre.

Santa Monica College | 2006
Digital audio design.

Orange Coast College | 1992
Concert sound systems.