Mixing
5.1 Surround Mixing for Feature Films, Shorts, Documentary, TV, Web
Sound Editing
Audio Editing, Restoration, Noise Removal
Voice Recording
Voice Over, ADR
Sound FX
Recording, Design, Original Sound FX Library, Custom Creation
Foley
Recording, Editing
Composing
Scoring, Recording, Original Music Library
Friendo Sound - Eric Friend
Friendo Sound is an audio post production facility for feature films, shorts, documentary, broadcast, commercials, and the web. We are located in the Arts + Labor creative hub of filmmakers and media producers in Austin TX. Eric Friend started working on films as a child in Michigan. He learned filmmaking from his father, and created animated short films throughout high school. Eric moved to Austin Texas in 1993 to attend the University of Texas Radio/ Television/ Film program and immediately began working for Richard Linklater’s Detour Filmproductions. While at Detour, Eric met Mike Judge and began recording Mike’s voice for Beavis and Butt-Head. He continued recording, editing, animating, and maintaining Mike’s Protools recording studio and Avid editing suites for the next 16 years.
In 2009 Eric opened Friendo Sound, a 5.1 mix facility to work on independent feature films, television shows, broadcast commercials, web content, live action and animated shorts.
As a composer and performer, Eric studied piano in Michigan with legendary soul/jazz/funk pianist Eddie Russ and the great Dr. Morris Lawrence at Washtenaw Community College. From 2000-2003, Eric played keyboards and toured with the band Spoon. Currently Eric plays keyboards with The Reivers, and his compositions have been featured in nationally broadcast documentaries, television commercials, and radio ads.
Eric Friend on IMDb Contribution to King of the Hill Daytime Emmy - 1998-1999
Austin American Statesman Profile - Sept. 2006 Digital media changing Austin industries
Sound engineer exploits digital revolution - From Kinky to Hank Hill, Eric Friend’s in on some of Austin’s best jokes
By Lilly Rockwell
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, September 01, 2006
Technology and creativity collide in the universe of digital media.
In Austin, that collision is changing business and entertainment landscapes. The lines are blurring between industries such as advertising, games, music, movies, television and Web design. The rise of the Internet, digital graphic arts and the digitizing of photos and videos is shaking the foundation of established entertainment businesses — witness Hollywood’s troubles adjusting to the new technological environment — affording opportunities to small companies.
Boundaries are moving, too. Job titles are no longer strictly defined. A TV production company now also makes Web sites. A sound engineer can work on a Web site and a TV show. An animator can work on movies and games.
Austin is paying attention to these changes, organizing the Digital Media Council to promote growth of this burgeoning industry. Starting Wednesday, the city will host the three-day Austin Games Conference, a 2,400-person confab highlighting the growth of digital media.
Curious about the artists and business leaders who will intersect at the conference, we followed three people through the digital media maze. These Austinites represent the growing integration of movies and TV, games and commercial design in our community.
Getting paid to hear Mike Judge do his Hank Hill voice for “King of the Hill” is just his day job. On the side, Eric Friend listens to Kinky Friedman’s latest one-liners.
As a free-lance sound engineer, Friend, 33, works in movies, TV, games and the Web.
The computer at his East Austin home is his office; it’s where he makes his sound effects, records dialogue and edits. He uses the same digital editing software for each medium and sends his finished product via e-mail.
Friend also plays keyboards, piano and guitar, and uses these instruments for soundtracks. He played keyboards for the Austin band Spoon for three years.
Friend went to the University of Texas to major in radio, television and film and graduated in 1995. He met Mike Judge around that time and has been his sound recorder ever since. He helped Judge with MTV’s “Beavis and Butt-Head” and was later tapped for “King of The Hill.”
“With ‘Beavis and Butt-Head,’ it was easier for him to improvise, because he did all the voices,” Friend said. “He could just make the other character respond to what he said. He can’t do that with ‘King of the Hill.’ “
Friend is one of only two people employed by Judge. He also works for Collection Agency Films, which was hired to create Kinky Friedman political cartoons for the gubernatorial candidate’s Web site.
For sound effects, Friend doesn’t like to look through his bank of pre-recorded electronic noises. He wants to make them organically. So when a Kinkytoon called for the noise of a politician kissing a baby, he kissed his 17-month-old son.
He’s also done the dialogue and sound effects for a PC game called “The Freelancer,” the story of an intergalactic adventurer who likes to drive space shuttles while dodging asteroid belts. It took nine months just to record the dialogue, Friend said.
Because he works for hire, Friend can easily jump from one medium to the next. One day he’s doing something for the Web, and that night he could be called in to work on a documentary, he said.
“I like being able to work in multiple fields,” Friend said. “I love working on movies and documentaries, TV shows and video games.”
Panelist at SPOT Festival, in Aarhus, Denmark - 2010
Panelist at Austin Film Festival Austin, TX - 2011
Guest Lecturer at University of Texas at Austin - 2011
FEATURES
Pit Stop - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
The Retrieval - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
Good Night - Sound Editor 2013
Fourplay - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
The Taiwan Oyster - Dialogue Editor 2012
Radio America - Additional Sound Recordist 2012
The Man from Orlando - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Pictures of Superheroes - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Saturday Morning Massacre - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Flatland 2: Sphereland - Sound Mixer, Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Cinema Six - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Somebody Up There Likes Me - Sound Effects Editor 2012
Slacker 2011 - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Wuss- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Restive - Dialogue Editor, Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2011
Melvin - Sound Editor, Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2011
The Happy Poet - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2010
Natural Selection - Sound Editor 1999
South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut - Sound Recordist 1999
Phoenix - Foley Editor 1998
The Newton Boys - Foley Editor 1988
Gunfighter's Moon - Foley Editor 1997
Beavis and Butt-Head Do America - Sound Recordist 1996
SubUrbia - Foley Editor 1996
Bound - Foley Editor 1996
It's Impossible to Learn to Plow by Reading Books - Sound Editor 1988
SHORTS
Black Metal - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
The Horrible Life of Dr. Ghoul- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
Slash- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
Hell No- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
Follow- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
Ex-Votos- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
Skate Yrself Clean- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
The Amazing Bedazzler- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
The Secret Keeper- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Hellion- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Mother's Day - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2011
You and Me are Stitched - Sound Editor 2011
Karin's Shoes - Sound Mixer 2010
Last Breath - Sound Editor 2010
Wanted - Sound Mixer 2011
Fotograf - Sound Editor 2011
Running Upside Down - Sound Editor 2011
Fourplay: San Francisco - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2010
Declaration - Sound Editor 2010
When I Grow Up - Sound Editor, Sound Mixer 2010
The History Lesson - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2010
Sandwich'd - Sound Editor 2010
Fourplay: Austin - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2010
Nabbey Family Beach Vacation - Sound Editor 2010
Love Bug - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2009
The Ballad of Friday and June - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2009
The Story of Night & Day - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2009
DOCUMENTARY
The Grove - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2013
America's Parking Lot - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Portrait of Wally - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2012
Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2011
Quadrangle (short) - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2010
Tattooed Under Fire - Sound Editor 2008
Dirt Road to Psychedelia- Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2007
A Place to Dance- Sound Re-Recording Mixer- 2006
Tall Tales & Other Big Lies - Sound Designer 2006
Viva les amis - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2005
Light from the East - Sound Re-Recording Mixer 2005
Letter from Waco - Sound Editor 1997
TV
Sesame Street - Wordbots- "Fragrance," "Jealous" (animated shorts) - Sound Designer/ Mixer/ Composer 2013
Sketchy- Drive-Thru Emergency- Sound Designer 2012
Beavis and Butt-Head - Sound Recordist, Dialogue Editor 1995-1997, 2011
My 600lb Life - Sound Editor 2012
Sesame Street - Todd Parr- (animated shorts) - Sound Designer/ Mixer/ Composer 2012
Sesame Street - Salty and Pierre (animated shorts) - Sound Designer/ Mixer/ Composer 2010
The Goode Family - Sound Recordist 2009
Sesame Street - "Wings" and "Newt" (animated shorts) - Sound Designer/ Mixer/ Composer 2009
King of The Hill - Sound Recordist 2002-2009
Futurama: The Beast with a Billion Backs - Sound Recordist 2008
The Simpsons - Sound Recordist (1 episode 1997)
Web/ Commercials/ Misc
Crayola Factory Tour Multimedia Installation - Sound Design/ Mix 2013
Shiner Beer Broadcast Commercials - Sound Design/ Mix - 2013
Tillamook Cheese Broadcast Commercials- Sound Design/ Mix - 2012-2013
Cooking Planit Broadcast Commercials- Sound Design/ Mix - 2012-2013
SpongeBob- "SpongeBob Moves In" app- Sound Design- 2013
UT Sports Broadcast Commercials - Sound Design/ Mix - 2012
The Lego Wire (Web Short) - Sound Design- 2012
Perot Museum- Energy Hall Multi Scree Video Installation - Sound Design/ Mix - 2012
Thor and Loki Marvel Motion Comics - 5.1 Sound Re-Recording Mixer- 2011
Iron Man Extremis Marvel Motion Comics - 5.1 Sound Re-Recording Mixer- 2011
Amridge University Broadcast Commercial- Sound Design/ Mix - 2011
USPS- "Stay Away from the Truck" Broadcast Commercial- Sound Design/ Mix - 2011
One of the great things about having an office at Arts and Labor is working with talented filmmakers on their personal projects. We have all been collaborating on each other’s short films. This year, 2 of the short films will be showing at SXSW, “The Alligator,” written and directed by Jeff Marrow, and “The Grownups” directed by Jason Wehling. I operated the boom mic, and mixed the audio for both of these films. I also composed music for “The Alligator.” The music in “The Grownups” is by the The Militant Babies.
“The Alligator” is a cute story about an awkward first date. “The Grownups” began as a submission to the 48 hour film competition. It won many awards including best film(!)
Check them out!
You can view my SXSW schedule here:
http://my.sxsw.com/user/schedule/efriendo
I will have to double up on the last 2 films because AFF is starting! Finally there will be the premiere of Spring Eddy, a West Texas romantic comedy directed by George Anson.
In the shorts program will be The Secret Keeper by Bears Fonte. A sci fi short that could be from the Twilight Zone.
Here's a funny, dark comedy by Don Swaynos called Pictures of Superheroes. I can't wait to see this in a theater with an audience. Lots of friends involved in this one as well. Next up on the countdown to AFF is a great movie by Dano Johnson and Seth Caplan. Flatland 2: Sphereland. An educational animated movie that involves math and is based on a sci-fi novel. My son is a big fan of Flatland, but hasn't seen this sequel yet. Kid friendly, so bring the family!
Go check out the scooby-influenced Saturday Morning Massacre, directed by Spencer Parsons. So many friends involved in this film, it will be a fun late night screening.
This week is the Austin Film Festival, and I will be speaking on a panel titled "Independent Filmmaking- Production through Post."
There are also 5 films that are playing the festival and were mixed at Friendo Sound(!) I will be posting each of these here this week.
Portrait of Wally opens Friday, September 7th at the Violet Crown Cinema in Austin. I highly recommend! Sound design/ mix by Friendo Sound.
Friendo Sound helped with sound design on another Yahoo! short. This time in collaboration with Collection Agency Films. Check it out.
Another awesome short by Joe Nicolosi... Lego Wire(!) Voice recording and sound design by Friendo Sound.
We just finished the final mix on Flatland 2: Sphereland! This film was a lot of fun. I was able to create sound fx for the 4th dimension... and beyond(!) Minds were blown.
Fourplay will be premiering this Sunday in San Francisco at the Frameline Film Festival. Adventurous friends should check it out. Mix by Friendo Sound. Kyle Henry, Paul Soileau, and Chloe in attendance.
Recording Foley for Pictures of Superheroes!
Cinema Six premieres this Friday the 13th at the Dallas International Film Festival. It's kinda like "My Dog Skip" meets "Precious."
Check out these ads for Tillamook cheese. Audio mixed at Friendo Sound. Directed by Joe Nicolosi.
Friendo Sound worked with the animation studio Magnetic Dreams, and author Todd Parr for this short on Sesame Street. I created the music, sound design, and mix. Special thanks to all the talented kids who performed the voiceover! This was a lot of fun. It is called "10 Doggie Kisses".
I recently finished mixing the feature film, The Happy Poet. It is a really funny film with a great script and cast. The movie is about a guy who opens an organic vegetarian food stand and the trouble he finds in keeping his business profitable. The original score was written and performed by the director Paul Gordon and the actor Jonny Mars on an old upright piano. I expanded on the original composition for a couple of scenes and montages. It will be premiering at the SXSW Film Festival on Sunday March 14th at 2pm at the Alamo Ritz. It will also show on March 15th at 5pm and March 18th at 6:15pm, both at the Alamo Ritz. Check it out!
http://happypoetmovie.com/ I have finally made the upgrade to 5.1 surround sound! I have been putting it off for a long time, but I can now officially mix for Dolby Pro Logic encoding. It’s was a long and complicated project, but it’s sounding nice. You can now feel the bass with the subwoofer… ha ha. December and January were busy working on Amy Grappell’s amazing documentary short, Quadrangle. It is a story about her parent’s group marriage in the 1970s. She interviewed them for research into a narrative feature and Christian Moore filmed the interviews. She ended up editing the footage together with Aaron Raff to create a dual screen art installation piece that showed at local art galleries and museums. When the film was accepted to Sundance, I began working on the sound design and mix. Original music by Sean Eden and Courtney Saunders. Special thanks to Tom Hammond for letting us listen to the mix in his excellent room. It turned out great and received an honorable mention at the Sundance festival. Congrats everybody!
It will be playing again at the SXSW film festival, so go check it out! Wow.. I never thought that I would start a blog, but there are so many things to share.
More to follow… now it is time to sleep…. zzzz
Feel free to contact us for rates and services we can provide for your project.
Eric's Extended Credit Roll and Recognitions
Eric's Extended Credit Roll and Recognitions
The Alligator and The Grownups at SXSW
24 Oct 2011
AFF 2012: Spring Eddy & The Secret Keeper
19 Oct 2012
AFF 2012: Pictures of Superheroes
18 October 2012
AFF 2012: Flataland 2: Sphereland
17 October 2012
AFF 2012: Saturday Morning Massacre
16 October 2012
AFF 2012: Independent Filmmaking - Production through Post
15 October 2012
Portrait of Wally
29 August 2012
Yahoo! Short
13 August 2012
Lego Wire
17 July 2012
Flatland 2: Sphereland
29 June 2012
Fourplay
14 June 2012
Recording Foley…
9 April 2012 
Cinema Six premieres!
11 April 2012
Tillamook Cheese
7 March 2012
10 Doggie Kisses
9 Jan 2012
The Happy Poet premieres
24 Oct 2011
Friendo Sound goes Surround!
24 Oct 2011
Quadrangle at Sundance
24 Oct 2011
New Blog!
24 Oct 2011
