Here at pointblank, we pride ourselves on the success of our students. We’re spoilt for choice when it comes to success stories and that’s why we publish a monthly Student Success feature. For this instalment, we are shining a spotlight on pointblank alumni, Miles Bond. He specialises in Audio Visual work and is currently employed by the company AVI-SPL.
Miles Bond studied our Music Production and Sound Engineering degree and has gone on to achieve some incredible feats. He currently works for AVI-SPL, a billion-dollar company that looks after global clients such as Goldman Sachs, NBCUniversal, Citi Bank, Coca Cola and more. Find out more about Miles and how he secured his job in the industry below.
Hey Miles, for those who aren’t familiar with you, could you tell us a little bit about yourself?
I graduated in Music Production and Sound Engineering from pointblank in October of 2021, with my eyes on working in music studios with large format consoles as an entry-level technician. I found myself struggling to get a foot in the door of any London studios – maybe because of the run-up to Christmas and most likely because my creative portfolio was limited, only highlighting two genres of music that I had previously mixed. From talking to people already in the industry, I realised how comprehensive successful applications are. Normally these would contain achievements such as podcasting streams, specialised degrees and recognised credits. So, I began to look elsewhere for full-time work.
You recently started working in the Audio Visual industry for AVI-SPL – congratulations! Could you tell us a bit about what you do there?
After searching for a job in the Audio Visual industry, I found AVI-SPL on indeed.com. AVI-SPL are considered the front runner of digital enablement solutions for corporate communications, so it was great to be offered a job at a company with a high level of expertise and professionalism. I currently work within the installation team, installing connectivity equipment from brands such as Cisco and Shure. It has worked out really well for me as the engineering side of my pointblank degree has given me the chance to develop my understanding of signal routing, installing cabling and troubleshooting all sorts of electrical equipment.
How did you go about securing a role at the company?
I secured a role with this company by applying to as many AV companies as I could find. Indeed.com was my sole job search site but when I was looking for music-related jobs, I was paying for the Music Jobs service, which I still recommended. However, Music Jobs is highly competitive but gives you a good idea of what jobs are out there. AVI-SPL was my second interview for a role in the AV industry and they were impressed that I made a good appearance and acted in a personable manner. A degree can only get someone so far. Businesses are really looking for open-minded people that are willing to learn unconditionally.
Has it always been the plan to work in this sector of the music industry?
So yes, my ideal job is still working in a creative environment such as a music studio. Mainly because it is something I am very passionate about and there are many like myself! However, I needed to pay the bills and the stress of constant rejection for 3 months began to creep in. By looking at alternative industries, that are less creative but still technical, I was able to get a more than suitable compromise. I hope these answers help showcase the wealth of opportunities we all have when leaving pointblank.
What do you like most about working in A/V?
I definitely recommend AV to anyone finishing the same course as I did. There are lots of transferable skills that many AV businesses are looking for. Understanding signal routing is a massive correlation between the AV industry and sound engineering. One thing I enjoy is being on the tools – it’s nice physical work in some amazing offices across London. If you ever see a vacancy at AVI-SPL, give it a shot.
What advice would you give to other pointblank students/young creatives looking to branch out into Audio Visual work?
Some advice I would give the grads looking to enter the AV industry is to be consistent. Always put on your best face for every interaction you have, even if it’s not successful. In general, I found it much easier to become employed in the AV industry and this is because of the time I spent at pointblank. Be willing to learn new things. Since being at the business I have realised I know barely anything about modern applications of audio and visual technologies, purely because of the amount of specialisation out there. Even with 80+ hours of usage on the SSL Duality, I was still getting the cold shoulder from music studios. It wasn’t the case when I went to AV.
How did you discover pointblank?
I found pointblank in a rush as I withdrew my application from SAE. After seeing that student satisfaction was 50% on their website, I just couldn’t do that to myself.
Were there any things that really stood out in your memory from studying here?
One thing that will always stand out to me from my time at pointblanks was the access to the tutors. They really are highly professional deliver incredibly interesting ideas about music, the industry and how to become a successful artist. And, of course, the SSL duality desk will never leave my mind.
What’s in the pipeline? Are there any other interesting projects (personal or professional) you’re working on that you can tell us about?
My free time is spent developing a home studio of my own in a watertight shed in my parent’s garden. I’ve been building racks for equipment and now looking into getting the parts to make my own custom length cables, more work always pops up to be done but it’s something I enjoy doing. My goal is to have a hybrid studio of some class A commercial gear. This includes Neve 1073 and API preamps, Japanese reverb units from the 2000s and an SSL X-Rack ( a more condensed version of the large format console you can use in Studio 1). I would recommend you take advantage of the studio access when you can!
Ambitions within my job now consist of developing more specialised knowledge and soon I hope to begin training on writing scripts for DSP units, something that never came into my mind during my course. Keep an open mind and don’t stress yourself out too much! Always be willing to make a change in your ideal situation.
Successes such as these are common among our students and alumni. We can teach you how to DJ like the best of them at any of our schools. If you’d like to learn how to produce, then we can build your skills from the ground up with our range of degree programmes. For more information, you can contact us here.
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