Pictures from the event.
The phrase classified or government clearance may raise a red flag for some but the world of forensic audio and video is predicated off of it. Conservatory students were given first hand exposure as to what can be expected from this type of work. Bryan Neumeister enlighten an eager crowd on how he got into this business and the techniques used to perform his job.
If one had to guess, perhaps the assumed conclusion would be that years of military training would be required to work in such a clandestine industry. However, according to Neumeister, knowledge is king. In fact, Neumeister himself started his career on the music side of audio and consistently pushed the envelope as an innovator. If conventional wisdom said "No, it can't be done" he would research why and often prove conventional wisdom wrong. This technique has served him well as evidence by his career and 39 Emmy Awards for technical excellence.
Understanding why a piece of equipment works makes for a protean engineer. One glance at his CV and there is no doubt Bryan Neumeister is versatile in his methods. This is the main tenent of Neumeister's teachings. When extrapolated into the the real world it stands up to scrutiny as well. Cutting edge fields are creating curriculums that will be taught in the coming years. Adopting the persona of an autodidact will enable young engineers to grow into the role of an innovator. Once a base knowledge is achieved and one graduates from formal education learning must not cease. Through learning new materials new discoveries can be made.
A parting piece of wisdom boosted the confidence of all in attendance. Neumeister assured students that they will graduate with enough knowledge to be able to work in a similar field as his own. By choosing to specialize in a given field individuals can hone in on topics experts in other fields may overlook. The biggest set back individuals interested in forensic audio may face is getting government clearance which may take up to 2 years. A work around was provided by Neumeister however, working with local authorities requires no classified clearance and is a great way to build a resume.
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