Sound Designer David Jeffers
About this episode…
SOUND DESIGNER - DaVID JEFFERS
Taking a family holiday from his job as a Ford engineer, changed David’s life forever.
An accident on the beach left him paralysed from the chest down. Quadriplegic.
When David was ready to work again, an old friend remembered their shared love of music. He suggested David create audio tracks for the animated videos his company were creating. His freelance business ‘Quadriphonic Sound’ was about to make some noise.
Without the flexibility of being freelance, David wonders if he’d be able to work at all. Instead he’s making a name for himself on dream projects for huge brands, doing it all remotely around his health and family needs.
Read the highlights in the next tab.
INSPIRED BY OTHERS
After David’s accident left him quadriplegic, he found inspiration from meeting others with some form of disability who were getting out to work or starting businesses. Be it online or in person, it helps to see and speak to others doing what you could be doing…
“That's the good thing about getting in a community, cuz you see like, oh, this guy is doing that - I could be doing that. It gives you inspiration to do things. It just shows you a lot of different possibilities and then you can network with people. It's a big help.”
FREELANCING GIVES FLEXIBILITY
David believes it’d be hard for him to get a ‘real job’ with the demands of being in a place at a certain time. Freelancing takes away that pressure, allowing him to work around his health and his family.
“For me it's, it's been a lifesaver. I mean, it does get tough at times… but being freelance has allowed me to work from home so that it works with my medical care schedule as well as I can be flexible to work with my kids.
Another example is, there's moments where my pain level or being so tired for whatever reason, I literally can't work. So if I have an episode like that during the day, it allows me to flex my schedule and maybe do the work at night or do it at a different time. So it's been great for me.”
PRESSURE TO BE PROFESSIONAL
David wonders if being disabled adds an extra pressure, that he perhaps puts on himself, to be extra professional/perfect for things…
“I gotta look extra on top of it cuz I think I feel the pressure, because I am disabled - I don't want anybody to see any hiccups, you know what I mean?”
DOING YOUR BEST
David thinks his reputation of being someone who will always do his best has stood him in good stead. It meant people he’s known for years could trust him with work when he was looking for it after his accident. It means people know he’ll always do a good job.
“For me I think my success as a freelancer has come from anything I do, I try to do my best. I know that kind of sounds cliche, but if I'm doing something for somebody, I like to go all out and I think just being a good honest person is what has got me where I'm at in freelance basically.
Cuz not to brag on myself, but any job except for maybe this grocery store job I had in high school, I could go back to today. You know what I mean? Just because they know that if I'm gonna work on something I'm gonna give it my all and make sure it gets done. So I think that's why people have given me opportunities that they might not risk on somebody else..”
STAY POSITIVE
Look for the positive…
“I've always been a positive person. And then one thing I realised, kind of like watching other people in rehab, being negative definitely doesn't help, you know, it just makes a bad situation that much worse.
So don't get me wrong, I do have my down moments and stuff, but just overall I try to keep it on the up. Cuz once you start slipping, I feel like everything gets worse, including your health.”
EXPLORE DIFFERENT WAYS OF WORKING
David believes those with a disability of some kind, thinking of freelancing should keep in mind that there’s usually a variety of ways to do something. A good reminder for us all - be open minded.
“There's multiple ways to get things done and that's just something that was hard for me in the beginning. Realising that hey, just cuz you can't do it like you used to do it. Realising that there is typically, usually another way you just gotta figure it out. So just remember to be open and look for alternatives.”
More from DAVID JEFFERS
Transcript of the Being Freelance podcast with Steve Folland and Writer Nick Parker
Steve Folland:
As ever. How about we get started hearing how you got started being freelance?
David Jeffers:
Actually, my first freelance was not doing sound design. It was doing technical writing, like updating manuals because I actually went to college for mechanical engineering. So in 2011, crazy enough, I actually broke my neck. I'm actually a quadriplegic, so after years of rehab and stuff, I wanted to get back working. And I just kind of put the word out to some of my old colleagues that I was looking to do work. And it just so happened a friend of mine was like, Hey, we've got this project going on, trying to update some manuals. Do you wanna give it a try? I said, Sure. And it really just started from there. Kinda like a word of mouth type of thing.
Steve Folland:
Maybe we should point out for those who don't know, what quadriplegic means...
David Jeffers:
Basically quadriplegic means you have some sort of paralysis within four of your limbs. And I am actually paralysed about chest level down, which for me means I do have some use of my arms but I don't have any triceps and I really don't have any true hand or finger function. I can feel things below my chest kind of, but I have like zero movement there.
Steve Folland:
Do you mind if I ask what the accident was?
David Jeffers:
It was actually, we went on our first like, I wanna say real adult family vacation to the beach. It was day one of official vacation. It was a Monday and we had been out on the beach all day, came back, we had dinner and stuff, and my son Jackson, he was two at the time, he wanted to go back out to the beach and I'm like, sure it's vacation. And basically the tide was coming in. I was probably one of the only people out in the water and I dove... You know how when a big wave is coming you can kind of dive through it so you don't get knocked over? Well I was trying to dive through it and apparently I dove right over where there was a sandbar, so it went from being like waist deep to like really shallow and I hit my head and broke my neck.
Steve Folland:
Holy heck.
David Jeffers:
Yep.
Steve Folland:
Just like that.
David Jeffers:
Just like that. Yeah. I knew I was paralysed and I remember being in the water thinking like, Please don't let me drown. That seems like a terrible way to go. And luckily my nephew was around and I got his attention. He actually thought I was joking at first, but he was able to pull me out and next thing you know, the airlift was coming and I was headed to the hospital. It was just crazy.
Steve Folland:
And so how many years of, I guess rehabilitation?
David Jeffers:
It's been 11 years since my accident. When I got got hurt, I was in the hospital for like four months straight. And then when you get outta there, you know, I've been doing outpatient stuff really off and on since then.
Steve Folland:
Where's your mind at, at that point?
David Jeffers:
That day on the beach, I told my wife, I was apologising profusely. Saying, I am sorry, I have ruined our lives. And she was like, No, you know, thinking... You'll be fine, you're gonna go to the hospital and this paralysis thing is gonna go away. But something told me like, No, this is it. And yeah, I mean, I was thinking about it from the beginning. I mean, I've always been a positive person. And then one thing I realised, kind of like watching people, other people in rehab, being negative definitely doesn't help, you know, it just makes a bad situation that much worse. So don't get me wrong, you know, I do have my down moments and stuff, but just overall I try to keep it on the up. Cuz once you start slipping, I feel like everything gets worse, including your health, you know?
Steve Folland:
In that rehab situation, is there some kind of community where you get to know other people going through a similar sort of thing?
David Jeffers:
Oh yeah, that's like the best part about it. I went to Shepherd Centre in Atlanta, Georgia, and they have a spinal cord injury programme that's phenomenal. You know, year round, other people that are injured, all day. They have support groups, lots of physical and OT therapy. And one good thing they have is therapeutic recreation where, you know, they teach you to get back out in to life. They teach you how to like, you know, go to the movies, take your kids places, ride the bus, do activities because it's all new. Once you've been paralysed, it's a whole new world. So they focus on getting you back living. Where as, when I first got hurt, where I was at, it was all medical. It was like, okay, get you healthy, go home. None of the other life stuff. Yeah. If I didn't go there, I would not be as good off as I am now. No question.
Steve Folland:
Did you meet others who were injured who were being freelance?
David Jeffers:
Yeah, there's a few. And that's the good thing about getting in a network and just, you know, whether it's like a Facebook community, cuz you see like, oh, this guy is doing this, he's doing that, you know, I could be doing that. It gives you inspiration to do things. Like, there's one guy, he has a company called, um, Abilities I think is the name, and he does 3D printed devices that help you out - assisted technology is what it's called. And you know, I, I've always wanted to do that and I was like, how can I do it? And then I see this guy sitting there doing it. So it just shows you a lot of different possibilities and then you can kind of network with people. So yeah, it's, it's a big help.
Steve Folland:
So it a friend who comes to you and says, Could you do this writing gig? And how did things sort of progress from there?
David Jeffers:
I did that for maybe two years and to be quite honest, I hated that type of work, but, you know, it was decent money. It was something that I could do from home while I was still trying to heal up from my accident. So it served its purpose, but like I said, it wasn't the most enjoyable, I guess. Now you're probably, well like how did he get in to sound design is what you're thinking, Huh?
Steve Folland:
<laugh>. Okay. So how did the sound design come about?
David Jeffers:
So, I have a friend, my best friend since seventh grade, he has a motion design company based outta LA and one day he comes to me, he was like, 'Man, you know, we used to do music production back in the day and I know you know your way around music and with your technical background, I really think you could figure out how to do sound design. We're actually struggling to get sound designers right now. Give it a shot, man, and if you like it and you can do it, then we'll go from there'. And that's really how it happened. They, they gave me a couple of little projects just to try out and they kind of mentored me, you know, kind of showed me some of the dos and don'ts. I just loved it and it took off from there,
Steve Folland:
Man. That's the kind of friend you want. But then you obviously had a flair for it. So how did it take off from there?
David Jeffers:
A lot of it was repeat stuff for them. Like for example, they wanted to do a pitch for the Paralympics, so that was one of the first projects they kind of mentored me on and we worked on it and I'm trying to figure out if they, I don't think they actually submitted that version. They decided to hold off and they did a new version which was like crazy. And they said, Look, all right, here you go. I want you to do the sound design for this. And I probably had maybe six months of experience at that point. And on the technical side of it, I'm actually doing all this on my iPad. I had no other equipment at this point, but long story short, I did that sound design and I actually won sound design of the year through this one company. So once that happened I was like, Oh my god, I, I really can do this.
Steve Folland:
That's amazing. So they submitted it for an award?
David Jeffers:
Yeah. And I had no clue. So like months and months later, I get hit up and was like, Hey, you've won sound design of the year. And I'm like, what is this? Like, is this serious?
Steve Folland:
<laugh>. That's so cool. Did you make the most of that?
David Jeffers:
You know what, and this is a live and learn moment. I did not because when the award came back it was actually mislabeled, the award place actually put my friend's business name on there, which is Bien, instead of giving me the sound design credit under my business, which is Quadriphonic Sound. So we tried to get it changed and it drug out, drug out, it never got changed. So I've actually never posted that anywhere. Which now that I have a little more time on my hands, I wanna go back and update some things and I'm just gonna put it out there as is
Steve Folland:
For sure. You mentioned a business name. At what point did you start using a business name given that you sort of started this by testing the water, trying things out?
David Jeffers:
Yep, actually and like I gotta thank my friend again. Their company Bien, their whole thing is about inclusivity and it's not just something cool to say to get jobs, like their whole background is based on it - it's inclusive motion design where, you know, they hire a totally inclusive staff and they're also working on concepts of how it cascades through their work and all this good stuff. But the one thing I really like about them is they function like an incubator. So like if you're, let's say like an illustrator or something with them, they'll pull you in and let you be like the producer on a job. They'll kind of teach you all the ins and outs and different aspects of the job no matter what your function is, if that makes sense. So one day they approached me and they said, Hey, we wanna help develop your business. We think you're really good at it and you could do work for anybody. So we went through a process of setting up my whole business, helping me develop my website, brainstorming to come up with the name of the company and everything.
Steve Folland:
Man, that is so good. There are good people out there.
David Jeffers:
Yeah, they really are.
Steve Folland:
It also makes it sound like you got a taster of not just your own skills of sound design but of business skills as well.
David Jeffers:
Yep. Developing your brand and all the stuff that kind of goes behind that.
Steve Folland:
So what did you then do with those newfound skills?
David Jeffers:
Um, I was able to actually get the website set up, get my Instagram set up. And so far I don't necessarily think my Instagram has translated to additional work, but you know, I've been able to make connections through there and also just by following people that do what I do, you know, I've actually learned a lot and really just, it's kind of helped me hone my skills so when I get to the point where I wanna branch out and get different jobs, I think I'll have the connections there.
Steve Folland:
Just to put things in perspective, when did you first start doing sound design and become Quadriphonic Sound?
David Jeffers:
Uh, around two years ago.
Steve Folland:
So you were an engineer but presumably before your injury you were doing other things to do with sound and music as well. If the connection to be made later on down the line is, Oh, I know who'd be good at music, David.
David Jeffers:
Yeah, so me and my friend Ricardo, we actually had a production company back in high school where we made beats and stuff for people and we actually were in a sound class where we learned audio engineering in high school. So we were actually like pretty decent audio engineers. So you know, back in the nineties, you know, there was a lot of people doing rap stuff and we ended up kind of getting involved doing engineering and doing music for like a lot of older guys actually. And so that's where I got my main music experience was back in high school producing and engineering for people as a teenager. So fast forward, I guess I had to be realistic or whatever and I ended up studying mechanical engineering. I graduate, I found myself working for Ford Motor Company and my friend Ricardo out of the blue hits me up, he's like, Man, you know what, we need to be doing music again <laugh>. I was like, you know what? I think you're right. And then it just went from there. And that's kind of where like the, the online freelance thing kind of began because he was actually in Ecuador, I was in Detroit, Michigan when we decided to do this label. So we like to say we created the first online record label. I don't know if that's technically true or not...
Steve Folland:
But you like to say it...
David Jeffers:
We like to say it <laugh>. So yeah, so we did this record label and you know, we actually focused on making it international. We did like a compilation album where we had guys from Italy, Canada, all across the United States. So it really kind of introduced us to the idea like, man, we can have people working from everywhere, you know?
Steve Folland:
What year was that?
David Jeffers:
That started around 2001 and kind of went to I guess around 2006 maybe.
Steve Folland:
So you were doing that on the side of working for Ford? So it goes to show, even back then there's obviously the skill in audio, but then there's also a business sense as well.
David Jeffers:
Yeah, definitely. Cuz a lot of my portion, you know, there was a creative side but it was also, you know, logistics and shipping and packing all the unglamorous stuff, but hey that's business. Um, so yeah, just being able to hone those skills and get it done in my non-work hours and keep it hidden during my work hours, you know,
Steve Folland:
<laugh>. So back to Quadriphonic, you are working regularly with Bien. Have you also been approaching other companies for work?
David Jeffers:
Um, through meeting people. Not necessarily doing like a hard approach asking for work, but really just like, for example, I got hooked up with a mentor from another sound design company and he's been like a great teacher and he's actually kind of throwing me some jobs here and there. And then honestly I haven't really pushed out to get more work from a lot of companies just cuz I'm so new. I've really been trying to hone my skills so that when I do step out, you know, I'm bringing my A game and I'm not having mistakes or issues outside the family per se. You know, like Bein, they're totally aware that I'm new, so if we have issues it's no pressure to work through it with them. But I feel like if I was going to an outside company then there could be issues there and I'm just really trying to avoid that and I've been lucky enough that Bein's been providing me with enough projects that I have the luxury to do it that way and I know most people don't have that luxury.
Steve Folland:
What does a project sort of look like for you? Is it quite a quick turnaround?
David Jeffers:
The way they do it, I get pulled in to the project a little bit earlier than some sound designers would. I get to see it in the early animation phase, so it's kinda like a soft start for maybe like a month and I'm just kinda watching how it develops and then sound design is like the last thing that comes in and a lot of times on a sound job job you'll find out at the last minute and you gotta get it all done and you're like, hurry up and catch up type of deal. So as far as fitting into my life, it kind of gets tough because when you get a deadline you kind of know the deadline, but nine times out of 10 there's iterations that the timing isn't fully accounted for. So I just have to be prepared to hustle, squeeze and push and stretch and get the time from somewhere, if that makes sense. So I find myself around due dates ending up doing a lot of night work, um, since they're on the west coast, you know, I can keep working tonight and still be on their schedule. So that's actually really been helpful being on the opposite coast.
Steve Folland:
Ah, of course. Yeah. So actually that's a point in itself. All of this is done remotely,
David Jeffers:
Every bit of it. At Bien they have people working all over the world so it's constantly moving, you know, everybody kind of knows each other, you know, we get on Zooms together. So it's been really cool just to meet people all over the world, you know, working for a similar cause.
Steve Folland:
And I noticed on your website, I think you say that you are a disabilities advocate and consultant as well. So I guess that's another strand to your freelance income.
David Jeffers:
Yep. And that's something that again, I've really solely have done for Bien and now my next phase of that is I wanna get ADA certified. If you don't know ADA is the American Disabilities Act. I do wanna get certified so I can branch out and help other companies make sure whether it's their products, their building location, you know, anything that interfaces with the public is ADA compliant.
Steve Folland:
How does being freelance fit around your home life? When it comes to work life balance?
David Jeffers:
Um, actually for me it's, it's been a lifesaver. I mean, it does get tough at times trying to coordinate, but being freelance has allowed me to work from home so that it works with my medical care schedule as well as I can be flexible, you know, to work with my kids. Cuz early on after my accident, you know, my kids were not in school and my wife was the only person making money, so it allowed me to stay home with the kids the best I could and allow her to work. And also, you know, like every other day I have to have a nurse come in and do some medical stuff in the morning, which if I was going to an office it just wouldn't work out. Another example is, you know, with this accident there's moments where my pain level or being so tired for whatever reason, I literally can't work. So if I have an episode like that during the day, it allows me to flex my schedule and maybe do the work at night or do it at a different time. So it's been great for me.
Steve Folland:
Yeah. So it's actually more like if being freelance wasn't that option, you probably wouldn't be working?
David Jeffers:
Probably not. Or it would be like a weird part time deal that the stress of actually getting into work or whatever would probably outweigh the benefits. You know, being freelance, being able to work at home, set my own schedule, it takes out the stress factor of having to show up, which is a big deal for me.
Steve Folland:
Yeah. And at the moment, you know, you've clearly got a very understanding client who embraces that. Have you thought about how you communicate the way you work to future clients?
David Jeffers:
Uh, yeah and you know, to be honest, that's part of the reason I haven't branched out, I'm a little bit nervous about how that's gonna play out. Although I've only had one incident where it's actually hindered me making a deadline, so I'm probably worrying it about it a little too much. But yeah, I'm not sure if I should just, you know, come in and say, Hey, I have this condition, da da da or just show up for the job just like anybody else and make it work. And that's kind of what I'm leaning toward.
Steve Folland:
Yeah, totally. The thing is, is that you wear your story on your sleeve, you know, like it's in the name Quadriphonic Sound, right? You go to your website and it tells your story, an inspiring story and the fact that you do killer sound design is part of that. So yeah, I think go for it. Not that you're asking me what I think, but...
David Jeffers:
Actually, you know, I kind of am because you know, when you asked me to do this podcast I was kind of like, man, I don't know, you know, I'm kind of green, you know, what can I bring to the table? But then I thought about it like everybody's green at one point and, and hearing somebody in that position may be helpful to somebody else. So I said let's go for it. Honestly, I appreciate the struggle we went through to get here today cuz it kind of gave me insight like, oh, you know, he's a family guy, you know, and I appreciated your understanding of, you know, me having to cancel and stuff. So it just, you know, this is something I do to myself. I'm like, man, I can't cancel on this guy. I gotta look extra on top of it cuz I think I feel the pressure like because I am disabled. I don't want anybody to see any hiccups, you know what I mean?
Steve Folland:
Yeah.
David Jeffers:
So it was just good kind of breaking down that thing and I just felt so much more relaxed actually coming in to record today.
Steve Folland:
And that's the thing is that we all have hiccups in our lives. For me it's usually my kids <laugh> lovely hiccups as they are. And so often what we talk about on the Doing It For The Kids podcast (that I co-host) is how much you kind of feel like you should show to your clients I guess. You wanna come across as professional but equally it's part of life. You know, you've got some awesome videos that you've done and yeah, through your eyes it might be through one client, Bien, but the actual end products are for various different clients of hugely high calibres and demonstrate the skills, the work ethic...
David Jeffers:
You know, that's what's so cool abou working at Bien is the opportunity to work for these big name clients and that, you know, they actually entrust this in me. And my friend told me the other day, he was like, Man, I'm gonna tell you the truth, I never select you for projects. And I'm like, What? He was like, No, I leave it totally up to the producer because he was like, I don't want anybody to think there's any favouritism here. So if you get picked for a job it's cuz they feel like you earned it and you can do it. It has nothing to do with me. And that was so great that he told me that cuz you know, like I guess you just kind of doubt yourself. So in the back of the mind I'm like, are they given me these jobs cuz Ricardo's my homeboy, You know what I mean? So getting that validation was such a big deal, Such a boost in my confidence.
Steve Folland:
Sometimes I get asked what makes a great freelancer and I might throw words out there like having resilience, tenacity, optimism, we really have to be optimistic to think that the work's gonna come. It sounds like you must have those traits in spades frankly to see the positive and to make whatever fight you had to do after your accident.
David Jeffers:
Yeah. For me I think my success as a freelancer has come from anything I do. I try to do my best. I know that kind of sounds cliche, but if I'm doing something for somebody, I like to go all out and I think just being a good honest person is what has got me where I'm at in freelance basically. Cuz not to brag on myself, but any job except for maybe this grocery store job I had in high school, I could go back to today. You know what I mean? Just because they know that if I'm gonna work on something I'm gonna give it my all and make sure it gets done. So I think that's why people have given me opportunities that they might not risk on somebody else.
Steve Folland:
Yeah. I know you said you had support from within Bien when you were setting up your website and things like that, but can you remember what the process or what your thinking was as to how you were building your Quadriphonic brand? Cause it's a really lovely site. It's a lovely brand. I love it.
David Jeffers:
Bien was a great support in doing that but I think now there's so many tools out there to help you build your website and build your brand. My wife for example, she is actually a marriage and family therapist, which is basically freelance. She does work for a company but she basically works for each of her clients if you think about it. So we had to go through and make up her whole personal website on her own. And it was just nice to find out like a lot of these companies like Wix and different things help you build your brand right there online. There's plenty of resources on YouTube. Sometimes it can be overwhelming cuz it's a lot of information, but I think everything you need is accessible to everybody these days. So it's very helpful.
Steve Folland:
That must help - the fact that you are both self-employed?
David Jeffers:
Yeah, it really wouldn't work any other way because, you know, sometimes there's issues that happen with me during the day that if she couldn't set up her schedule she wouldn't be able to help me or you know, like with the kids' schedules, you know, juggling around cuz you know, it took me five years after my accident to be able to drive again. So in the beginning it was up to her to get the kids everywhere so she had to be flexible. So yeah, I mean it really saved us on both ends.
Steve Folland:
How old are your kids now?
David Jeffers:
They are 10 and 13. I have two boys.
Steve Folland:
Awesome. Are you someone who sets goals? Do you have plans ahead?
David Jeffers:
Yep. I think in the beginning I was kind of slack with that and I definitely noticed myself kind of stagnating. So just recently I've started setting more concrete goals and more like global goals to push my overall career. Cause I also do music production, which I hope I can get hired to do that along with my sound design in the future. So a specific goal I have for that is to produce one song a week so that way I can start building a catalogue. And my other goal is to, I don't wanna get into all the detail, but like a different type of production style that's good for like explainer videos. I want to set a goal for how many of those I wanna produce so that way I can just start building a catalogue and that's a good example of some of the goals that I've set up recently.
Steve Folland:
Nice. So it's, you're like creating the work that you want to be doing.
David Jeffers:
Yep.
Steve Folland:
What about when it comes to sort of dealing with that whole business or pricing side of being freelance?
David Jeffers:
To me, hands down, that's the toughest part. Trying to understand how to quote jobs and all of that. I'm gonna be honest, I hate it. <laugh> for me that's still a learning process for sure. I actually just reached out to another sound designer that um, I actually met through Bien who did a similar job that I did recently. So we're gonna meet and he's gonna walk me through how he did the quote so I can see what I could do better and just learn from somebody who's been doing it for years.
Steve Folland:
It's a thing in itself to reach out like that though. I love that.
David Jeffers:
Yeah. And that's what's so cool about the sound design industry I guess cuz there's not a tonne of us, it seems to be like a real cool vibe. So far, everybody that I've ran into are like so willing to help and teach. It's been great. But yeah, I mean if I could just do the creative part and not do the business, I definitely would do that. But then on the other hand, I do like knowing every bit about the business too, so it makes me be able to plan better, make the whole thing come together. Like I would never wanna neglect the business side totally.
Steve Folland:
If you could ask your younger self one thing about being freelance, what would that be?
David Jeffers:
I would say go for it and just remember that there's multiple ways to get things done and that's just something that was hard for me in the beginning. Realising that hey, just cuz you can't do it like you used to do it. Realising that there is typically, usually another way you just gotta figure it out. So just remember to be open and look for alternatives.
Steve Folland:
Nice. David, it's been so good talking to you. All the best being freelance!
David Jeffers:
Thank you for having me.