When Jia embarked on her pursuit of becoming a sound editor, she was unaware of how much she would fall in love with her art form. It brings her to life in ways that other areas of filmmaking never did. She is energized by any opportunity that she gets to practice her skill set and she finds herself fulfilled by the knowledge that her contributions to any segment of film can either make it or break it. With that, she has earned herself a reputation as a high-performing sound editor and she has built a strong resume of experience accordingly. For instance, Jia has worked with cinematographic powerhouses like Universal Pictures, whereby she operated as a main sound effect editor in the NBC Universal TV sound editorial department. Given the fact that this is one of the biggest, most prominent sound editorial in the television industry, it is simple to conclude that Jia would not have earned this position without proving to be one of the industry’s leading sound editors. In this role, she is currently working on Law and Order: Special Victims Unit and oversees an array of sound effects to help compliment the show’s storyline. Other notable projects in her career include sound editing for Monkeyland Audio, as well as for the Chinese blockbuster, Crazy New Year’s Eve. She has few limits to what she can achieve when she sets her sights on an opportunity and she is sweeping her field on a daily basis.
When she isn’t working for major film production companies, Jia also completes freelance sound editing jobs. In fact, in 2012, Jia fell in love with director Meera Menon’s script for a film called Farah Goes Bang. Farah Goes Bang is a movie revolving around a road trip during the 2004 US election. It required a series of field recordings, as well as production to capture the realities inherent within cross-country driving. Jia worked on the film from pre- to post-production, keeping in close contact with both Menon and the film’s producer, Laura Goode, to ensure that everyone’s vision was honored and that the film was as intriguing as its script.
After working with Jia, Goode was in awe. When asked to describe Jia, Goode noted the following: “Zheng is smart, professional, courteous and reliable. She produced quality work whilst remaining a positive presence on set. You’d be hard pressed to find a more talented sound editor.”
Zheng is no stranger to receiving praise from her co-workers, as well as her audiences; however, she remains humble in the face of recognition. She works as a sound editor because it is what motivates her as an individual. It interests her, it tests her, and it drives her. She couldn’t imagine her life without it and even if she didn’t receive the widespread adoration that she receives for her work, she would continue to work as tirelessly as she does. She strives for perfection at all times and her dedication is inherent within each final product that she offers to the world. When asked what she loved most about working on Farah Goes Bang specifically, Jia found herself reflecting on the joy of collaborating with and learning from other talented filmmakers.
“Everyone I worked with was very open about communication and they were eager to gain all kinds of creative input. It was a blast working with everyone and receiving their feedback. It allowed me to experiment with new, undiscovered ideas and the final product was a reflection of all of our teamwork. You cannot successfully create a film without collaboration and communication and it enhanced the overall experience for me,” recalled Jia.
Upon completing post-production, Farah Goes Bang premiered and won an award at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City in 2013. It then went on to win several other awards at a series of different international film festivals. Jia considers the film’s success in part a reflection of her hard work and personal commitment to the film’s quality. Her experience working on the film was nothing but positive and she is fortunate to have had the opportunity to test her skills against its script. Other sound editors in the industry could take a leaf out of Jia’s book when determining how to remain grounded in the midst of such intricate projects.
When asked what advice she would offer other inspired sound editors at the outset of their career, Jia had this to say: “watch as many good films or shows as possible and learn from them. Understand what makes the sound of these shows stand out and the approach the editors took to get there. If you think there is something you could do different, experiment with it. Try your hand at as many different genres as possible, for as many different styles as you can and you will find your strengths and weaknesses. From there, just do your best to improve yourself wherever possible and you will do great things.”