The 5 Most Awesome Things About Working In a Soundproof Room

I work in a production studio all day. It has a heavy door with the kind of slit window you see in the scary mental asylums in the movies. Because it needs to be soundproofed, the walls are padded, too. This hilarity was never lost on any Production person ever, and we make the most of the metaphors. Mine doesn't have a window, which deprives everyone else an excuse to "see what the weather's doing" i.e., "check in on her to make sure she hasn't gone crazy all alone in there." They worry about me.

They shouldn't! It's awesome. Here are five awesome things about being alone in a soundproof room all day, that have ruined me for cubicles and normal office people forever:


1. The weather. Sound counter-intuitive, because wouldn't it be depressing not to see the outside all day? Not so. When it's georgeous and sunny, you aren't staring longingly out the window wishing you could be out there. And you know how, when it's crap out, every time you look out the window all you want to do is curl into a ball in your bed? Not me, I have no idea how crap it is out there.

2. The tunes. There is rarely a problem, ever, that really, really loud Beyonce can't solve. Especially when you've got great (and great big) speakers and the most badass sound equipment. And then for truly heinous problems that even Queen Bey can't solve, you can always step it up to the Jill Scott. Have fun with your headphones, cubers, it is not the same.

3. The Privacy. Of course, some times there IS a problem that neither Beyonce nor Jill can solve, no matter how loud you turn them up, and you need to have a cry. And while wine may be available, office drinking is discouraged until 5ish; and there are certainly no bubble baths around either. And oh god what if people see, etc. But you don't have to go to the bathroom and try to cry silently in a stall as fast as you can! Just turn on your on-air light so people think your mic is on; they won't be able to see what you're up to and they certainly won't bother you with the light on.

4. The Conversations. It's something prods will sometimes admit to each other, but never anyone else, so you're getting let in on a little secret here: we all talk to ourselves. You know how they say "it's fine to talk to yourself as long as you don't answer?" That's crap. I have full-on conversations with myself. As if there are actually two people in the room. I guess it comes from years of improv training, but it's not that weird! And honestly? The best conversations are the ones you have with yourself. Who else is going to be completely honest with you? Who else can you be absolutely certain is completely on your side? Yes, normal people think this is crazy because they don't know how awesome it is, but they won't be able to hear you so why would they judge you for being nuts? Which brings me to:

5. Because you are! You've gone crazy form talking to yourself all day, but you can hide the crazy in the soundproof room. Just remember to zip it back up before you open the door so no one ever knows. Crazy-face on the inside, girl!

So hopefully now everyone can stop worrying about me being horribly depressed, locked in my soundproof cell.  Actually, now you're jealous, aren't you? You are! You're jealous. I will rent you the room, and if necessary, the Beyonce.





Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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