Hollywood Bound: Alumnus Joe Crews Earns Cinema Audio Society Award Nomination

Cinema Audio Society Award nomination places alumnus among the top industry honorees  

Audio Engineering Technology alumnus Joe Crews (‘25) has been named a Student Recognition Award finalist by the Cinema Audio Society (CAS), a prestigious honor recognizing excellence in sound for film and television. The nomination stems from his work on the senior capstone short film “Hurry Up N’ Wait” by Jackson King (‘25).

The CAS recognizes craftsmen at the highest levels of the industry while also supporting the development of emerging talent. To be named for a CAS award signals strong professional promise, an endorsement recognized by leading audio engineers across film and television. 

With this nomination, Crews finds himself in good company. This year’s Awards also recognize major studio projects such as “F1,” “Frankenstein” and “One Battle After Another”—a level of recognition that typically follows years of industry experience.   

“This is the proudest I’ve ever been of a project,” said Crews. “I’m so glad I got to be a part of it.”

An Unexpected Journey

Four years ago, Crews arrived at Belmont as a musician and producer expecting to pursue studio engineering. All that changed when Dave Warbuton, professor of practice of motion picture production, introduced him to Belmont’s sound for picture courses. Former manager of the NBCUniversal post production sound department, Warburton opened the door to a whole new world of audio. 

For Crews, the shift from sound for music to sound for picture was a surprising but logical one. “Most of my friends were motion picture majors,” he said. “So, I was already immersed in that world.”  

By the time he reached his junior year, he was hooked. Between summer classes and independent studies, Crews immersed himself in every opportunity available, quickly gaining experience from work on student projects and classroom assignments.

Sound With a Story

Crews takes an unconventional approach to sound for picture, rooted in storytelling.  Behind every choice is an awareness of the bigger picture, of the emotional impact that sound makes –– balancing technical precision with artistic restraint.  

During his senior year, Crews partnered with Warburton on an independent study and landed the role of supervising sound editor on a senior capstone project –– a deeply collaborative short film experience required of all motion pictures majors. For this study, he was assigned to King’s capstone titled “Hurry Up n’ Wait,” a walk and talk style drama exploring family tension. From capturing audio on set to delivering the final master, Crews had a hand in every step of the process.  

“There are going to be times when you have to swallow your pride,” Crews reflected. “The director always gets the final call.” 

Unlike other projects Crews has worked on that relied on sound for shock or spectacle, "Hurry Up N’ Wait" required subtlety. “If someone notices what they’re hearing, it means I’m doing too much,” he remarked. 

Crews’ independent study marked a turning point for Belmont’s capstone process. He became the first audio engineering major officially assigned to a film capstone set. Until now, the responsibility had always fallen on the film makers to handle the capture and processing of audio. This shift has since become standard practice, ensuring audio support on every senior film project.

Rising to the Occasion

This experience of working with Belmont’s pro-level facilities, such as the foley stage and Dolby Atmos studio, set him up to confidently enter the industry. Throughout his senior year, Crews worked as a facility engineer at Skyway Studios, a TV and video production studio that houses state-of-the-art equipment. None of this was a surprise to Crews, who walked in with four years of muscle memory from his time at Belmont and was able to jump right in. 

Crew’s impact at Belmont continues to reverberate: from expanding the role of audio majors in capstone production to blazing a trail for other passionate students in independent studies. 

Now working as a professional in audio post production, Crews continues to hone his skills every day as he works towards his dream of mixing in Hollywood. With every project that comes across his desk, and now a CAS nomination, his goal feels increasingly within reach. 

CAS Award winners will be announced Saturday, March 7, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.