Dylan Howe

Audio Engineer & Sound Designer | Film, Broadcast, Music Production

dylanmhowe@gmail.com | (541) 350-5488

Professional Summary

Award-winning audio engineer and sound designer with 13+ years of experience spanning documentary film, live broadcast, music production, and experimental sound. Work has earned top honors at international film festivals including Best Short Film at Reykjavík International Film Festival. Currently completing MA in Sound Arts and Industries at Northwestern University, with advanced training in post-production, game audio (Wwise), spatial audio, and audio programming. Extensive technical background in IT operations provides rare ability to troubleshoot complex signal chains, manage networked audio systems, and bridge the gap between creative and technical teams.

Audio & Production Experience

Freelance Audio Engineer & Sound Designer

September 2011 - Present

Award-winning audio professional with credits spanning documentary film, experimental music, and live sound.

Winner, Best Short Film, Reykjavík International Film Festival — Created complete foley and sound design for Icelandic documentary Minningaspor (Memory Traces) (dir. Gríma Irmudóttir), contributing to the film's top prize at one of Europe's most prestigious documentary festivals
Official Selection, Prismatic Grounds Film Festival — Composed original score and designed full soundscape for documentary SitRep (dir. Blair Barnes), crafting audio narrative that supported the film's selection at this curated experimental film showcase
Record Production — Engineered, produced, and mixed debut EP Plays the Game for Chicago experimental art-punk duo Copies, managing all aspects of the recording process from tracking through final master

Full CV and additional credits available upon request.

Northwestern University NUStudio, Evanston, IL

Broadcast Audio Engineer September 2024 - June 2025

Live audio engineer for Big Ten Network (B1G+) streaming broadcasts of Northwestern University athletics, operating in a high-pressure, zero-margin-for-error broadcast environment.

Engineered complex DANTE networked audio routing for multi-camera live productions, configuring scenes and signal flow for seamless broadcast operations across multiple venue setups
Mixed live audio on Yamaha QL5 digital console for real-time broadcast, coordinating with producers and technical directors to deliver broadcast-quality sound under strict timing constraints
Maintained technical documentation for audio configurations, enabling consistent quality across rotating engineering staff

Experimental Sound Studio, Chicago, IL

Production Intern June 2025 - August 2025

Selected for competitive internship at ESS, a landmark Chicago recording studio and arts nonprofit established in 1986, known for pioneering work in experimental audio.

Supported video and audio production for OPTION, ESS's flagship free outdoor concert series featuring international experimental musicians
Assisted with post-production workflows including editing, mixing, and archival documentation of live performances
Gained exposure to professional studio operations at a facility that has hosted artists including Pauline Oliveros, David Grubbs, and Ken Vandermark

Education

Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Master of Arts in Sound Arts and Industries September 2024 - August 2025

Interdisciplinary graduate program combining advanced technical training with critical study of sound's role in media and culture. Curriculum includes:

Audio Engineering & Production: Advanced recording, mixing, and mastering techniques; studio acoustics and signal flow
Sound Design for Media: Post-production for film, television, and radio; dialogue editing, foley, and sound effects design
Interactive Audio: Video game sound design and implementation using industry-standard middleware (Wwise); adaptive audio systems
Audio Programming & Electronics: MaxMSP, Pure Data, and custom audio software development; circuit design and embedded systems
Spatial Audio: Immersive audio formats, Dolby Atmos, binaural, and ambisonics

University of Oregon, Clark Honors College

Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy and French (Double Major) September 2010 - June 2014

Honors thesis: "Classical Tragedy and Moral Phenomena: A Cross-Examination of Morality in Rotrou and Nietzsche" — 100-page scholarly work demonstrating advanced research, analytical, and writing capabilities.

Technical Proficiencies

Audio Production & Engineering Pro Tools, Ableton Live, MaxMSP, Adobe Audition, Izotope RX, DANTE networked audio, Yamaha digital consoles (QL/CL series), studio and live sound engineering, recording, mixing, mastering

Game Audio & Interactive Media Wwise (Audiokinetic), interactive audio implementation, adaptive music systems, spatial audio (Dolby Atmos, ambisonics, binaural)

Video & Post-Production Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Avid Media Composer, OBS Studio, video post-production workflows

Hardware & Electronics PCB design and modification, microcontroller programming (Arduino, Raspberry Pi), analog circuit design, soldering and repair, AV system installation

IT & Networking DANTE audio networking, AWS, Google Workspace, system administration, troubleshooting complex technical systems

Selected Projects

Electronic Instrument Design

Design and build custom electronic instruments and audio devices, combining analog circuit design, microcontroller programming, and physical fabrication. Work includes modifying existing PCBs, designing original circuits, and creating enclosures for experimental noisemakers and synthesizers. Video documentation of recent instrument build.

Independent Music Production & Label Operations

15+ years producing, recording, and releasing original music across cassette, CD, and vinyl formats. Operated independent record labels, organized and promoted live shows, toured nationally and internationally as performer, and built community around experimental and underground music.

Technical Operations Background

10+ years of IT experience providing strong foundation for audio technology troubleshooting and studio infrastructure management:

Enterprise IT Support — Three years supporting 150+ employee software company: cloud infrastructure (AWS), identity management, compliance (SOX, SOC2, HIPAA), endpoint deployment
Cross-Platform Expertise — Mac, Windows, Linux administration; server management; network troubleshooting; VMware virtualization
AV-Adjacent Environments — IT support for Oregon's largest professional theater (Portland Center Stage), managing technical systems in live performance context

Languages

English — Native French — Professional proficiency