Culver City, CA (September 17, 2025)—The 12th annual Mix Presents Sound for Film & TV—taking place on Saturday, September 27, 2025—has added a new panel, “Breaking In: Launching a Career in Film & TV Sound.”

The panel is just part of the growing lineup for this year’s Mix Presents Sound for Film & TV event, which will once again at  Sony Pictures Post Production Services in Culver City, California, celebrating the best in post-production sound.

Breaking In: Launching a Career in Film & TV Sound

Designed for students and emerging professionals, this panel offers a real-world look at what it takes to enter and succeed in the world of film and television sound. Hear from a range of voices—including executives of post-production sound at facilities including Sony and NBCUniversal, as well as up-and-coming sound design and technical talent who will share their experiences, challenges and advice for navigating the early stages of a sound career. Ideal for those ready to turn passion into profession.

Karen Dunn—Event Producer/Podcaster, KMD Productions

Karen Dunn is the force behind KMD Productions and the host of the One & Dunn podcast. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, she has spent over a decade creating standout experiences nationally and internationally—from product launches and awards ceremonies to mentorship events—for leading figures in the pro audio and music industries.

As founder and president of KMD Productions, Karen works with a roster of clients that includes NAMM, Spotify, Eastern Acoustic Works, Yamaha, Waves, Sennheiser, Masimo and PreSonus.

In One & Dunn, presented by KMD Productions, Karen invites members of the music industry “microcosm”—from gear makers and engineers to business leaders—to share their journeys, experiences, and even their favorite culinary finds on the road. Produced alongside Jules Everson and Stephanie Lamond, the podcast offers a behind the scenes view of the industry while fostering community within it.

Kimberly Jimenez—VP Post Sound Services, Sony

Kimberly Jimenez serves as Senior Vice President, Post Production Services at Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). She manages the studio’s sound editorial and mixing departments and oversees their work in creating movie and television soundtracks. Her mandate is to keep the department at the forefront in talent, technology and innovation, and to maintain its leadership in creativity in entertainment sound. She also facilitates creative and technical collaboration with other teams on the lot and within Sony Corporation.

Jimenez joined Sony Pictures in 2018 as Vice President, Post Production Services. She oversaw sound production for films including many television shows and movies, including The Woman King, Lyle, Lyle Crocodile, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Uncharted, Bullet Train and Where the Crawdads Sing, and television series such as The Afterparty, The Good Doctor and The Blacklist. She also played an instrumental role in the expansion of the studio’s sound department and upgrades to its historic mix stages and other physical resources.

A Southern California native, Jimenez was born into the world of entertainment sound. Her father, Vince Gutierrez, was a supervising sound editor for more than 40 years with credits including such classic shows as Little House on the Prairie and Highway to Heaven. She began her career with Larson Sound and later served as facility manager at Soundelux and director of operational administration at Todd-AO. Her background also includes posts as Director, Feature and Sound Editorial at NBCUniversal and as Vice President, Audio Services and Business Development at Roundabout Entertainment.

Kirsten Smith—Senior Director, Feature Post Sound, NBCUniversal StudioPost

Kirsten Smith joined Universal Studios in 2006 where she now resides as Senior Director, of Feature Post Sound for NBCUniversal StudioPost. Smith’s duties include the feature mix stages, broadcast trailer spots, projection and screening rooms, as well as sound operations for the department.

Prior to Universal, Smith was the Studio Manager for Evergreen Recording Studios in Burbank.

In 1992, Smith left Evergreen to manage one of the largest scoring stages in the country, The Todd-AO Scoring Stage at CBS Radford in Studio City, CA. Working with composers James Horner, Jerry Goldsmith, and James Newton Howard to name a few, Smith secured the recording of hundreds of feature film scores such as The Lion King, LA Confidential, Rudy, A Beautiful Mind and Titanic as well as album projects for Barbra Streisand, The LA Philharmonic and Branford Marsalis.

Chris Diebold—Supervising Sound Editor, Re-Recording Mixer, Sound Designer, Sweet Spot Sound

Chris Diebold is a Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Designer with more than 14 years of experience in the movie industry. He has worked on films such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Transformers, Godzilla vs Kong and many more, bringing stories to life through sound design, editorial, and mixing. As the founder of Sweet Spot Sound and an adventure-sport athlete, Chris emphasizes recording real-world sounds for each project to create a unique immersive soundscape that supports the director’s vision and elevates the audience’s experience.

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Mix Presents Sound for Film & Television has always been a celebration of the brilliant minds and groundbreaking technologies shaping the future of sound for picture. Join us for an unforgettable day at the iconic Sony Pictures Studio Lot where industry giants and emerging talents converge to redefine the art of audio post-production.

Immerse yourself in a day-long exhibition and conference, delving into the latest advancements and techniques driving the ever-evolving landscape of sound for film and television. From production to playback, discover the innovations revolutionizing workflows and embracing remote collaboration in response to the changing demands of the industry.

Gain invaluable insights from industry pioneers as they share their expertise and forecast the future of audio post-production! You’ll be hearing a lot about the event in the weeks and months to come as we get geared up; as a cornerstone event of the post-production community in California, it’s always massively well-attended by pros of all levels, so get your tickets locked in early.

For more information on programming and registration, please visit Mix Presents Sound for Film & Television.