Sal Ojeda and ‘The Makings of Curtis Mayfield’

Three-time Emmy-nominated Re-Recording Mixer and Supervising Sound Editor, Sal Ojeda, has worked his sound magic on documentaries such as Man on the Run, directed by Morgan Neville, Pavarotti, directed by Ron Howard, Dear Mama: The Saga of Afeni and Tupac Shakur, directed by Allen Hughes, as well as RuPaul’s Drag Race.

Talking about the recently released documentary on U2’s Bono, Ojeda shares, “I had a great time working as a re-recording mixer and co-supervising sound editor on ‘Bono: Stories of Surrender’ for Apple TV+, a one-of-a-kind blend of live concert, memoir, and theatrical storytelling directed by Andrew Dominik. It was an incredible experience collaborating with a talented team of sound artists to help shape the show’s dynamic sonic world, alongside Bono himself and musical director Jacknife Lee, whose vision and energy elevated every performance.”

Ojeda also worked on the upcoming documentary The Makings of Curtis Mayfield, which was directed by and features Grammy and Academy Award-winner H.E.R. The documentary explores Mayfield’s impact on music and modern culture.

According to H.E.R., “Curtis Mayfield is one of the greatest of all time. And people don’t even know.”

Ojeda fell under the spell of sound in Guadalajara, Mexico, when he was 11 years old, starting as a drummer. After learning from the best drummers in the city, he began playing with his father’s band, where he was introduced to sound recording.

Later, hooked on sound recording and mixing, Ojeda moved back to the U.S., attending Glendale Community College, followed by earning a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, where he encountered the realm of post-production.

Sal Ojeda, photo by Jeff Perreca

After graduating from Berklee, Ojeda relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in sound. Since 2010, he’s worked on projects with an array of celebrated directions including George Miller, Robert Rodriguez, and Paul Crowder, as well as series, films, and specials for Netflix, Warner Bros., Sony, Hulu, FX, Disney+, Apple TV+, and HBO.

In the world of music, Ojeda has worked with a who’s who of artists: Bono, Billie Eilish, Taylor Swift, Sting, and Erykah Badu, along with a laundry list of other big names.

In 2020, Ojeda received an MPSE Golden Reel Award for his work on the documentary Echo in the Canyon, followed by a Canadian Screen Award in 2021 for Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson & The Band.

As a dialogue editor, Ojeda has contributed to television series like The Cleaning Lady, Kung Fu, Gotham Knights, and Rescue: Hi Surf.

Sal is a voting member of the Cinema Audio Society (CAS) and the Television Academy, as well as an affiliate member of the Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE).