It’s easy to take the power of sound for granted. Whether it’s hearing your favorite character’s monologue during the final episode of a show you’re watching or listening to your favorite artist sing a melancholic track on their latest album, sound immerses us in the worlds of music and film. It’s a world that Gabriel Piña Jr. helps create every day.

Piña has worked on projects for production studios and organizations including A24, Crunchyroll, Beto O’Rourke, and Cimafunk. As an audio engineer, he has contributed to Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR) work for films such as Love Lies Bleeding, starring Kristen Stewart, and My Hero Academia: You’re Next, which reached Netflix’s Top 10 movie list.

Automated Dialogue Replacement, commonly known as ADR, is a post-production process in which actors re-record dialogue to replace poor-quality audio, address technical issues, or accommodate script changes.

Piña’s journey into audio engineering began at age 17 when he started making beats simply for fun with friends. What began as a hobby would eventually lead him into some of the entertainment industry’s biggest projects.

“I bought a really cheap microphone from Amazon and worked on a computer my sister bought me for my 17th birthday,” he said. “We would start recording around 8 p.m. and I would be done mixing it by 6 a.m. Bless my mom because she never got mad at me or anything. She knew what I was trying to do, so she was patient with me.”

Piña recalls a moment during a shift at a grocery store that ultimately changed the course of his life.

“I got in trouble for stacking avocados the wrong way,” Piña said with a laugh. “My supervisor got so mad at me for it and started gossiping about it with my coworkers. I just kept asking myself, ‘Why am I here?’ I only had about $120 in my account at that point, and I decided that after my shift, I was going to go to Guitar Center and buy one of those mini pianos. From that point on, I made a vow that I would do whatever it takes to follow my dream.”

Through years of trial and error, countless YouTube tutorials, and training his ear to identify even the smallest audio details, Piña eventually landed an internship with Beacon Hill Recording Studios, a multi-Grammy nominated, Diamond, Platinum, and Gold RIAA-awarded recording studio based in El Paso.

“I did six months of cleaning and coffee and food runs for clients and engineers,” he said. “During the internship, we did get opportunities to learn, and I realized there were a lot of things I had to unlearn, but I was also able to enhance the knowledge I already had.”

Piña credits Head Recording and Mixing Engineer Orlando Gomez and Beacon Hill founder Alfredo Gonzalez for helping guide him through the industry and giving him the confidence to take on larger projects. Their mentorship also helped him transition from music production into ADR work for film.

“Most people don’t know we do these kinds of projects,” he said. “It’s insane thinking about the value we’re creating by not only helping actors record their lines and have a smooth process, but also knowing these projects are coming out of El Paso. Netflix’s My Hero Academia: You’re Next had huge premieres in California and Japan, and it’s cool to know that part of the work that went into those projects happened here in our tiny little city.”

As he moved deeper into the film industry, Piña quickly learned that the workflow was far more demanding than the music world he originally entered.

From strict deadlines and extensive paperwork to video calls with directors and post-production coordinators, the process required a new level of professionalism and precision. Despite the added pressure, Piña says his priority has always remained creating a positive experience for every client.

“I’m repping Beacon Hill’s name and El Paso,” he said. “So if anybody has a bad experience, our name is also attached to it. I’m always trying to do my best and create the ultimate experience for people who come in. Whether it’s music or film, I want them to have a good time.”

In addition to helping put El Paso on the map within the film and music industries, Piña and Beacon Hill have also worked with notable local talent. Projects have included work with El Paso native Abe Bueno Jallad from The Chosen on Amazon Prime, as well as former U.S. Representative Beto O’Rourke’s audiobook.

“We’re trying to do something that’s bigger than ourselves,” he said. “We’re trying to amplify what’s already here. If we can inspire people, why not do it?”

Although his work in film has continued to grow, Piña’s passion for music remains as strong as ever. Last year, he worked on the song “Dime” from Cimafunk’s album Pa Tu Cuerpa, which later received a Grammy nomination.

“I had a little bit of a break between sessions when the owner called me asking if I had time to edit some vocals,” he said. “Luckily, I had about three hours open, so I worked on tuning harmonies, ad-libs, layers, and sent over my mix. The song ended up coming out before the album, and the next thing I knew, I saw the nomination. I felt like I had truly proven myself.”

Despite working with Grammy-nominated artists, major film studios, and international productions, Piña says one moment stands above all the others.

“It’s cool going back to the same theater you went to as a kid to watch something you’ve worked on,” he said. “When Love Lies Bleeding came out, I went with my mom to the earliest showing and watched it together. I was nervous at the end because sometimes when you work on a film, it’s not guaranteed that you’ll be listed in the credits. When the movie ended, we waited to see the second-unit production credits, and there it was. My name was listed as recording engineer.”

Piña said seeing his name on the screen brought years of sacrifice and hard work full circle.

“I started bawling like you wouldn’t believe,” he said. “My mom and I were just hugging each other, and it was a really special moment for me to share with her. She saw me go from the little kid working in my bedroom until the crack of dawn to a credited engineer on a major film.”

From late-night recording sessions in a bedroom studio to seeing his name roll across the credits of major motion pictures, Piña’s journey serves as a reminder that passion, persistence, and belief in yourself can turn even the smallest beginnings into something extraordinary.