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Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

mcad_faculty_union @mcad-faculty-union.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Leave it to MCAD faculty and students to turn a petition delivery into an art performance.

Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

Mark Copelovitch @mcopelov.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Just like the US News new formula, this “earnings after four years” is a stupid metric of the worth of college. If folks were serious about all this, they’d stop pretending that people don’t go to grad school & do other things in their 20s while not earning high salaries: bsky.app/profile/mcop...

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Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

mcad_faculty_union @mcad-faculty-union.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Today, MCAD faculty, students, alumni, labor allies, and community supporters delivered a petition with more than 800 signatures demanding a fair contract. Faculty are fighting for fair wages, institutional collaboration, and protections from the growing impact of AI on academic labor.

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Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

mcad_faculty_union @mcad-faculty-union.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Help MCAD faculty win a fair contract! Read and sign act.seiu.org/a/mcad-petit..., then let's rally and deliver our petition!

Image of a poster, which has comic art and text at the top, which reads, "Help mcad faculty win a fair contract!" Beneath the text, a comic panel shows someone in a suite saying, "hmmm," while reading a piece of paper with from mcad faculty, to mcad admin written on it. A comic panel to the right whos the same suit-wearing folk asking, "huh?" while a large speech bubble overlaps from beneath the panel, containing the words, "pay us fairly!" More speech bubbles next to the first contain the words, "respect us!" and "give us a voice!" A long document of signatures trails from beneath the speech bubbles, supported by folks in a crowd. More text reads, "faculty, staff, friends, family, members in community, show them we care! Read and sign here," followed by an arrow pointing to a qr code for a petition. Beneath the qr code the text continues with, " and share! Then, let's rally and deliver our petition! Straight to the president!" The date October 6th, 11:30 am - 12:30 pm, and location, Washburn Fair Oaks Park, are printed in the lower left.

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Yeah, good point... Definitely influenced my career choice too.

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

When I was but a lad, I bumped this an awful lot to ring in the spooky season.

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

from across the country. It’s a delight to be included! You can keep up with Hub & Spoke by subscribing to their Substack at hubspokeaudio.substack.com. Enjoy! #drones #publicsafety #radioart #documentary #localgov

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

As one might expect in a city that’s become something of a punching bag for militarized policing in recent years, the comment session gets a little heated. My piece is nestled into a panoply of impressive audio narratives about local history, economy, culture, and entertainment... <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

(still the latest as of this writing). 56 minutes and 21 seconds in, you’ll hear my audio account of the Minneapolis City Council’s hearings on a proposal for a pilot program to deploy drones as first responders in north Minneapolis (where I live). <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I’m honored by inclusion on the Hub & Spoke Presents podcast’s “Sounds Like America, Vol 2” collection of audio postcards from across the US. The quickest way to find it is to look up Hub & Spoke Presents in your podcast app of choice, and seek out the Sept 17th episode... <more>

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Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

Jacob Geller @jacobgeller.com · 17/09/2026

Mel Blanc screams are like Greek fire, we lost the technology to make sounds like this

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Pictured here are Sishir’s drawing demonstrations, an excerpt of his zine on drawing, the art I drew, and Amelia Dickson holding up one of the models she used in her stop motion short. Can you figure out which is which? #animation #filmfestival #retrospective #experimentalfilm #stopmotion [end]

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

...one of whose films in the retrospective of his work I had the honor of scoring and mixing. Thanks to the Minnanimate crew for all the work they put into this festival, for the Trylon for facilitating the programming, and to Wildflyer Coffee for hosting our workshopping and hangouting. [more]

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I’m chock full of animated goodness– you might say I’ve been reanimated– by a weekend of Minnanimate 2026. Saw lots of great shorts and attended a drawing workshop by guest of honor Sishir Bommakanti... [more]

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

...won a Best of Fest at the Minneapolis- St Paul International Film Festival, and has been screening widely ever since. #documentary #filmmaking #filmmaker #truecrime #sounddesign <end>

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Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

Internet Archive @archive.org · 04/09/2026

We’ve teamed up with Better World Books for a brand new initiative, “For the Love of Books.” By donating to the Internet Archive through October 31, your gift will go towards supporting literacy and preservation 📚❤️ Make your donation here: donate.archive.org/campaign/838...

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

When did "quickstart" become one word? What earthly purpose does that serve?

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

...after sunset on a large screen situated near the Pet Pavillion in the NW corner of the fairgrounds near Machinery Hill. Enjoy! #filmfestival #animation #MinnesotaStateFair #GreatMinnesotaGetTogether #MNStateFair2026 <end>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

The programming– which includes Sishir Bommakanti’s intro (featuring original music, voiceover engineering, sound design, and mix by yours truly) to the “Web 5000” animation anthology that’s been touring the world– will screen outdoors... <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Think you can escape highbrow culture by going to the Minnesota State Fair? Think again! Presented by Square Lake Film and Music Festival, MN FIlms at the Fair features five nights of Minnesota-made film and animation at the 2026 Minnesota State Fair on August 28, 29, and September 4-6. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Either Neil Young "After the Gold Rush" or Dire Straits "Making Movies". Maybe I bought them both together via Columbia House? Don't remember.

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Reposted by Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio)

Pia-Pekka Utö-Dysto @pia-utodysto.eurosky.social · 09/08/2026

Hilarious. This musical theme was special, so special that it spread like a virus. The Gen Alpha Melody.

youtube.com

The Gen Alpha Melody

YouTube video by Carl E. Martin

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"...they are all left to question what ‘closure’ really means.” #documentary #filmmaking #filmmaker #truecrime <end>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"The case remains shrouded in mystery for decades, until a courageous sexual-assault survivor, a citizen journalist, and Jacob’s unshakable parents demand action. After the case reaches a devastating conclusion... <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

I’m proud to have been a part of this project– Newberry has chosen to tell the story in a way that eschews true-crime cheesiness to foreground humanity and empathy. “In 1989, on a quiet road in rural Minnesota, 11-year-old Jacob Wetterling is abducted by a masked gunman. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

“Echoes in the Night: The Search for Jacob Wetterling”, Chris Newberry’s feature documentary sound edited and mixed by yours truly, is screening all over Minnesota these days. In the Twin Cities, it’ll play at @mspiff.bsky.social’s Main Cinema from August 28 to September 3rd.

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

...add/ switch up instrumentation or vocals, expand or contract arrangements, and where I should just leave things alone and them shine. #songwriter #singersongwriter #producer #musicproducer #arrangement

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Listening and taking notes on demos I’ve received for a couple of singer-songwriter projects I’ll be producing for other artists soon. It’s exciting to hear what I’ll be helping to bring into the world– figuring out where I can make suggestions... <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

The 20/20 episode aired on ABC recently, and you can stream it this weekend on Disney+ and Hulu (S48, E31). #ABC2020 #TrueCrime #documentary #filmmaking

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

ABC’s recent 20/20 episode “Where is Jacob?” offered some behind the scenes insight into the making of Chris Newberry’s feature documentary “Echoes in the Night: The Search for Jacob Wetterling”, for which Cool Cat Audio provided sound edit and mix a few months back. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

An example here is balancing an explosion going off at the same time as breathy VO. It took a bit of fancy footwork, but I got there eventually. #soundforanimation #sounddesign #soundforpicture #musicforpicture <end>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

The collection on the whole— curated by Bommakanti— is hilarious, innovative, insightful, bewildering, terrifying, and plenty more besides. Given the busy visuals, tucking in the voiceover was often a challenge. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

...as well as a sparky sizzle to reflect the molten flashes of the visuals. I also delved into glassy layers– a smooth sheen, as well as tinkles and chimes– in the musical textures to evoke the crystalline aspect of the animation. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

In keeping with work that explores “the maximal speculative future of the internet”, many of the graphics in this Matrix-y world are raw and pixelated. I responded to this texture with a lo-bit grit and grain in both music and sound design... <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Isolation of my sound effects and music layers + playback of full mix w/ voiceover by Sudarsna Mukund on the Sishir Bommakanti-directed intro to Hellavision's "Web 5000" #animation anthology. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

...with Foley, sound editing, and mix by Cool Cat Audio. “Joseph has Parkinson's and discovers that there might be a simple solution to one of his debilitating symptoms– new glasses. Battling bureaucracy and a bumbling optician, his family struggles to solve the problem. <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

After a two-year festival run, I’m pleased to be able to share this short online. I had a lot of fun working with this team to make it happen. Link to the film is in the comments. “The Glasses” is a comedy/ drama co-directed by Sarah Smith and Frances Chewning... <more>

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

I'm a prophet! In retrospect, anyway. Monday morning prophecy?

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Was texting a friend that "I do think streaming has had some negative effects", but accidentally typed "streaking" instead.

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Imagining an alternate timeline for the life of Jimi Hendrix, had he survived. I envision collaborations with Miles Davis, Sly Stone, Public Enemy...

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

One more weekend of "Inhuman"! For ticket info, see skewedvisions dot org.

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Mike Hallenbeck (Cool Cat Audio) @coolcataudio.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Here I isolate the individual performances of all three, and then play back the entire mix to present their work in a larger context. Drums by Keely Lane; bass also by Langton. Hand claps and tambourine by yours truly. #musicproduction #mixengineer #mixing #musicproducer #producer

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