BOSTON ― Over the past decade, Location Sound Mixer La’Ron Cooper has steadily built a name for himself in the world of film and television sound production, especially within the documentary genre. A Kansas City native now based in Boston, Cooper has worked on everything from commercial shoots to major network projects, including Netflix’s “The Starting Five,” a Netflix sports docuseries that follows NBA stars on and off the court, as well as two HBO Max docuseries — “Celtics City,” about the Boston Celtics, and “Big 12: Uncovered,” about the football teams in the NCAA Big 12 Conference. Across his diverse portfolio, there has been one constant: his growing reliance on DPA Microphones.
Cooper got his start through internships and student films before moving on to do commercials and documentaries. He first discovered DPA through a bit of Hollywood inspiration. “I was watching ‘Game of Thrones’ and thought ‘What mics are they using?,’ so I researched and saw DPA was a primary source,” he notes. “After that, I knew I had to check out the brand.”
Cooper’s initial DPA purchase was the 4017C Compact Shotgun Microphone, which immediately impressed him with its clarity and compatibility. “I fell in love with how clean it sounded and how well it paired with my lavaliers,” he explains. “Consistency between mics is important, especially when you’re doing dialogue-heavy work like documentaries. You want seamless transitions between the lav and boom in post.”
That attention to sonic detail paid off while working on Season 1 of “The Starting Five,” which Cooper joined in the final three months of production after meeting the crew during a commercial shoot with Jayson Tatum. When Netflix needed a local sound mixer, Cooper was ready with his new DPA 2017 Shotgun Mic in hand, which he acquired shortly after his first NAB Show visit. “It’s really versatile; I used it with a gooseneck rig for in-car scenes, and when I played back the dailies, it sounded like I was sitting right there with Jayson,” says Cooper, who also just wrapped production of Season 2, which features Jaylen Brown. “The pickup pattern of the 2017 is phenomenal; it’s short and compact, but incredibly directional and clean.”
Cooper has since expanded his DPA toolkit to include another 4017C and another 2017, as well as multiple 6060 Subminiature Lavaliers and a pair of 4060 Omnidirectional Lavaliers. That range helps him tackle demanding production environments, such as for National Geographic’s “Tasting Wild,” shot in the rugged Pacific Northwest. “We were in every climate—cold, rainy, dry, oceanfront and even extreme heat,” Cooper recalls. “I needed gear that could handle it all. The DPA mics never gave out, crackled or failed, no matter the weather or terrain.”
That durability became even more essential when Cooper was called on for a social media shoot with a prominent tech CEO who is famously reluctant to wear lavaliers. “They told me I had five hours to get good sound with three cameras rolling,” says Cooper. “I pulled out the 2017 because I needed something directional, short and accurate. Even from a distance, it sounded like the mic was right on him.”
The most telling feedback came from producers on “Celtics City,” who told Cooper they could decipher which scenes he worked on because they sounded noticeably different than other tracks. “The showrunner and director also told me they couldn’t tell the difference between the lav and the boom mic,” he says. “That’s all thanks to DPA. The audio flow between the 2017 and the 4060 was so smooth, it sounded like a continuous mic.”
Cooper is not just impressed with DPA’s technology; he also praises the brand’s customer service. “With some companies, you send an email and never hear back. With DPA, it feels like I’m part of an extended family,” he adds. “The turnaround is quick and that means everything in this industry.”
After 11 years in the business, Cooper is still evolving. Most recently he expanded beyond documentary production, to the fantasy world of “Tesphyn,” a Medieval fantasy series that is currently in a proof-of-concept phase. No matter the project or the pressure, DPA Microphones has become a trusted cornerstone of his sound kit. “In documentary work, especially, you don’t have the luxury to stop and fix things. You have to trust your tools, and I trust DPA,” he says.