Making His Dream Come True

One of Jory's studio/bedrooms before studio.jory.org.

Gear took up most of the space in Jory's studio/bedroom.

Jory’s dream was to have his own professional recording studio.  From the time he was in high school, he set up makeshift studios in every bedroom he occupied.  His Mac computer and Newton, midi interface, keyboards, speakers, and guitars were gypsies that traveled from his home bedroom, to his dorm room at Cal Arts, to his apartment in Santa Clarita.   Relocating to Marin, he changed his residence to a Novato apartment complex, and then to a Fairfax over-the-garage apartment.  When he moved to a one room wooden shack, disguised as a cabin, in the Marin Town & Country Club, his studio took most of the space.  He barely squeezed his bed into the corner, while his laundry filled the almost non-existent floor space and his guitars leaned against the wall behind the door.

With insufficient electrical power and extremely limited internet access at the Town & Country Club, Jory searched for an external space to house his studio.  He’d call us week after week, expressing his frustrations over the lack of affordable spaces to live and work.  We decided to visit him with an unstated intention to purchase a small house in the area so he could set up his studio in one bedroom and live in another.  Wistfully, we hoped that he could also find a roommate to offset the monthly mortgage.   We engaged a local realtor and set off for Fairfax.

When we arrived, Jory was excited to show us the garden shed he had rented behind some woman’s house.  The metal shed was small, had no windows or ventilation, nor insolation.  It was perfect for a lawn mower and storing bicycles, but ridiculous for a workspace or studio.  In addition, the woman had 2 huge dogs, who liked to bark and inhabited the backyard.  All Jory could see was the potential of fixing up the shed to create his studio.  All we could see was a disaster.  

That evening, as we sat with Jory at one of the Fairfax music clubs, the woman who owned the house and shed, approached our table.

“Jory,” she said, “I need my key back.  I can’t rent out the shed because it will upset my dogs to have someone in the backyard.”

“Ok,” he replied and reaching into his pocket, he retrieved the key and handed it to her.  She turned and left without returning Jory’s deposit, which he never requested from her.  He explained to us that she was having hard times and needed the money more than he did.  She, most likely, didn’t have parents who could help her out.

660 sq ft cottage with 2 beds & 1 bath sold for $709,000

The next morning the three of us met with the realtor.  We had a guided tour of the local housing market, which to our dismay was severely limited and grossly overpriced.  We looked at worn down, wooden, 3-room cottages on postage sized lots near Fairfax town center.  They were built in the 1920’s and were lucky to still be standing.  Many of them had illegal “improvements” and substandard utilities.  Only some of them had fresh coats of paint to camouflage their run down conditions.  All of them were asking at least half a million dollars.

We explored the hills above town, to see cabins that were located on trails or paths, instead of streets.  One offering was on a patch of land with a tree in the center.  The buyer would climb a ladder attached to the trunk to reach the space intended to be a house.  Electricity and water lines were also attached to the trunk.  If the tree ever fell or burned, the owner would be left with a small patch of land for his half million-dollar investment.  

1,652 sq ft house with 3 beds 2 baths sold for $1,100,000

Finally, we looked at small, stucco, tract houses with attached garages that were built more recently, like during the late 1960's in the “suburbs” of Fairfax.  Their 3 tiny bedrooms looked promising and the prices were more reasonable.  We decided to make an offer on one that had seen better days, had potential, and could be rehabilitated with a little work.  We offered 10% above the asking price and were shocked that the sellers had received several offers significantly above their price and were actively conducting a buying war with desperate customers.  We bowed out gracefully. The house sold for significantly more than the asking price.  

Julie, Waldo, & Jory

Shortly thereafter, Jory met Julie and he instantly fell in love with her.  She invited him to move into her condo with her son Nick and her escape artist dog, Waldo.  Julie was an amazing artist who dreamed of a career in the film and animation industry.  Jory kept dreaming of having a professional recording studio.  In the interim, they created a shared studio in a spare room within the condo.  Jory set up his equipment at the far end of the room and at the other end of the room, he provided Julie with a new Mac computer, a double wide screen monitor, and all the creative professional software used by digital artists.  

This new studio arrangement was useable, but not really what Jory had in mind for his ultimate workspace.  He shared his dreams with Julie and she encouraged him to act on them.  Despite not having the funds to create a studio, they both believed that they could make it happen.  Jory looked around Fairfax and found an old decommissioned elementary school whose classrooms were now being rented as office spaces.  The kindergarten room at the back was large and somewhat secluded.  Bathrooms were down the hallway.  There were parking spaces in front, keeping engine noises sufficiently away from his intended studio.  He didn’t think twice and signed a 3-year lease.

Tony designed and tuned
studio.jory.org

Jory made friends with everyone along his path in life.  He was always there and willing to help anyone who needed it.  His friends always reciprocated.  While working at LucasArts, Jory became friends with Tony, an expert on acoustics and the originator of THX, the surround sound system used in most movie theaters.  He was Jory’s ideal person to design the best recording studio in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Jory wanted the classroom divided into several working spaces:  a large live room for recording, a smaller control room with a window into the live room, a fairly large machine room for his internet server with space for media storage, and a lounge area with a small kitchen for clients.  

It was essential that the live room and control rooms be sound proof, so that required those rooms to float within the main room, entailing raised subfloors, lowered inner ceilings, and sound buffering walls with 3 feet of airspace between them and the outside walls.  Of course, the studio also needed silent air conditioning and heating capabilities, along with an air filter to combat Jory’s allergies, and an alarm system to protect the equipment.  Following the initial construction, the studio would also need painting, wooden flooring, acoustic panels and buffers, furniture, and more equipment.  It was a huge project for someone who had no money and had quit his job.

Sheri and Rob got the construction off to a terrific start.

Construction began when Jory’s CalArts roommate and his wife, Rob and Sheri, came to Fairfax to visit.  They were relocating to Washington and stopped to see Jory on their way up the Pacific coastline.  Rob studied stage design at CalArts and was experienced in construction.  When Jory described his new project, they decided to stay and help get the studio off on a good start.  Since Jory had virtually no cash, Rob and Sheri used their credit cards to buy tools and supplies.  Studs, drywall, screws, nails and saws, were purchased from the local lumberyard and delivered to School Street Plaza.  The three of them energetically worked and laughed together as the studio began to evolve.

Jory, Rob, and Sheri were a great team.

Eventually, Rob and Sheri had to move on.  Their credit cards were maxed out and Jory needed to reimburse them.  That’s when we got the call from Jory.

“Hi Mom and Dad,” he began.  “How would you like to come visit me in Fairfax?”

“Sure,” we replied.  “When should we come?”

“Right away.”

“What’s the urgency?” we asked.

“I’m building my studio and I want you to see it.”

“You’re doing what?” Sam questioned with trepidation.

“I’m building my studio.  I leased a room in an old elementary school and I’m building my recording studio.  I want you to see it.”

“Here we go again,” Sam whispered to me on the side.

“How are you paying for this?” Dad asked him.

“Well......that’s why I want you to see it.  Rob and Sheri are here helping me and they’ve used their credit cards to get me started.  They need to leave and I need help to reimburse them.”

There was a bit of silence as we processed this new revelation.  “It’s always Jory’s mode of operation to ask for forgiveness instead of permission,” Sam commented to me.

“We’ll come this weekend, ok?”

I always enjoy being in Fairfax.  It’s quaint, retro to my hippie days, infused with artistic energy, and interspersed with gorgeous redwood trees.  Jory loved it and I loved his creative nature.  Sam, on the other hand, was frustrated by Jory’s spontaneity and disregard for the essentials.  Secretly, he was proud of him for following his dreams, yet furious that he was irresponsible for signing a 3-year lease and starting something so huge without proper planning and finances.

Jory & Sam checking out the
control room construction.

Leslye screwing in wallboard
in the live room

We entered School Street Plaza with apprehension, but soon were won over to the project.  Jory showed us Tony’s blueprints for the studio and they were top notch.  A load of sheetrock was stacked in the live room, ladders, screw guns, and tools abounded.  The basic framing was completed and we joined the construction crew.  It was actually fun.  

Marathon business planning by Sam and Jory.

Later, Jory joined us in our hotel room to discuss the technical issues of paying off his debts, both present and future.  We immediately lent him the money he owed Rob and Sheri, but there were terms and conditions to be agreed upon for additional funds.  First, he needed a business plan with income sources and identified potential clients.  Next, he needed a list of realistic expenses so he could calculate how much work had to be done each month in order to cover those expenses.  We also insisted that he purchase business and personal health insurances and install a sophisticated alarm system in the studio.  Then, he needed a plan to pay off his debts, including monthly credit card charges.  It was hopeful thinking on our part, but he agreed and signed a loan contract with us.  We placed the first installment of the loan into his bank account and the next installment would come after the construction was completed.  

Jory always came up with unique solutions to his dilemmas, and building the studio was a rich source to ponder and resolve.  Of course, he came up with an out-of-the-box plan, which included everyone he knew in Fairfax.  He let it be known that he was building a recording studio and anyone who wanted to help build the facility would receive one hour of free recording time for each hour of construction time.  In a town of musicians and singer-songwriters, where almost everyone plays in a band, this was like a chocolate bonus for having fun.

A few of the many volunteers who built studio.jory.org.

The first day available for volunteers was overwhelming and chaotic.  So many people showed up that there was not enough space for them to crowd in, let alone work.  Jory quickly solved the traffic jam with sign-up sheets.  From then on, the townsfolk with their various talents, put in electrical wiring, insulation, air conditioning ducts, wallboards, ceiling panels, flooring, and paint. 

Will wired and unwired
studio.jory.org

Entrance to studio.jory.org
from School Street Plaza

The studio turned out to be amazing.  You left hippie School Street Plaza when you opened the door to studio.jory.org, and entered the lounge.  On your left was a purple sofa with inviting lime green throw pillows.  Above the sofa, was a wall full of black shadow boxed video games, that I framed, to visually represent the early years of Jory’s resume.  Julie had created a purple and lime green logo for the studio and had painted it on a sign that hung amid the shadow boxed games.  Next to the sofa, was a small telephone table that provided space for Jory’s LEGO Oscar, standing in for the real Oscar statuette on display at Pixar for the winning short animated film “For the Birds.”  Across from the sofa, was the door to the live room, flanked on the left by a 1957 Wurlitzer Jukebox, contributed by Jory’s friend and partner, Julian, and Jory’s first Hard and Heavy leather jacket, vintage 1990, hanging on a hook on the right.  Behind the jukebox hung a movie poster of the western film, “Jory,” which coincidentally shared his first name, and was released 2 years before his birth.

The lounge at studio.jory.org

Continuing into the lounge, there was a small kitchen at the far end, equipped with a sink, mini-fridge, microwave, toaster oven, coffee maker, and snack table full of favorite treats purchased especially for each client.  Between the kitchen and the sofa sat an authentic, red leather 1950’s diner booth, making the lounge both fun and functional.

1950's booth and studio kitchen at studio.jory.org.

The hardwood floors in the live room and control room were clean and easy to keep dust free, to accommodate Jory’s allergies.  He painted the walls dark purple, his favorite color, but the ceilings never quite got painted.  The acoustic panels that hung on the walls and doors were covered with a lighter purple cloth that absorbed ambient sound.  On the ceilings were baffles and other contraptions that muffled the sounds of the air conditioner and heater.  

The Live Room

Jory in the Control Room with all his electronic toys.

Furnishings for the studio were simple:  the control room was equipped with Jory’s stand-up desk, a long side table sheltering his extensive collection of electronics, a flock of surround sound speakers, and couple of chairs for directors.  Cables and cords abounded, all wired by Jory's colleague and friend, Will.  The live room was dotted with microphone stands, headphones, and iPad holders for scripts, a few grey pony stools, and several high folding chairs.  The corner behind the door was reserved for Jory’s guitars, trombone, and mandolin.  A green stuffed Kermit, which was always a fixture in every studio space since Jory’s days of working at Jim Henson’s Creature Shop, hung upside down from a mic stand.  The airspace between the live room walls and the outer walls, became storage cupboards for more cables, small tools, microphones, and headsets.  It was also creative storage space for 8 foot high towers of plastic crates containing Jory’s extra clothes and personal belongings.

The machine room behind the kitchen contained dozens of boxes with his extensive CD, DVD, and VCR collections, along with several bicycles.  Most importantly, this room housed Jory’s internet server, with its tall black steel rack containing fiber-optic switches, routers, and banks of hard drives.  He had commissioned a dedicated T1 line to handle his voluminous use of the internet, and hosted server space with family, friends, and neighbors.

The studio opened for business in 2004.  It was more than just a recording studio.  It was a refuge for Jory and his buddies when their relationships with girlfriends went sour.  It was a home away from home for voice actors.  It was a resource for sound designers to share equipment and resources.  New talent considered the studio their opportunity toward success.  It was a place to safeguard instruments between gigs, and for Jory, it was a cave to hibernate during allergy season.  After his death, studio.jory.org was the place where Jory’s friends gathered to mourn his passing.

The best thing about studio.jory.org was that everyone in Fairfax claimed ownership because they had either been part in the studio’s construction or because of the numerous artistic recordings that they created there.  It was just like Jory to gather together everyone’s spirits within his studio walls, where they will remain forever.

COMMENTS:  

Click on Jorysmother@gmail.com to send comments.

Jory Prum   2008

I am passionate about my dreams and do whatever it takes to achieve them.  I get angry with people who do not follow their dreams or lack sufficient ambition to succeed.  I am extremely supportive of my friends' & partner's dreams.


I am a business owner.  I have spent most of my professional life self-employed and don't expect to work a full-time job for someone else ever again.  I thoroughly enjoy working for myself.

Sheri Vollmuth

Jory Jory Everywhere Jory! True true true! Seeing all the posts about how Jory touched so many people world wide and the stories of his adventures have brightened my sad heart! 

I met this man on my honeymoon. My husband insisted on visiting his best friend and college roommate. I was not thrilled to start but I quickly realized how special it was that he wanted me to meet a very important person in his life and wanted to show me off to Jory. Jory reserved the only honeymoon suite in Fairfax for our visit. It became the highlight of our honeymoon. 

Four years later, we volunteered to help construct his studio in Fairfax! It was hard work and Jory was always there smiling and laughing. He took countless picture of me bending over & I would hear that laugh and knew he had a candid picture of my ass! 

Things that remind me of Jory... Vise grips, my work security clearance, art work, cartoons, music, dog allergies, small towns, screw gun, smiles, handicap logos & our anniversaries. Many stories to go with these words. I see Jory everywhere too!

Martha Soltesz
Love these wonderful memories you share with us. Thank you.

Barbara Talento
Loved all the pictures.  They made things come so alive. 

Lynette Shaw
Just a note to mention I had the idea to introduce Jory to Fred the landlord at School St and I talked Fred into considering Jory. I was always so proud of Jory and our friendship ☺️

Barbara Levine
Thanks for sharing another interesting and amazing Jory story.

Ann Fine
I love your stories about Jory. It makes me sad and happy all at the same time.   I am getting to know him through your blog and he seems he was an amazing man. Sad that I did not get to meet him. 

Dee Nevares
You and Sam were extremely supportive of Jory's dreams and goals.

Shirley Oren
I see you've sent out another Jory Story. I haven't read it yet. It's not easy to read them.

Elaine Asa

I just finished your last Jory blog about Jory, the dreamer. Thank you so much for sharing Jory’s life with all of us who read your blog. I am in awe of Jory and his creativity and how he took his dreams and turned them into reality. As a parent I related to how you and Sam helped Jory fulfill his dreams. Isn’t that what parenthood is suppose to be? As parents we are always caught between supporting our children and enabling our children. Sometimes it’s more challenging than other times depending upon the child. 

Jory has left you with an amazing legacy and wonderful memories. May his memory continue to serve for blessings and teach all of us how to better live our lives as we turn our dreams into reality.

Judy Sowell
This was a very interesting story to me.  It showed how technical Jory had to be for his sound room, etc., also how his engaging personality managed to get people to work for him to accomplish things he couldn’t afford.  As always, I enjoy your stories. 

Gail Hara
What a trip this son was.  This is the best story and studio.  Good for him to follow his dream .👌☺️

Martha Soltesz Love these wonderful memories you share with us.

©   Leslye J. Prum, 2017   All rights reserved.