Cameron Gilfoy, a 2019 graduate of Vermont State University Lyndon, earned an assistant mixing engineer credit on Taylor Swift's new song "I Knew It, I Knew You," featured in Pixar's "Toy Story 5," which opens in theaters June 19.
Gilfoy moved to Los Angeles in January 2022, driving cross-country with a group of fellow VTSU alumni. He connected with his former professor Brian Warwick, who helped him network with other graduates making the same move. After arriving in LA, Gilfoy landed an internship at Conway Recording Studios through a chain of contacts and was hired as a runner within a month. He spent three and a half years doing tasks from equipment setup to fetching lunch, building relationships, before going freelance in August 2025.
His work on "Toy Story 5" came through colleagues already on the project. "It's a little freaky to work on something this big," Gilfoy said. "But super exciting because everyone knows Toy Story." He credits his success to consistency and positivity rather than raw talent.
Gilfoy grew up in Holliston, Massachusetts, and discovered VTSU Lyndon at a college fair, choosing it for its Music Business & Industry program and small class sizes. He advises current students to network and take any paying gig with dedication. "Be kind, friendly, show up, work hard, and make friends," he said.
Originally reported by North Star Monthly.
Photo: Artaxerxes (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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