While names like Schavaria Reeves may go largely unnoticed by the majority of film and television audiences, it is individuals like Reeves who keep Hollywood’s wheels running. While he settled comfortably in the ever-growing list of Hollywood’s unsung heroes, Schavaria Reeves dedicated 31 years of his life to the industry’s growth.
Schavaria Reeves was a renowned sound mixer and producer with credits in several popular film and television productions. Sadly, after almost a decade-long battle with cancer, Schavaria Reeves died on September 24, 2022, at age 56. In honor of his contribution to film and television, here’s a look at Schavaria Reeves’ life and legacy.
Schavaria Reeves’ Early Life & Career
Schavaria Reeves was born in New York City on December 26, 1965. While much isn’t known about his early years, Reeves attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, a public High School in Manhattan. It’s unknown if he had a passion for arts before attending Fiorello H. LaGuardia, but the school helped grow his interest in art. After graduating high school, Schavaria Reeves pursued his art passion by enrolling at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology, FIT, where he studied art.
While at FIT, Reeves quickly stood out for his talents. He was approached by a friend to help design a storyboard for an upcoming music video. As a natural, Reeves’ storyboard got the attention of the production company, and he was also reportedly hired by the company. Schavaria Reeves worked on several music video storyboards as a full-time staff member. However, in the early 90s, according to his IMDb, he landed his first credit in cinema. Reeves was hired as a production aide in the comedy Strictly Business. Reeves also worked as a production assistant in the Eddie Murphy-led cast of the 1992 romantic comedy Boomerang.
Schavaria Reeves’ Transition From Art to Sound Department
Besides his talent and passion for art, Schavaria Reeves was also interested in and fascinated with sound. His first credit in the sound department was in 1993 when he was hired as a sound recordist in Abbey Lincoln—People in Me. Reeves spent the next decade working in the sound department of several music videos, TV shows, and movies.
He’s credited with working on the sound of Original Flavor’s “All That” music video in 1994. Reeves’s first feature film credit was in 2001, where he was credited as a boom operator in the Danny Glover-led crime film 3 A.M. Within his first decade, Reeves worked in movies, including The Perfect You (2002), Bad Company (2002), and Brown Sugar (2002).
Schavaria Reeves’ Career Legacy
By the mid-2000s, Schavaria Reeves’ skills and profile had risen. One of his earliest notable works was working in the sound department of the 2004 Box Office hit The Day After Tomorrow. Before the end of the 2000s, Reeves had worked in top movies, including the 2006 Inside Man, The Darjeeling Limited (2007), and American Gangster (2007). He also worked in the 2008 Sex and the City movie Meet Dave (2008), an episode of Law & Order (2009), and 21 episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2003–2010).
Reeves’ career experienced growth in the 2010s. Reeves kickstarted the decade with Salt (2010), Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011), and Friends with Benefits (2011). He’s also credited with having worked behind the scenes in The Dictator (2012), Oblivion (2013), Muhammad Ali’s biographical film Muhammad Ali’s Greatest Fight (2013), and 6 episodes of The Carrie Diaries (2013–2014). He worked in 29 episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit in five years, from 2009 to 2014.
From the mid-2010s, Reeves’ notable movie credits include Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Focus (2015), John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), and John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum (2019). Having worked in 11 episodes of Ray Donovan from 2018 to 2020, Reeves also worked in the 2022 Ray Donovan: The Movie, his last credit in a movie. Reeves’ other top TV show credits include Quantico (2018), Power Book II: Ghost (2021–2022), Inventing Anna (2022), New Amsterdam (2021–2022), and an episode of Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2024).
Schavaria Reeves’ Personal Life & Death
Schavaria Reeves was married to Martha Melendez. The couple had first met 27 years ago, with a smitten Reeves falling in love at first sight. Their marriage produced two children, Sky and Kayloni Burton. Although he continued working, Schavaria Reeves was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2014. Reeves battled the cancer for eight years and was reported to have found it head-on.
However, Schavaria Reeves succumbed and died from prostate cancer on September 24, 2022. Reeves is survived by his wife, two children, a son-in-law, Alex, and mother, Ollie Reeves. Reeves was buried at Mt. Rest Cemetery, Butler, New Jersey, on October 1, 2022. Besides Schavaria Reeves, Deadliest Catch star Phil Harris also died in his 50s.
Follow Us
