Mary Ann Skweres

Contenders: Re-recording Mixers, Mike Prestwood Smith, Michael Keller, Mary Poppins Returns

January 4, 2019 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

For Mary Poppins Returns, one of the biggest challenges was making the spoken word smoothly transition into the musical sequences. Once the sound and music editing teams prepared all the dialogue and production tracks, singing pre-records, ADR, hard effects, ambiances, foley and music tracks, the various audio elements had to be combined in a process that makes a grounded, believable soundtrack. That was where re-recording mixers Mike Prestwood Smith and Michael Keller came in. […]

Bohemian Rhapsody Screening and Sound Mixing Panel

December 18, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Fox Studios showed Bohemian Rhapsody at the Blakely Theater on Saturday, Dec. 15. The Golden Globe Awards have short-listed the film for the best motion picture – drama. […]

Inside the Immersive Sound of A Star Is Born

December 14, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

For a musical such as A Star is Born the collaboration between sound, music and mixing is critical. Sound designer, Alan Murray, production sound mixer, Steve Morrow, CAS, and re-recording mixers Tom Ozanich, MPSE, Dean Zupancic and Jason Ruder came together to share their contributions to the soundscape of actor Bradley Cooper’s directorial debut. Clips from the film exemplified the topics under discussion. […]

Contender: Composer Terence Blanchard, BlacKkKlansman

December 11, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

“The overall thing about Spike’s films is an undertone of we are all the same. We are all human beings. We are all Americans. I’m always trying to write themes that speak to that idea. That is one of the reasons we use orchestra as much as we can,” shared composer Terrance Blanchard who has worked with director Spike Lee since the beginning of both their filmmaking careers. He felt he has grown as an artist along with the director. […]

Contender: Brian Tyler, Composer Crazy Rich Asians

December 7, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Composer Brian Tyler’s first impression of Crazy Rich Asians was that of a modern romantic comedy set in contemporary Singapore. However, after seeing the footage shot by director Jon Chu, he realized the story felt and looked much bigger. “The film was more of an old school Hollywood romance with social underpinnings and themes about family and who we are,” said Tyler. […]

Independent Spirit Awards 2018: Get Out Takes The Big Prize

March 7, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

The 33rd Film Independent Spirit Awards returned to their beach venue in Santa Monica to honor artist-driven films made with an economy of means by filmmakers whose films embody diversity, innovation and uniqueness of vision. President Josh Welsh opened the show by telling the assembled filmmakers that in these days of cynicism, “Your films are a beacon.” He noted the attendance of Spirit Awards Honorary Chair Ava DuVernay. […]

54th CAS Awards: Top Awards Garnered by Dunkirk, Coco and Jane

March 2, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

The Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Picture – Live Action was presented to the sound mixing team from Dunkirk – Mark Weingarten CAS, Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo CAS, Alan Meyerson CAS, Thomas J. O’Connell and Scott Curtis. The presenters of the award were production sound mixer, Willie Burton, and Bryan Fogel, director of the documentary Icarus, which covers the Russian Olympic doping scandals that over […]

The 2018 Costume Designers Guild Awards

February 23, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

20th CDGA Honors Shape of Water, Wonder Woman and I, Tonya The 20th Annual CDGA (Costume Designers Guild Awards) celebrated excellence in film, television, and short form costume design. Actress Gina Rodriguez hosted the star-studded, fabulously attired event at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA. In her opening remarks the actress stressed the important role costumes and costume designers play in helping actors transform themselves. “To me, acting is […]

The 54th Annual Cinema Audio Society Awards February 24th

February 23, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

The 54th Annual Cinema Audio Society Awards (CAS), presented by Dolby Labs, recognizing Outstanding Achievements in film and television sound mixing will be held Saturday, Feb. 24th at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel. Joe Wright, Oscar nominated for Darkest Hour, is to receive the CAS Filmmaker Award this year, and Anna Behlmer will be honored with the Career Achievement Award. Tomlinson Holman will receive the first Edward J. […]

65th Annual MPSE Awards

February 22, 2018 Mary Ann Skweres Comments Off

Golden Reel: Blade Runner 2049 and War for the Planet of the Apes Win Top Honors Blade Runner 2049 captured the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing in Feature Film for FX/Foley and War for the Planet of the Apes took the prize for Best Sound Editing in Dialogue/ADR. Blade Runner 2049 supervising sound editor, Mark Mangini was unable to attend the awards ceremony, but thanked the MPSE […]