By Mary Ann SkweresAs always, a bevy of awards was doled out at this year’s Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards.In addition, the guild awarded Clint Eastwood with its Filmmaker Award. Sound supervisor Alan Robert Murray, who worked on Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima, Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River and Unforgiven introduced the actor/director. Eastwood graciously accepted the honor commenting, “Sound is 50 percent of a film, but because it is subliminal, most people don’t give it the credit it deserves.”Oscar-winning sound supervisor Richard L. Anderson, MPSE, received the MPSE Career Achievement Award, presented by long-time collaborator, Mark Mangini. At 56, Anderson, known for his work on blockbusters such as Star Wars, Star Trek: the Motion Picture, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Poltergeist and Daylight, was concerned that receiving a Career Achievement Award, usually given at the end of a long career, might signal his professional demise. He remarked that he was assured, “I am allowed to continue working.” He is currently working for Technicolor Sound Services.The winners: Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film – Dialogue and ADR & Best Sound Editing in a Feature Film – Sound Effects and Foley: Letters From Iwo Jima – Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman, Dave Arnold, Juno J. Ellis, Lucy Coldsnow-Smith, Gloria D’Alessandro, Karen Spangenberg, Nicholas Vincent Korda, Michael Dressel, Jay Jennings, Jason King, Steve Mann, Shawn Sykora, Chris Flick, Robin Harlan, Sarah MonatBest Sound Editing for Music in a Feature Film: Apocalypto – Richard Bernstein, Jim HendricksonBest Sound Editing for Music in a Musical Feature Film: Dreamgirls – Paul Rabjohns; Jason Ruder, Amanda Goodpaster, Timothy BootBest Sound Editing for Television, Long Form – Sound Effects and Foley: Nightmares and Dreamscapes: Battleground – G. Michael Graham, Bill Bell, Sean Byrne, Bob Costanza, Devon Curry, Mike Dickeson, Anton Holden, Tom Chilton, Sharon Michaels, Jill SandersBest Sound Editing for Television, Long Form – Dialogue and ADR: Path to 9/11 – G. Michael Graham, J. Michael Hooser, Anton Holden, Mark Steele, Adriane Marfiak, Joy Ealy and Devon CurryBest Sound Editing in Music for Television, Long Form: High School Musical – Michael Dittrick, Carli BarberBest Sound Editing in Television: Short Form – Sound Effects and Foley: Lost: A Tale of Two Cities – Thomas E. de Gorter, Paula Fairfield, Carla Murray, Cynthia Merril, Doug ReedBest Sound Editing in Music for Television, Short Form: CSI: Miami – Rio – Skye Lewin Best Sound Editing in Television: Short Form – Dialogue and ADR: CSI: Miami – Rio –Tim Kimmel, Todd Niesen, Ruth AdelmanBest Sound Editing for Sound Effects and Foley in a Foreign Film: Pan’s Labyrinth – Paula Fairfield, Jill Purdy, Carla Murray, Nathan Robitaille, Lee De Lang, Steve BaineBest Editing Sound Editing Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue and ADR for Feature Film Animation: Cars – Tom Meyers, Michael Silver, Jonathan Null, Bruno Coon, Teresa Eckton, Shannon Mills, Dee Selby, Steve Slanec, Christopher Barrick, Jana Vance, Dennie Thorpe, Ellen HeuerBest Editing Sound Editing in Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue, ADR and Music for Television: Drawn Together – Tom Hays, Morgan Gerhard, Frank Szick, Mark Jasper, Kurt Vanzo, Damon Yoches, Nick Neutra, Doug Reed, Lydian ToneBest Sound Editing in Special Venue: Dead Sea 3D – Peter Thillaye, Ed Douglas, Christopher Miller, Andy Malcolm, Bruce Nyznik, Shie Rozow, Goro KoyamaBest Sound Editing: Direct to Video Award: The Fox and the Hounds – Mark A. Lanza, Victor Radulich, Louis Castle, James Bairian, Michael W. MullaneBest Sound Editing: Made for Computer Entertainment: Hellgate: London Cinematic – Bryan Watkins, Tom Ozanich, Eric Lindemann, Anthony Roza, Alder Hampel, Dave Steinwedel, John Roesch, Alyson Dee MooreVerna Fields Award for Student Filmmakers & the Ethel Crutcher Scholarship Award: Christopher Wilson, National Film and Television SchoolVenue: Beverly Hilton HotelParking: $10 discounted self-park; easy in-and-outDrinks: Pre-show cocktails were pricey; even a coke was $5.50Food: International cheese display and crudites were a nice touch during the cocktail hour; artichoke salad; grilled salmon and beef tenderloin; triple chocolate Bavarian tower with berries—yum!Attire: Black-tie and suitsShow Length: 2 hoursSwag: None apparentHigh Point: Mark Mangini and his anecdotes, especially the one about setting fire to Richard Anderson on the foley stage backed up by the recorded sound effects of the event. While being doused by a fire extinguisher manned by editor Steve Flick, Mangini quipped that Anderson was silent because he was thinking, “If I don’t say a word, maybe we can put some of this in the [sound effects] library.”Low Point: Around 10:30 pm when the people talking in the back of the room got louder and this reporter started wondering, “Is it over yet?”Best Quote: Richard Anderson on the advances in technology, “I don’t long for the good old days when you used to slice your hand open on the butt splicer.”
Written by Mary Ann Skweres
