The Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) announced that it will be honoring Randy Thom, director of sound design at Skywalker Sound, with its prestigious MPSE Career Achievement Award. Thom is a two-time Academy Award-winner (The Right Stuff, The Incredibles) and a 14-time Oscar nominee. He has contributed to more than 100 films as a sound designer and re-recording mixer. He will receive the award at the 61ST MPSE Golden Reel Awards ceremony, Feb. 16 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel in Los Angeles.
“I am pleased and excited that the MPSE will be honoring Randy Thom with our Career Achievement Award,” says MPSE president, Frank Morrone. “His creative skills and dedication to the importance of sound in the filmmaking process is inspiring.”
“I am humbled, and deeply gratified to be receiving the MPSE Career Achievement Award,” said Thom. “It goes without saying that a very large part of the honor is shared with the wonderful sound editors, mixers, designers, assistants and others with whom I’ve collaborated. They’ve often made me look and sound better than I was. Part of the honor goes to Skywalker Sound, as well. There is no better place to work in our industry.”
Thom is director of sound design at Skywalker Sound, but still spends most of his time working on movies. He began his career in 1979 by walking in on the re-mix sessions of American Graffiti where he introduced himself to Walter Murch, Ben Burt and Mark Berger. This event turned into his first film work when he was hired as a sound effects recordist on Apocalypse Now. Thom moved on to work in a wide variety of creative capacities within the sound department spanning over 100 films.
Additional credits include Return of the Jedi, Never Cry Wolf, Wild at Heart, Forrest Gump, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Thin Blue Line, War of the Worlds, Coraline, How To Train Your Dragon, Ghost in the Shell and Ratatouille.