CineMontage

Q4 2018

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106 CINEMONTAGE / Q4 2018 106 CINEMONTAGE / Q4 2018 deal possible. In the studio, he often used the phrase "full coat integrity." In the analog world, full coat was the fully emulsified strip of 35mm celluloid used to hold the multi- channels of a mixed track. The point of "full coat integrity" was to insure that all the necessary, but hard to hear, smaller sounds were incorporated against the louder sounds and music. The gunshots or explosions in a scene might cover a distant character's footstep. But, rest assured, it was there in the mix. The mix had integrity because the man had integrity. Aside from being a great artist and technician, he is one of the nicest people anyone could hope to meet. I congratulate him on winning the Fellowship and Service Award. It is well deserved. Louis Bertini, MPSE Friend/Colleague/Mentee; Sound Editor; Second Vice President, Motion Picture Editors Guild n L ee Dichter is special. He is loved because he is special. His life might make a good movie someday… Larry Blake Friend/Colleague; Sound Editor, Re- Recording Mixer n L ee is just the best. His ability to extract the last nuances from any dialogue and make it crystal clear is unparalleled in my experience. As well as being one of the loveliest of people, he is also an amazing diplomat, never putting forward his own views unless bidden, or choosing the exact moment to interject his thoughts. His lack of personal ego is remarkable in a field where there are all too many people who see themselves as stars. It is my privilege to have worked with this wonderful man on so many projects. John Bloom Friend/Colleague; Picture Editor n L ee Dichter mixed the first film on which I supervised the sound. We had crossed paths before while I was in different crew positions on other films he mixed. But that first supervising gig was different with him, and there began a nurturing and mentoring that went beyond mixing a mere movie. At this point, I've lost track of the number of movies I brought to him to mix, and participated on the board with him. We've cried together, won awards together, shared life stories and worked with some of the best directors in New York. Lee is one of those egoless talents, with complete mastery of his craft and not afraid to share it, teach it or try to pass along a way of hearing dialogue that few have. I love the fact I can call him my friend. Ron Bochar, CAS Friend/Colleague/Mentee; Sound Editor n I had the enviable good fortune to have Lee Dichter mix my very first film. Can you imagine what it was like for a completely wet-behind-the- ears filmmaker to be able to avail himself of the master's talents right out of the starting gate? Lee was gentle, kind and forgiving of our ignorance, always ready with a suggestion that always made our film better. It was back in the analog days that we watched him mix backwards and forwards! Lee went on to mix most of the next six or seven films and series I made. The lengthy time spent in the dark together, sweetening the sound, allowed us to become more than collaborators and colleagues. We became friends, with each film anxious to catch up on family dramas that had taken place in the months between projects, watching as our children grew up and swapping trade stories. Lee, above all, is a kind, warm and thoughtful person who taught me so much. I'll never forget the last day of mixing on our series on the Civil War. We delayed laying down the sound of the gunshot at Ford's Theatre. For a few minutes, alone in the dark, Lee and I and our comrades, our eyes wet with tears, kept Abraham Lincoln alive. Ken Burns Friend/Colleague; Documentary Filmmaker n W hen I arrived on the editing scene in New York, I spent my days throwing my resume around the Brill Building on my way to my night job at DuArt. Daunting as it all was, nothing was more intimidating than hearing about the mix, which would lead to a conversation about the masterful Lee Dichter, always spoken about with a warmth that impressed me. Studio L on the second floor was something to strive for — it only took a few years to get there. Mambo Kings had a billion music tracks and my music editor, Tom Drescher, insisted I slide on up and show Lee what I intended for one particular sequence. I nervously approached Lee with my messy cue sheets, but he encouragingly pushed them aside and pointed to the faders. I stumbled my way through a first pass of the sequence, showing him what I intended, and he warmly reached over to the faders and quickly adjusted the pass into his mix. I quietly slid my Herman Miller Aeron back about six feet into the studio background and hid my embarrassment in hopes that we were, as they say, "moving on." Days later, I had the pleasure of witnessing Lee work a line of ADR that seemed impossible. I never saw anyone move his fingers across the faders in that way, breathing life into lifeless lines, as a violinist translates the simplest melody into an expressive musical phrase. I've never forgotten it and have spoken about it many times out here in Los Angeles. Here's to you, Lee! Thank you for inspiring and encouraging so many of us over the years! David Carbonara Colleague; Composer, Music Producer

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