Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1175934
23 MPEG FELLOWSHIP & SERVICE AWARD 2019 Marty and I met in the editing room of The Goonies at Warners. He is a great person and great as a cutting room supervisor. I think we worked together on three or four shows with the great Michael Kahn. Later I got him onto a 14-hour mini-series for ABC as an editor. We have remained close friends forever and we still have lunches with Michael…every few months. Craig Bassett Friend/Colleague; Picture Editor When I graduated from USC, Marty took a risk on me. He took me under his wing, taught me the ropes of post-production, and introduced me to the magic that is Amblin. More than that, over the years, he became not only my best friend and biggest champion, but a second father figure — someone I came to rely on for advice, compassion and understanding. But mostly, what I want to say about Marty is this: He has reinforced in me a kindness that would not have been possible had I never met him. I am a better writer and a better person because he has raised me to be both. Samantha Becker Friend/Colleague/Mentee; Creative Director and Speechwriter I met Marty in the early 2000s when Technicolor (my employer then) was striving to make an overall deal with DreamWorks for production and post-production services. Marty was on the other side of the table speaking pragmatically about whether the deal was a good idea for his company and ours. I respected his broad technical knowledge, his deep experience, and his willingness to challenge the Technicolor team and his own colleagues as well. He had a lot of smart things to say! We became good friends and have remained so as our professional careers have taken different paths. I've always relied on Marty for common sense and clear explanations of new technologies, for spotting trends, but most important for telling me the unvarnished truth. I always look forward to seeing him, to sharing stories about our families, and to learning more about the shape and conditions of our industry. And what more can you say about the guy than Steven Spielberg continues to rely on Marty to oversee the archival work being done on his wonderful films? Congratulations, Marty. This is as well- deserved an honor as it gets! Bob Beitcher Friend/Colleague; President and CEO, MPTF (Motion Picture and Television Fund) Marty Cohen has touched many lives during his long career. We first worked together in the late '90s on The Prince of Egypt, then again on The Hunger Games, when we established a friendship while ambling through North Carolina talking about all the crazy things happening in the post industry. Marty's signature greeting — "Hi, pal!" — is evidence of the joy he takes in his work. His understanding of the role post-production plays in the moviemaking process is invaluable to directors, editors and studios alike. Somehow he's always able to remind everyone involved that we were all on the same team. Beyond being great to work with, Marty has come to the rescue on more than one occasion. When caught in a lull between projects, Marty would call seemingly out of the blue… "Hey, pal, can you help me out?" One thing would lead to another and the lull would be over. My wife, Heidi, and I have been the beneficiaries of Marty's calls, which always lead to new avenues of opportunity and new long-term relationships, sometimes resurfacing many years later. I congratulate Marty for this evening's recognition of everything he's done for motion pictures and motion picture post-production. Lon Bender, MPSE Friend/Colleague; Sound Editor, Re- recording Mixer Marty and I met early in our careers. We were in Europe making a low- budget film under extremely difficult circumstances. The country we were in lacked two important ingredients for filmmaking: there were absolutely no film cores for the editorial department and actors were in short supply. Marty brought the cores in his luggage and, at the last moment, took a pivotal onscreen role in the movie. Marty has been behind the scenes contributing to films ever since with the same extraordinary passion, humor and dedication to his cra and the industry. Congratulations, Marty! Bruce A. Block Friend; Producer