Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/1316380
16 I M PS E . O R G MPSE PAST P R ES I D E N TS BY MARK LANZA MPSE MARK LANZA: What years were you president of the MPSE? BOBBI BANKS: I was president from late 2005 to 2013. ML: What brought you into the industry? BB: I actually came into the industry by a fluke! I landed a job at Sound One, a post-production facility in New York, as an administrative assistant to Jeremy Koch and Elisha Birnbaum. After a couple of years, I started to venture out to see what everyone did, whether the sound effects library, machine room, re- recording mixers, and sound editorial. On my lunch hour, I would visit Roberta in the sound effects library. I began to go and listen to the effects and use the 1/4" splicer and cut out the extraneous noises. I found out that what I was actually doing was cleaning up the library! I wanted to move to that area, but I was told that I would have a decrease in salary, but I decided that I would take it. As a mom, it was unusual that I would take a cut in salary, but I wanted the challenge. I went from the library to choosing sound effects for clients! My next idea was to go to mixing, and at that time they told me it would take 5-7 years to learn. I felt that was too long (that's what happens when you're young … impatient). They wanted me to come back to administration and so I agreed, however, I wanted to be in the technical area. So, they gave me a challenge! I had six weeks to learn how to run the machine room, at that time there were dubbers, patch bays and a projector! Peter Riley who ran that department taught me everything! I had my notebook, drew diagrams on how to thread the dubbers and patch for various situations. Then after six weeks, I had my first mix … with re-recording mixer Mel Zelniker! Whew … it all went well. We had tie lines to other rooms and you had to manually thread each machine for a reel change … how fast you could go was key!! Since I felt that mixing would take too long, I decided to try sound editorial. It took three months before Maurice Schell hired me as an apprentice on Desperately Seeking Susan. We worked almost 80 hours a week … my introduction to sound editorial! I worked on a few more projects and then moved to LA, where I was blessed to get a job within a week at Canon! I've had great teachers along the way and Beth Bergeron was definitely my mentor, as I assisted her in the ADR department for many years and then became one of the many editors she would call on. I have been blessed to work on over 120 projects and counting. I am currently a freelance supervising sound/ dialogue/ADR editor. ML: What are you doing now? BB: Besides editing, I am also a proud member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). I serve on several committees at AMPAS, a former chair of A2020 Inclusion and Diversity Committee also at AMPAS, I am one of the mentors for the Academy Gold Program, as well as mentoring others outside the Academy. ML: How did you first get started with the MPSE? BB: I became a member in the '90s and ran for the Board of Directors in 2001… And I was honored to have been voted in! ML: Why become president? BB: I was serving as vice president when David Bondelevitch became ill, thankfully he recovered Bobbi Banks has had over 30 years working in the film and television industry, an Emmy nomination and over 115 projects and counting, Bobbi Banks' career continues to evolve. She has worked on films such as A League of Their Own, Higher Learning, August Osage County, Stonehearst Asylum, Selma, Men in Black International and Straight Outta Compton to name a few. Ms. Banks is a past president of MPSE, a former chair of A2020 Inclusion and Diversity Committee at AMPAS, and currently serves on several committees at AMPAS and the Academy Museum. She also continues to seek ways to encourage and mentor the next generation coming up. Bobbi Banks MPSE PRESIDENT 2005-2013