Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/830490
50 S P R I N G 2 0 1 7 C A S Q U A R T E R L Y should have to succeed in the production 'machinery' in Hollywood. He gave me the opportunity to assist in the teaching of a filmmaking class for non-majors. I was a filmmaker at heart, and he saw that in me and encouraged me to learn sound with an understanding of the whole film creative process. Most significantly, when George Lucas and producer Gary Kurtz came to him looking for an eager, talented student whom they might train in their own methods to work on the first Star Wars film, Ken recommended me. The connection was made, and the rest is history for me. He set me on a track which carries me along even today. He always remained a friend and men- tor who injected a wry, ironic sense of humor into every situation." Gary Rydstrom agrees. He remembers Ken recommend- ing him for his job at Lucasfilm in similar fashion, and keeping in touch for many years. Gary made a very funny animated short film as a student called The Committee. The film was about the faculty members at the school and they all voiced themselves. One night decades later, Ken heard about an explosion near San Anselmo (where Gary lived) and took the time to call Gary personally to make sure he was safe. This is typical of Ken; to remain a friend for life. Sound editor and professor Rodger Pardee MPS says, "It is hard to underestimate the influence of Ken Miura and Dan Wiegand. There is a shared experience to those of us who had them. They were great examples of demean- or and were good role models." Ken hired me as an adjunct faculty member in 1993. I became full-time faculty in 2001 and stayed until 2008, when I moved to CU Denver. Ken shared an office with me for some of the years that I was an adjunct. Ken was also instrumental in hiring the three other sound mentors I had during my time as a student at USC. When Dan Wiegand retired, Ken tried to get another former student and teaching assistant, Ron Curfman, to interview for a replacement position. Ron declined, as he was at the height of his career as a production mixer. In addition to being the production mixer on Dallas, he also had a small rental company and a small studio in the Valley. Taking a full-time faculty position would be a large pay cut. Later, Dan & Ken talked him into coming down to campus to give a guest lecture and to show the (then) new facilities. He came down and met with Ken and the other major faculty members at the time and, as the conversation progressed, Ron realized they were interviewing him for the job. At the conclusion, they made him an offer. Ron thought it over and decided to accept. A few weeks before classes began, he got an offer to work on a large miniseries that was shooting all over Europe. Unfortunately, he had to turn it down due to his commitment at USC. Ron had been a teaching assistant when he was a grad student at USC (MFA '74). Ben Burtt was in his 290 class; he remembers Ben's projects as outstanding. He began teaching in 1987 and I was in his first class. Ron taught production sound far better than anyone before him, as he had so much on-set experience. His knowledge Miura and Jeffrey Katzenberg from USC Archives.