Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1061972
121 Q4 2018 / CINEMONTAGE 121 Q4 2018 / CINEMONTAGE Lee at Photo-Mag in 1975, it was the first time I ever saw a mixing stage. He was friendly and gracious, and took time to show me around and explain the process. Since then, Lee has mixed several of the films I have edited. As in any final mix session, there is a confluence of dialogue (where his brilliance really stands out), sound effects and music. Add to this the opinions of the director, producers, editors and studio executives and one can only imagine how difficult it is for the mixer to come out on the other side with something amazing that satisfies all parties. Whether there's a battle raging or a war of words, Lee has been successfully doing this his entire career. From the first time I watched (and heard) him work, I likened him to an orchestra conductor bringing together all the instruments at his disposal. From the podium of his console, every element got consideration and respect, and then blended into the overall sound with clarity and care. His skill, patience and demeanor are to to be admired by all of us who collaborate for the overall good of the film. Congratulations on this award for Fellowship and Service, and thank you for what I learned in your studio and what you brought to the films on which we worked together. Bill Pankow, ACE Friend/Colleague; Editor n I t was the very first film I worked on, still as an apprentice, when I learned of a magician whose approach to sound was an art in its own right. Lee Dichter is his name, I was told. His studio was in some odd place in an odd part of town, but it didn't matter. Everyone flocked to him. And that is how it stayed: Wherever Lee went, directors and their films followed. Years later, when I found my path in music editing, I understood. As Lee approaches his mixing board, his initial words are: "First, I will start with broad brushstrokes; we will get into detail and small brushes later." That's when I realized that sound has an image, that Lee is a painter and his canvas is the soundscape. I also learned that sound has a dimension, and to look at sound vertically — deep into Lee's board where all the layers exist. The third dimension opens up; an imaginary one, yet real if we give in to the experience. Lee always gave in to the experience. An exquisite storyteller, Lee knew that each film was a new page, a new tale to tell. Even with eyes closed, listening to his mix, the story would be crystal clear. That is the magic of Lee. Suzana Peric Friend/Colleague; Music Editor n B y the time I arrived at the Brill Building in 1985, Lee Dichter was already referred to as the best, a mixer with whom