Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1061972
126 CINEMONTAGE / Q4 2018 126 CINEMONTAGE / Q4 2018 The thing about Lee is that, first of all, he is a superb technician, in the sense that he knows how to get the equipment to do what he wants. Secondly, he has an extremely refined sense of what he wants the track to sound like, how to level it out and move the music and effects around the dialogue — with everything in balance and in support of the aesthetic of the film. But the greatest thing that Lee has is this amazing sense of the feelings in the room. He has an almost psychic link to the director and the editor. He can sense a twitch in their posture, knows what the issue is, and can fix it before a word is said. He is quiet, helpful, supportive and friendly — on both a professional and a personal level. I may be exaggerating, but not by much. As I said, Lee Dichter is the best mixer I've ever seen. Dominick Tavella, MPSE, CAS Friend/Colleague; Re-Recording Mixer n I had the privilege of working with Lee on two films that I edited, Changing Lanes and The Village. Lee's passion for dialogue is unparalleled. He is a sculptor of words. I remember him showing me how he dealt with an actor's monotone delivery. He would deftly shape the words, hitting the consonants harder to give emphasis and rhythm to the words, playing the board like a piano. Lee is the master of the New York tradition of dialogue-driven films. The subtlety and music of beautifully written and acted dialogue is his art. Studio L in Sound One was his domain where innumerable great films passed through the magic of his touch. Chris Tellefsen, ACE Friend/Colleague; Picture Editor n A film re-recording mixer needs to have the qualities of a sound artist, an engineer, a diplomat and a psychotherapist — in roughly equal parts. Ladies and gentlemen, I offer Lee Dichter as the prototype for all mixers. His sharp ears and kindhearted bedside manner have delivered into the world more sonic masterpieces than perhaps anyone else I know. He's a joy to be around, and a hell of a nice guy in a tough line of work where honors are rare. My sincere congratulations to Lee for this profoundly well-deserved honor from the Editors Guild. Randy Thom, CAS Colleague; Sound Designer, Sound Editor, Re-Recording Mixer n I cannot think of my career without thinking of Lee Dichter. I was introduced to Lee in 1984 as a first assistant on a feature that he was mixing. After a few trips to the stage, he motioned for me to sit next to him at his console. As his hands glided over the faders — blending backgrounds, modulating music and equalizing dialogue — he would generously narrate what he was doing and why. It would be the beginning of my long apprenticeship with Lee. Over the years, he shared his immense knowledge of his craft helping me, as well as countless others, to become better storytellers. When I became a picture editor, Lee was the first person I asked my producers to question about his availability. He was often booked, but I occasionally caught a break. And when that happened, I was guaranteed to learn more, have fun and garner the thankfulness of my directors who loved Lee's talent and personality. One can say that Lee is a legend, an institution, a mixer extraordinaire — and all that would be true. But he is also a caring and gracious person who has been a friend these last 30 years, and for that I am grateful. Barbara Tulliver, ACE Friend/Colleague/Mentee; Picture Editor n O ver the past 30 years, it's been my good fortune and an honor to have worked on many films on which Lee has been the mixer. Whether I was a sound apprentice, assistant or editor, he always treated me kindly and made me feel a part of the project. A great re- recording mixer and a great friend! Congratulations, Lee, on a lifetime of achievements. David Wahnon Friend/Colleague/Mentee; Sound Editor n T echnology can be taught, systems and protocol can be taught. Some things can't be taught. Lee is a natural born mixer. He has an amazing ear and an uncanny ability to extract the emotional content expressed through sound. In a mix room, he is both a collaborator and a mentor, a disappearing role these days. I've known and worked with Lee for 40 years and what shines through more than any one story is his humanity, which has informed all of his work and his working relationships. He is the best! Deborah Wallach Friend/Colleague/Mentee; Sound Editor n L ee Dichter and I have an over-40- year-long relationship, which began at his family-run sound studio Photo-Mag and continued to the hallowed halls of the Brill Building and Sound One. In the tightly knit New York City feature film world of the '70s, there was an anxious white-knuckle mentality. Lee changed all that. How, you may ask? Well, starting with his squeaky, circus carnival clown hammer, followed by his ability to tell great stories while at the same time manipulating the console to make great soundtracks, Lee initiated a new trend of haimish mixing. What a list of films in which he's been involved; beyond impressive! Another sign