Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1261193
isolate very specific sounds and decide if they need to be removed or replaced. That was the biggest challenge, but iZotope made it fun to take on that challenge." What features did you find most beneficial from iZotope's RX? "Dialogue Isolate is incredible. Spectral Repair is unlike anything else available. We used Mouth De-click quite a bit. In general, the entire suite made it possible for us to mix the film with the quality we were able to achieve. Without it, it would've sounded like an entirely different film." What does the future of sound design look like? "I think there's a human element that will always be needed because sound design is such a series of artistic and aesthetic decisions. I'm glad that we still Foley so much by hand because a lot of times it just makes sense to get these sounds. I think the future of dialogue editing is greatly in the hands of companies like iZotope because it is becoming easier and easier and requiring less work because of how intelligent the software is becoming. Sound design and mixing is still a craft because it's an emotional process. Mixing is just not about finding the right level of something, it's finding the right feeling of something. What I love about my job is always finding the right feeling." STU D E N T CO R N E R I n 2001, the year of the 47th MPSE Golden Reel Awards, I had just graduated from the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS) and was scratching my head about how I was going to kick-start my career. I discovered the MPSE had nominated me for the Verna Fields Student Filmmaker Award—twice! Was I going to attend the ceremony, they asked? I was in complete shock. But being nominated was a wonderful boost to my confidence. My teacher at AFTRS, Annie Breslin, was full of hope and optimism, and encouraged me to attend the awards, telling me I would have the time of my life. I was a poor student, but I agreed. I decided to somehow find the money and make my way to LA. I contacted the committee and some fellow called Mark Lanza (the name seems familiar) kindly offered me a place to stay. It blew my mind that someone on the other side of the world would offer to open their door and allow some Aussie kid whom they had never met to crash at their house. And it wasn't just a place to sleep. Mark looked after me, introduced me to his family and helped me organise a car to drive myself around (albeit on the other side of the road on scary freeways). He introduced me to some fantastic sound editors who gave me tours of their studio work places. It was very inspiring. The night of the awards was a blur: I got to meet some amazing people And then came the student award. Being nominated twice in the same category, the odds were in my favour, but it was still a massive surprise to win. I remember my voice shaking and my knees wobbling as I accepted the trophy. There was no need to keep wondering how to kick-start my career: it took off. The Australian sound industry had heard of my travels and was proud of my win. The job offers started coming in and not long I was elevated beyond sound assistant roles. Since then, I have worked on many Australian films, tele- features, and television shows, mostly as a sound effects editor. I even took a detour into game audio and hope to rekindle my love affair with interactive audio in the near future. As some of you may remember, 16 years later, I came back to the MPSE Awards after being nominated for Hacksaw Ridge. I was also humbled and proud to present the student award for 2017, even if my voice was still shaky and my knees were still wobbly! Now, 20 years later, I am honoured to be remembered like this, and to be a part of the MPSE international community. Congratulations to the MPSE on promoting the work of sound students past and present. Long may it continue. BY LIAM PRICE MPSE Crip Camp. ©Steve Honigsbaum/Netflix I was also humbled and proud to present the student award for 2017, even if my voice was still shaky and my knees were still wobbly! Liam Price in 2001 (inset), winner of the Verna Fields Student Filmmaker Award at the 47th Annual Golden Reel Awards, and in 2017, Liam won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing – Sound Effects and Foley in a Feature Film for Hacksaw Ridge.