Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1261193
30 I M PS E . O R G
PL: What's the most fun or rewarding
sound that you've gotten to create by
actually creating it from nothing?
RD: It was a show called The
Mysteries of Laura on NBC with
Deborah Messing. There were 10
Harley motorcycle riders doing
tricks and stuff that most editors
wouldn't have in their library.
Things like wheelies, donuts,
and spin-outs. Tom Rodrigues,
owner of Maple Creek Winery in
Northern California, and four Harley
Davidsons, was kind enough to
allow me to come up over a two-
week period and record all the
scripted elements needed plus a
bunch of other stuff just for fun.
The fun part was recording it, but
the even more fun part was going
through and mastering it. It's
definitely a one-of-a-kind library.
I had to do a lot pitch shifting
and slowing down and layering.
All totaled, that project was the
longest amount of time I'd ever put
in for one episode of television.
But as much time as I put into
that episode, I don't hold a candle
to say, the Star Trek crew that
sometimes puts months into one
episode.
PL: You were nominated for an Emmy
for that as well. It must be exciting to be
nominated in two diŽerent categories in
the same year.
RD: Yeah, that was exciting, too. I
was so honored when Matt Taylor
asked me to work on that episode.
Their team had already put in
months of work when I was brought
on. Tim Farrell did all the sound
design and most of the effects, and
any time I get a chance to work
with Tim, I'm going to jump on it.
PL: Do you ever record your wife?
RD: She's a really good sport. She
has let me record her doing just
about anything you can imagine
around the house. I've gotten her
typing, doing dishes, chopping
vegetables, you name it. There
was one time that I needed the
entire sequence of a woman going
to the bathroom, so I gave her my
recorder and she got the whole
thing for me.
PL: So what's the most touching
compliment you've ever received for
your work?
RD: I mean it's, that's a tough
question to answer only because
I don't really, I get embarrassed
when I talk about myself.
PL: Not talking about yourself or
talking about the person that said
something nice to you?
RD: Well yeah, a lot of people say
nice things though.
PL: Okay, so this is kind of a fan club. I
got it.
RD: I've had a lot of students
that I taught who now I've seen
in the business who are actually
working editors and they have
complimented me I think the most
by saying, "Without you, I wouldn't
be here, thank you so much and
you saved my life," and "you gave
me new direction and you gave me
my first start." And stuff like that
really warms my heart, makes me
feel good that I made a difference
in someone getting their start in
a career, and making their life
(career) out of it. That's huge to me
when I can help them do that.
PL: Do you have any editing tricks to
share?
RD: The tricks are in the discovery
of what you have, and the tools
that you have. It's not a trick, per
se, but I start every project open
minded, and I let the project dictate
the direction I'll take. Once I get
a feel for a project, I'll start to
play around with different sounds
and plugins. So if I can pull up a
plugin and go "What does this do?"
and "listen to that! I can use that
here," and start to come up with a
sound design plan. No tricks, the
magic happens when I look at it.
Sound design is a really subjective
element to sound editorial. You
can go very subtle, or it can be
done over the top and elaborate. It
just depends on what the project
calls for. So it's really fun to play
in all the different elements for
all the different kinds of projects I
get to work on. Barry is a special
challenge because of its rawness
and realism, and sonically seems to
lean toward a more organic