Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1469840
64 S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y 64 64 64 S U M M E R 2 0 2 2 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y CAS STUDENT RECOGNITION AWARD WINNER LILY ADAMS by PETER KELSEY CAS In our eighth year of presenting the CAS Student Recognition Award, the honor went to Lily Adams from Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Savannah, Georgia. Blackmagic Design and DTS co-sponsored the SRA Award and prizes were awarded in the amounts of $5,000 for the winner and $1,000 for the other finalists. Both the winner and the other finalists also received a valuable collection of software and other gifts with a value of $9,000! We thank Acon Digital, AKG Professional by Harman, Avid, Deity Microphones, DTS, Filmmakers Academy, Halter Technical, iZotope Inc., K-Tek, Krotos Audio, Lectrosonics Inc., McDSP, SoundDogs, Sound Particles, and Todd-AO for their generosity. Lily took some time to share her story. What brought you into sound and, specifically, sound for film? I remember always loving stories as a kid. Film and music have always been very personal to me, even when it was just watching my godfather play the guitar or the whole family tuning in for Friends when it was still airing. Books and movies were my happy place, and orchestra felt like the only class I had an instinct for. Those two obsessions eventually evolved and molded into this fascination I have with sound design and what makes a film or show sound good. Sound is invisible yet powerful to us in ways we are never really fully aware of—and I love that. For a while, I thought the closest I would get to "Hollywood" was watching the special feature documentaries on DVD's of my favorite films. But then I heard about the Sound Design Program at SCAD and, once I got accepted, I made it my mission to learn as much as possible as fast as possible. What's your favorite part of the sound for film process? This is hard to answer because I love every STEM from concept, record, edit, to the mix. But nothing really beats the magic of the dub stage for me. The first time I saw an S6 in person, I felt like I was intruding on holy ground. I just love putting all the pieces of the soundtrack together. There's something beautiful to me about creating and molding the listening experience for the audience. When the mix starts coming together, I just feel so … excited. There's always this moment of pure, I don't know, I guess "joy" would be the word? The mix is when I start to get goose bumps while working on a project. What does the CAS Award mean to you and what will you do with the money? For now, I'm putting that check in savings for my "moving to L.A." fund. The real prize was getting to finally come and network at the CAS Awards. Meeting and talking to all these people I had looked up to for years … that was really special. But if I were to get ridiculously sentimental here in the CAS Quarterly, this award means more to me than I am capable of explaining. For so long, working in film and television was such a pipe dream to me. I have spent the last four years trying desperately to find some sort of reassurance that I will "make it." That I will, one day, get to play a part in telling stories on the big screen. After winning this award, for the first time, I finally feel like all these dreams I have had about sound might actually come true. Having won this award, do you have any advice for someone who would like to apply for the Student Recognition Award? Be yourself, be genuine, and engage with your mentors and professors. I wouldn't be here if I didn't engage with the SCAD sound department outside of class, I just wouldn't. As far as the application goes, don't be afraid to put yourself out MEET THE WINNERS