Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1475048
C A S Q U A R T E R L Y I FA L L 2 0 2 2 35 O n n a l e e B l a n k C A S Re-recording mixer and CAS Board of Directors member Onnalee Blank CAS has a string of amazing credits, and I was particularly struck by her work as both a supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer on the Barry Jenkins series, The Underground Railroad. When I asked her what she thought of Doug's statement, she replied, "I think that's kind of a personal question and everybody has a different flavor of what that means. I think if I can create beauty and grace and tell story through sound, then I feel like I'm achieving my passion and my art. It's all about feel and emotion for me. I ask myself, how is the scene affecting me emotionally? Can we do something the audience doesn't realize overtly, but that they feel? If it makes you feel something, then I feel like I'm doing my job correctly." Experimentation and collaboration also seem to be a big part of Onnalee's style. "I'm all for mixing scenes in many ways and trying many different versions. Why? Because it's fun! It's great to work with a director like Barry Jenkins who appreciates that process. He gives me freedom to try stuff. Even the times when he doesn't like it, he's receptive and open to the idea of why you would do something a certain way. It gets the thought process open for him so then he's like, 'Oh, maybe we can do it like this' and that adds a lot of good back-and-forth." As for honing her taste, Onnalee developed a strong work ethic during her previous career as a professional ballet dancer. "I've always worked very hard in certain areas of my life that I am passionate about. Before I start a project, I really dive deep planning for and researching the subject. In a way, I become a character myself who is trying to figure out the sonic vibe. I'm also a big observer, so I'll watch the scene a whole bunch of times and observe how I think the scene should work sonically rather than having a preconceived notion of exactly how it's going to be. If you think it's going to be one way, then what are the opportunities that you are missing just because you have this stubborn notion in your head? I'm kind of like that about life. The unknown can have hardships but also create a beautiful path to something you didn't realize." D a v i d B a r b e r C A S David Barber CAS is a supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer at Juniper Post in Burbank. With more than 200 IMDb credits, including numerous features and series such as the Hulu original PEN15 and the upcoming thriller Fall, I was excited to pick David's brain and hear his thoughts on the topic of taste. "Taste is such an interesting, subjective topic. I like sounds and mixes that move me, emotionally. I can be moved by enormous, dynamic sounds and I can be moved by subtle, quiet sounds and silence. When you're working with clients, multiple, varying tastes are something that you deal with every day. Through the spotting sessions to sound