Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1500189
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 67 me my first job and taught me the basics. As I moved up in the industry, I gained knowledge wherever I could, made lots of mistakes (still do!), and just did the best I could. And then there was the transition to digital. That era was full of new learnings and trying to get different technologies to talk to one another. What film saw you start that transition? What was it like? The first film on which I cut the sound effects digitally was The Wrong Man in 1993. The dialogue and ADR was cut on film, and the picture editor, Lisa Zeno Churgin, also cut on film. I rented a Roland DM-80, an 8-track recorder/editor. The picture department sent me VHS tapes that I slaved to the DM-80. It was awesome as it allowed me to really start 'composing' with sound effects in editorial rather than having to wait to get onto the dub stage to hear multiple sounds together. The only way to do this previously on film was on an 8-plate KEM which allowed you to run three tracks plus picture at the same time. We'd then transfer the digitally cut effects to 24-track tape for the mix. And it was scored by Los Lobos! In 1994, I rented Pro Tools and taught myself how to use it on a movie called Safe Package. Who or what has shaped the way you currently work? The basic approach hasn't changed. I follow my nose and go with gut feelings. And I find creative people to collaborate with. My longtime first assistant, friend, and partner, Andrew Bock, and I have evolved our approach over the years, but often the show dictates that to a degree. We work with a very small core team of super creative and passionate sound editors. We all have a long history together. They're all exactly the people you'd want to share a foxhole with. Like everyone, our work methods have evolved as the technology has improved and computers have become faster. We always pour a ton of energy into the first temp mix. The screenings for the studio and preview audiences are very important events in the life of the movie. Putting that extra time and effort into the first temp pays off later as the director and sound team are happy with the big decisions and broad strokes of the music and sound design, so you can then spend lots of time detailing it out. Who has been your favourite collaborator over the years? This would have to be Andrew Bock. I've worked with Andrew for about 25 years. It's been a long and fruitful relationship and we've become good friends. I also treasure my working relationship with Michael Mitchell, who I've worked with for almost as long. A solid, creative participant in lots of the films I've done. There are several other, newer folks I could mention as important collaborators as well (names upon request—haha). Chris Nolan and Emma Thomas have been patient enough to hire me on eight of their films. It's a creative relationship I highly cherish. Chris does big things in a big way, and the sound design must rise to the occasion and be as bold and detailed as the film. He aims very, very high and inspires everyone around him to be their creative best. It's a masterclass in filmmaking. Looking back on a filmography rich with great films, what project has been the most challenging, interesting, or fulfilling? There are so many, but Peter Weir's Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World comes to mind. I grew Richard & John Fasal, recording sail flaps in Baja, California, for Master & Commander: The Far Side of the World (2003). Photo by Andrew Bock