Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1500716
50 S U M M E R 2 0 2 3 I C A S Q U A R T E R L Y NON-THEATRICAL MOTION PICTURES OR LIMITED SERIES OBI-WAN KENOBI S1 EP. 6 "PART VI" by CAS ASSOCIATE SAM CASAS The Star Wars franchise has been creating aurally engaging stories for 45 years. The Disney+ hit Obi-Wan Kenobi continues that journey with the sound team being recognized for their work with the CAS Award win for Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures or Limited Series. Re-recording mixers Bonnie Wild, Danielle Dupre, and Scott R. Lewis; ADR mixer Doc Kane CAS; and Foley mixer Jason Butler took some time to share their experiences working on this portion of the Star Wars legacy. (Production mixer Julian Howarth CAS was unable to participate due to scheduling challenges.) As a three-person mix team, how did you go about dividing the work on this show? Scott R. Lewis: There were six episodes in the season, so we divided up episodes, then all worked together, ultimately giving each other notes and collaborating on each episode. Two standout moments for me were the impact sounds happening outside the ship as they escaped and, of course, the vocal interplay between Hayden Christensen and James Earl Jones. Would you mind sharing your thoughts on those two scenes? SL: For the escape scene, it was really an evolution. Our first pass on that was like a war zone. We started with the kitchen sink. Then we eventually dialed it back. Our director, Deborah Chow, really wanted to focus on and lean into the acting. Where we ended is a much gentler version, but the feeling is there. The cracked mask scene was one of the first we started on—and the last we finished with—because it was so pivotal, not only to the series, but also to the canon. We're talking lightsabers, Vader's voice, Anakin's voice, Vader's breathing machine breaking down. As a kid growing up and watching Star Wars, it's like a dream come true to work with these elements. And I also feel like it's hard to do anything wrong when you're working with those elements, because they're so engrained with our culture. Working with the picture editor, and Deb's direction, of when we're going into certain words or syllables, when the breathing is breaking up, and when we're distorting Vader even more … those were all very much handpicked by our director. A lot of weaving took place. When you're in a mix, ultimately where you end up and where it started is a journey. Listening to the mix throughout the season, everything felt homogeneous. I didn't feel like anything stuck out, especially with the music. It was there playing a role, but it never felt like it was calling overt attention to itself. Bonnie Wild: I think the music for Star Wars is always an interesting conversation because it's kind of its own character. It's so important in every piece of Star Wars property. Even when it isn't John Williams composing, it's still got this huge orchestral feel to it. But it always plays an important role just as its own thing. The elements for Star MEET THE WINNERS Event photos courtesy of Alex J. Berliner/ABImages