Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1512183
M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 81 LEAH KATZ is a sound supervisor and editor based in Sydney, Australia. Her career has spanned two decades and, in that time, she has worked on more than 70 projects. Highlights include working on projects directed by Jane Campion, David Michod, Phillip Noyce, Gillian Armstrong, Jim Loach, Rachel Perkins, Leah Purcell, Mirrah Foulkes, Bruce Beresford, Jennifer Kent, Simon Baker, and George Miller. Leah has been nominated and won many Australian and international awards and was part of the Academy Award- and MPSE Award-nominated team for The Power of the Dog. Leah's contribution to the film industry was recently acknowledged when she was invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. ▲ An Opportunity to Grow hen I was young, I loved film. I would watch my VHS tapes over and over, and my favourite films were an odd collection; Dirty Dancing and Grease, I would watch with my school friends, but I also loved Woody Allen's Purple Rose of Cairo. I knew every line from The Princess Bride but Cinema Paradiso was my all-time favourite. I would hum Ennio Morricone's score to cheer myself up. So, when it came to picking a university degree, I enrolled in media, arts and production at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) to see if a career in film was possible. Within the first year, I had Huzzah and stayed working there exclusively until Andrew's passing. I continued to work at Huzzah under Will Ward and Adrienne Parr (Andrew's wife) until Spectrum Films took over. I always loved the way Andrew led his team. He was clearly the captain of the ship, but he gave everyone working with him the creative freedom to take ownership of their role. He was genuinely interested and excited to hear how someone had cut sounds together, perhaps in a different way to how he'd do it, while still achieving the director's overall desire. I think that confidence and respect he gave to everyone created a really special energy at Huzzah. This is definitely something I strive for when working on a project—to have that same collaborative energy. It's been said many times over the years, but Andrew truly was a champion of women working in the industry. I'm just one of many women whose career he helped start and support. And not only women, but people with families, too. In an industry where the hours don't lend themselves to being family-friendly, having a leader who supports and understands those needs is so important for those wanting to have a sustainable career in sound. Andrew truly was a remarkable human which I think is evident in that no more than a few months will pass before he comes up in conversation, whether it be a funny memory or a piece of wisdom he passed on. It's wonderful to know that his memory is still very much alive in the hearts of the film community. ■ W that Andrew had created at Huzzah. He and the rest of the sound crew made me feel very welcome from day one. I was an attachment on The Sapphires (2012, Dir: Wayne Blair, AACTA Award Best Sound) and I didn't really expect to have much involvement, but I wanted to be as useful as I could to the team. Andrew could see how keen I was and gave me opportunities to cut rather than sit around observing others. So, I cut some of the crowds and helped a little with music editing. I was able to be a part of the whole process from the sound edit until the final mix which was an incredible learning experience to have straight out of film school. I would pinch myself every day going into work and I will forever be grateful to have this as my first project. Andrew was incredibly generous with his time. Probably a little too generous at times. I would sit in the editing room next to his office and have no idea how he was able to get any work done between constant phone calls, people coming in to have a chat, or to get his opinion of their work. In fact, the only time I think he would get a break would be when he went to the bathroom. (Laughs) Andrew was incredible at instilling confidence in my abilities. To this day, I suffer from imposter syndrome, but in those early stages of my career, I was constantly questioning my abilities and whether I would be able to forge a career in sound. Through Andrew's encouragement and support, I was able to grow and slowly gain more confidence. I was lucky enough to progress from an attachment to an assistant to a sound editor at