Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1532548
CINEMA AUDIO SOCIETY 61ST CAS AWARDS | 7 THE 61ST ANNUAL CAS AWARDS A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT WELCOME TO THE 61ST ANNUAL CAS AWARDS! I am glad you were able to attend this evening. I know it's been a difficult last few weeks. The fires in Southern California have been devastating and have personally affected several of our members and those who work with the CAS. The Board of CAS on behalf of its members has made a substantial contribution to fire relief and if you have the means, we will have opportunities for you to make additional contributions. A portion of tonight's revenue will be directed to these continued efforts as well. For the moment, let's take time to enjoy ourselves. This should be a great evening! We have Career Achievement honoree Tod A. Maitland CAS, our Filmmaker Award recipient Denis Villeneuve, their friends, collaborators and colleagues, and all the fantastic nominees to be celebrated for their excellent work this year. Not every one of the nominees gets to take home a CAS trophy, but this year each nominee receives a Nominee Medallion. You may notice these on many of your tablemates and friends. This means they were selected by the members of the CAS for doing exceptional work this year. Please congratulate them and wish them good luck as their categories are announced. I hope you enjoy the dinner, the show, and all the special guests, including the return of our wonderful host, Tom Papa. Take a look around and see the names and logos of our wonderful sponsors for the show. Their participation makes this show possible. This awards show is just one of the great activities and events we've had this year. Many of you attended Sounding Board v4.0, the conference we hold each year in partnership with the Motion Picture Sound Editors. For those who missed it, we had a great time at USC Film School with wonderful panels, including the Parade of Carts and Bags, and plenty of time for gathering with our industry peers. This coming year, we expect an even bigger event. Details will be available soon. We also had several screening events, social gatherings, and our annual picnic. As I'd hoped, we were able to expand to meet with members in several places across the United States, as well as other countries. I felt extremely fortunate to be present for our Abyss screening and panel in LA, our first gathering of members and friends in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and an inspiring trip to Utrecht in the Netherlands where I met fellow CAS member Antoin Cox as part of a discussion at the Netherlands International Film Festival. We also had screenings and social events in Vancouver, Canada, and Atlanta, Georgia. I look forward to the CAS planning and holding these events in 2025 and beyond. Our thanks to Sara Glaser CAS, Charles Dayton CAS, Phil Palmer CAS, Whitt Norris CAS, Kyle Petty CAS, and Antoin Cox, along with many other people who helped make these events successful. Of course, I must thank Carol Thomas and our volunteers and staff who had a huge hand in making all of them work. Tonight represents the culmination of a huge amount of work by Bob Bronow CAS, Chair of our Awards Committee. This dinner also marks the point at which we announce the new CAS Board for 2025. I'd like to thank all of the current Board members for their time and effort this past year. Many will continue on and will be joined by new faces. I hope all of you will consider running to serve on the Board in future years, and meanwhile, we would love to have you volunteer for one of our committees and possibly to help plan additional educational and enjoyable activities for the CAS in Los Angeles and around the world. Enjoy our camaraderie and festivities this evening. See you at the party afterward! Peter Kurland CAS President I Cinema Audio Society