Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1533995
lots of laughs. As the host of the event, I have to admit it was hard to keep up. I did my best to meet as many as I could. In addition to all the locals in attendance, there were quite a few out-of-towners as well. Some were Golden Reel Award nominees who adjusted their travel plans to arrive in town early to include the meet up as part of their awards weekend celebration. Several from New York and a few from Europe as well. I myself had fl own in that same day from Toronto, and I was pleased to fi nd that I was not the only Canadian present. The attendees at this latest meet up, similarly to what I've experienced before, were in all di• erent stages of their careers. To me, this is one of the wonderful aspects of the meet ups. When Oscar nominees like Wylie Stateman and Mark Mangini, along with the Emmy-winning sound teams behind shows like Shogun and The Last of Us are meeting and chatting with recent graduates and people on the rise in the business, it creates a feeling that everyone belongs. There is no elitism. At these events, no one is above anyone else. We are all in this together. That's my hope for the Tonebenders meet ups. It sounds simple, but just being together is a powerful thing. This most recent L.A. meet up was personally almost overwhelming. So many people shared amazing stories with me of the ways Tonebenders had helped them through tough times, of ways they had met people and made new connections through the podcast. It is really humbling to hear directly from listeners that the podcast is meaningful to them. As for next year? I guess I will have to fi nd a bigger venue! I am very grateful that so many people made the e• ort to come and have a fun night together. A big thank-you goes to the MPSE for sponsoring the night. More meet ups are in the works for 2025. Where should we go next? Let me know. M OT I O N P I CTU R E S O U N D E D I TO R S 57