Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1542348
B O B B I B A N K S F E L L O W S H I P A N D S E R V I C E A W A R D 05 FSA HONOREE BOBBI BANKS HAS MATCHED DECADES OF CRAFT WITH DEDICATED UNION SERVICE B Y K R I S T I N M A R G U E R I T E D O I D G E P H O T O S B Y M A R T I N C O H E N Supervising sound editor Bobbi Banks often says she got her start in sound editing as a "fluke." But throughout her groundbreaking career, Banks has not only advanced the craft of sound editing, but she's also championed diversity and inclusion in post-production. For her tireless work as a passionate mentor and advocate, Banks is being honored with the Guild's prestigious Fellowship & Service Award this January. Established in 2007, the Fellowship & Service Award is a rare and distinguished recognition—it's given only when an individual's career exemplifies the values most cherished by the Guild: professionalism, collaboration, mentorship, generosity of spirit, and a deep commitment to the labor movement. Past recipients of the award read like a post- production honor roll: Donn Cambern ACE, Dede Allen ACE, Thomas C. Short, Carol Littleton ACE, Don Hall MPSE, Don Mitchell, Joseph Aredas, Lillian Benson ACE, Lee Dichter MPSE, and Martin Cohen. "With more than three decades in film and television, Bobbi Banks exemplifies everything this award represents," said MPEG President Alan Heim, ACE, upon announcing the award in August. "Through her leadership and integrity, she has inspired generations of sound professionals and left an indelible mark on our industry." With 145 credits to her name, and still counting, Banks has worked with directors such as Malcolm Lee, Mark Steven Johnson, Louis Leterrier, Craig Brewer, Brad Anderson, Edward Zwick, John Wells, F. Gary Gray, and Reggie Hudlin. Some film titles include "The Batman," "Chevalier," "White Men Can't Jump," "Coming 2 America," "Fate of the Furious," "Selma," "Straight Outta Compton," "The Call," "The Incredible Hulk," "Poetic Justice," "Best Man Holiday," "Pawn Sacrifice," "August Osage County" and "Ghost Rider." Banks' ADR Supervision has allowed her to work with such esteemed actors as Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Taraji P. Henson, Terence Howard, Janet Jackson, Tupac, Jon Voight, Sir Ben Kingsley, Michael Caine, Jason Mitchell, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, and many more. As Banks has a deep love for the post-production community, she is also a past president of Motion Picture Sound Editors, having become the first African-American and the fourth woman to hold this position while also being the first African-American female sound editor. Furthermore, Banks is also a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and serves on several committees. Some of the committees she currently serves on include the Television Academy Board of Governors (first African American Sound Editor), Television Academy Honors co-chair, GreenLight Women Board of Directors, Academy Sound Branch Executive Committee, Student Academy Awards Executive Committee, Academy Nicholl Task Force, former chair Academy Museum Inclusion Advisory Committee, Academy Gold Fellowship for Women, Academy Gold Program Mentor, Avid's Community Association Executive Board of Directors, Academy Sound Branch Museum Committee, MPEG Political Engagement Committee, Co-Chair TV Academy Honors, and Industry Council for Roybal Film & Television Magnet. Banks is also past president of Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE), a former chair of A2020 Inclusion & Diversity Committee at AMPAS. She is also one of the featured sound editors in the sound documentary "Making Waves." A Sound Commitment A Sound Commitment