Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/933783
C A S Q U A R T E R L Y W I N T E R 2 0 1 8 17 What's your favorite thing to mix? Do you have a genre or do you like that you jump around? I'm an effects mixer. I like action. You know, I like a good gunfight; I like a good car chase. Helicopters are fun sequences. Was there a time where you tried dialogue and were looking at dialogue? No. I've done a temp dub here and there and an occasional student film as a favor but no, I've never really committed to doing dialogue, ever. Sometimes I wonder about it. It might be a necessity in the future. I don't know. It really just depends. Did you ever have to prove yourself as an effects mixer for a particular genre? You know, my life changed when I did Braveheart and got nominated. Then everybody stopped doubting and stopped questioning. Did you know Braveheart was going to be a "big movie" that was going to make a change in your career? Well, I remember watching it and I remember temping it for the first time, thinking "this is awesome!" But no, I didn't really know it would change things for me. [I thought], "What a great movie." And then I can remember print mastering it when the Dolby rep said to me, "You know, you're going to get nominated." And then I started hearing that from other people too and it began to sink in. So after that, you don't have to prove yourself. People know that you can handle your business. Yeah, pretty much. So do you have any advice for people who are looking to follow in your path? Be good to people. Because I wouldn't be here if others weren't good to me. I got a lot of opportunities. People helped me—I had mentors. It doesn't happen anymore. It makes me sad. It's gotten so cutthroat. Budgets are so small and everybody's so ready to undercut the next guy. How important was mentorship to you? I've always had a great reverence for those who came before. I admired them and hung on every word of advice they gave me. I got to work with Chuck Campbell, I got to work with Richard Portman and … these people, I held in such great regard. Their approval was very important to me. Inevitably, it's the great storytellers that succeed. It is. It still is. I specifically try to pair myself with people who have more experience—decades more experience —because I recognize the incredible advantage of earned knowledge. You have to love it … We put up with all the crazy hours and make a fair amount of personal sacrifice— because it's fun. It's satisfying. It's rewarding. Daddy's Home 2 Mixers Terry Porter and Anna Behlmer wrap with their team on Daddy's Home 2. Live Free Or Die Hard