This month - Nominations confirmed for AMPS Film award, Cable Clinic, CAS & TEC nomination and win, PR Coordinator wanted, AMPS TV award submissions, The Journal, Boom Op tales, Ray Merrin, Hearing Dogs event, NFTS Graduate Showcase, Bertha DocHouse.

 

Image courtesy of National Film and TV School.

 

Andrew Wilson reports, "Very pleased with AMPS 'Social' progress across the UK. If anyone elsewhere in the country would like to get something going in their region please let me know and I’ll get you started. I’ll do the admin and emails, we just need someone local to host!"

 

Contact Andrew - andrewwilson@amps.net

 

All events are open to AMPS members and guests. They are a great chance to put faces to names, to network and to chat. It’s a rare opportunity for production sound and post sound folk to get together… plus there’s beer and food!

 

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Battersea Evolution, Battersea, London

Visit www.bscexpo.com for free registration.

 

NFTS, 141 Station Road, Beaconsfield, HP9 1LG.

Coffee and biscuits 10.30am, AGM commences at 11.00am.

Sustaining Members will be exhibiting.

Please confirm attendance by emailing admin@amps.net

 

'Audio Illusion' 20 March 2018
De Lane Lea, London

More info to follow.

AMPS is proud to announce the Nominees for the 5th Annual AMPS Award for Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film. Once again our choices largely reflect the BAFTA and OSCAR Nominations, a very good selection of some of the finest soundtracks this season.

 

If you are a voting member of AMPS, make sure your vote counts - our result may well influence the winners of other Awards. The voting deadline is Feb 11 2018 02:00pm. Congratulations to all the Nominees and good luck in the final.

 

There have been a number of reponses from the Nominees -

 

“Thank you, and all the members of AMPS. I am greatly honored. I am particularly proud of the work I did on Dunkirk. It was a very tough shoot. Wind, rain, salt water spray for 40 days in rough seas on the Moonstone with Rylance et al, and my editors tell me it is 100% production sound in the final mix. I do hope I win the AMPS Award not only because it is given by my peers, but also because I think it is by far the most interesting trophy I have ever seen.” Mark Weingarten, Production Sound Mixer, Dunkirk.

 

"I’d like to thank you for the acknowledgement. It’s really appreciated. It was such a fun movie to be part of - and it’s always lovely to be appreciated by your peers. Thank you." Tim Cavagin, Lead Re-Recording Mixer Baby Driver.

"Thank you for this honor!" Glen Gauthier Production Sound Mixer The Shape of Water.

 

"Thanks very much for the notification. I’m honored to be noticed for the sound on Three Billboards, it was a collaborative effort with a group of very fine filmmakers." Jonathon Gaynor, Production Sound Mixer, Three Billboards.

 

"Thank you so much for the nomination announcement and for the nomination of course! This is a huge honor and coming from the esteemed membership of AMPS I am simply humbled. Please accept my gratitude and respect." Mac Ruth, Production Sound Mixer, Blade Runner 2049.

 

AMPS Film Awards are sponsored by Dolby Laboratories.

Production Mixer - Mary H. Ellis

Supervising Sound Editor - Julian Slater

Lead Re-Recording Mixer - Tim Cavagin

Production Mixer - Mac Ruth

Supervising Sound Editor - Mark A. Mangini

Lead Re-Recording Mixer - Ron Bartlett

Production Mixer - Mark Weingarten

Supervising Sound Editor - Richard King

Lead Re-Recording Mixer - Greg Landaker

Production Mixer - Glen Gautier

The 4th AMPS Cable Clinic got off to a flying start at the NFTS on Saturday 27 January. The first of four 'Saturdays' throughout January and February, the participants will receive comprehensive instruction on 'how' and 'why' things are done in the world of cabling.

 

Full report in next  Newsletter.

AMPS members Ronan Hill and Richard Dyer have again been 'applauded' for their work on Game of Thrones.

 

The pair have recently won their fifth consecutive TEC award (Technical Excellence & Creativity) in the Outstanding Creative Achievement - Television Sound Production category for their work as production mixers on Game of Thrones Season 7. Their awards were presented at the NAMM show in Anaheim California.

 

Ronan and Richard have also been nominated for a CAS award (Cinema Audio Society) in the Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing One Hour category again for their work on Game of Thrones. They have won this award for the last four years and this is Ronan’s seventh consecutive nomination.

 

Very well done chaps!

AMPS invites applications for the role of a PR Coordinator.

The role is on a flexible basis and would initially require a commitment of around 10-25 hours per month dependent on the time of year. It can be done from your choice of location, although easy access to the London area is preferable as this is where our administration is based and you would need to attend occasional face-to-face meetings.

 

You should be an excellent verbal and written communicator with relevant professional experience in a PR or journalistic environment.

You should be confident in guiding the direction of our PR strategy.

You should have a broad knowledge of the Film, TV, and Game industries and their main communication channels and media outlets. Candidates with knowledge of sound for motion pictures will be preferred.

You should be highly proactive in using social media and know how to manage PR and communication campaigns across multiple platforms concurrently. (Facebook, Twitter, website, email predominantly).

 

Please see www.amps.net/news/jobopportunity for more information.

 

The Eligible List is now open to AMPS Voting Members (FULL, ASSOCIATE or RETIRED) for suggested titles. Please submit any Dramas you have viewed or worked on that you consider worthy of inclusion in this year's AMPS Awards. You may suggest as many titles as you wish. From the Final Eligible List created from these suggestions, a ballot will be conducted among all AMPS Voting Members to determine the five Nominated Titles. A further ballot will decide the winner.

Eligible Dramas must have been broadcast between 1st January and 31st December 2017 and meet the criteria detailed in 'Award Rules for TV Dramas' which can be accessed from the website.

The Form allows for up to 5 entries but if you wish to submit more than this, please make a second submission. There is no limit. The closing date is 12 March and a full ballot timetable will be issued later in the year.

AMPS AWARDS are gaining recognition and prestige, helping to raise the profile of AMPS and promoting the valuable contribution made by all in the Sound community so please use your vote. AMPS Awards are now recognised for inclusion in IMDb entries.

 

Please note that we are not issuing printed Membership Cards this year. Instead, Membership Cards will be available on the website to paid-up Members from 1st March 2018. 

 

If you need a Membership Card before this date, please contact admin@amps.net who will be happy to help.

AMPS member Pat Heigham offers us the first in a short series of tales when events haven't particularly gone to plan.

 

Tonight
I used to operate the main boom on presenter Cliff Michelmore's desk - no personal mics then! We were depending on a Telecine insert to give time to track to the other end of the studio for Robin Hall & Jimmy McGregor's song.

From the gallery, "We don't have the film - going to song…!"

 

So a mad swing from Cliff, and rack out, while my tracker bumped over camera cables to reach the appointed spot. No idea what it must have sounded like - but that's live television for you!

 

** Come on, don't be shy, any 'not so perfect' events occur on a film, TV… project that you've been involved with? Do share with us.

 

Shoot the Moon was a curious film as it had no score as such; just the sound of a child playing Don’t Blame Me, one-fingered on the piano and, I think, tracks by The Rolling Stones, The Eagles and Bob Seeger. I didn’t think about it then but that was unusual. A Sound Editor sometimes complains that the score drowns his Sound Effects but is often grateful when it does! In 1981 it was still the custom for a Sound Editor to create Atmosphere loops and for the Dubbing Mixer, with the aid of screen wipes, to produce an Atmosphere Premix. It was a complex and somewhat sensitive procedure but it could transform the film’s soundtrack. Ray’s dexterity was masterful as he transformed my humble loops into a bed on which to lay the film. And so a relationship was forged that would last through Killing Fields, Birdy, Batman and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Including temp mixes (often a sound proving ground) we worked together 13 times. On every occasion, even on temps such as Lost in Space, Ray’s comforting relaxed attitude helped me to complete my often onerous task. He knew when to ‘rub my back’ as he put it. He really did.

The credits system on films has changed dramatically since Ray started mixing. Now everyone gets a credit. There were many films on which Ray did not receive accreditation or was listed as an ‘Assistant’ but when he worked alongside Bill Rowe for all those years it seemed, to me anyway, that he was an equal. In a fairer society Ray would have received many more nominations and, indeed an Oscar. Never heard him moan however! His credit list was remarkable including Alien, Chariots of Fire, Killing Fields, Batman, The Last Emperor, Little Voice and Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Of course it’s not about credits, it’s about Ray the man and what a lovely, kind, generous, thoughtful man he was. He helped and guided me and many others and for that we should be so grateful and, finally, for his incredible contribution enriching so much the British Film Industry.

Ray my dear friend, farewell and thanks.

Eddy Joseph

NFTS are holding their 2018 Graduate Showcase on 27 + 28 February at Picturehouse Central, Piccadilly, London, W1D 7DH.

 

In addition to the fantastic Fiction, Animation, Documentary films, TV Entertainment shows and Games graduation projects, NFTS has even more content to show this year, including Sports Production, Digital Content, Comedy, Programming and Curation and Commercials.

 

Please click here for the screening schedule and to see more information: https://nfts.co.uk/nfts-showcase-2018

 

With a programme packed with filmmaker Q&As, masterclasses, discussions, special events and an online hub accessible from anywhere in the world, Bertha DocHouse is the home of documentary.

 

For more information, go to http://dochouse.org

AMPS has been running a Mentor Scheme for a number of years; we currently have a number of Members waiting for mentors.

If you think you can spare a couple of hours a month and would like to pass on your experience and knowledge to someone just starting out in the industry then please send an email the address below and we will send you an information pack about the AMPS Mentor Scheme.

We are particularly looking for Production Sound Mixers who are London based to mentor students based at the NFTS, Beaconsfield.

 

We're keen to hear from you with ideas for seminars and training sessions which would contribute towards Continuing Professional Development.

 

We're very aware that keeping up with techniques and updates can be a full time job in itself, so if there's any way that AMPS can contribute towards maintaining and developing your industry knowledge and skills, please get in touch.

 

Please send your thoughts to admin@amps.net.

 

Also, have a look at Creative Skillset's website which contains career advice.

27 Old Gloucester Street

London

WC1N 3AX

Tel: +44 (0)1753 669111

 

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www.amps.net / +44 (0)1753 669111