All The Golden Reel Winners

Michael Graham and Kristi Johns led the winning team for dialogue and ADR for 'Rough Riders', a mini-series.

More than twelve hundred people thronged to the Century Plaza Hotel on March 21st to enjoy the 45th annual Motion Picture Sound Editors Golden Reel Awards dinner-dance. The evening provides a unique chance for sound editors and their colleagues to see each other, share stories and recognize the very best work, in a part of the industry that is growing more complex and sophisticated every minute. To introduce the Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Douglas Grindstaff and to highlight just how much things have changed, Bill Varney asked for a show of hands from anyone who'd ever cut sound or picture on a Moviola. Doug was one of the first to embrace digital audio workstations. Bill, VP of Sound Operations at Universal Studios, in a warm and amusing speech, described Doug as "a kind, decent, honorable, gentle human being."

Bill Varney (left) presented the Life Time Achievement Award to Doug Grindstaff.

Doug began his career in sound at RKO in1954 after combat duty in Korea and over the course of forty years garnered five Emmys and seven Golden Reels, most notably on the 'Star Trek' series. He was responsible for creating the sound editing branch of the Television Academy and is a former president of the MPSE. "If you do your best," he said, "you come away a winner."

As usual, hard-working Blue Ribbon Panels judged all the Golden Reel finalists, which were categorized somewhat differently from previous years. It's also gratifying to know that, although only sound editors are given Golden Reel Awards, the Foley artists and sound mixers on winning shows receive a plaque, and recordists and assistants receive a certificate, to acknowledge their work as part of the team.

For best sound editing in a television series, effects and Foley, the winners were supervising sound and Foley editor Thierry J. Couturier, and sound effects editors Stuart Calderon, Ira F. Leslie, Christopher Fradkin and Susan E. Welsh for 'The X-Files: Tempus Fugit'. Stirring a little friendly rivalry, Thierry claimed, "We do in three to five days what you feature guys take three to five weeks to do!"

For best sound editing in a television series, dialogue and ADR, the winners were supervising dialogue and ADR editor Norval D. Crutcher III; dialogue editor Marty Vites; and ADR editors Andrew Dawson and Robert E. Navrides for the pilot of 'Roar'.

For best music editing in a television series, the winner was music and scoring editor Lisa A. Arpino for the pilot of 'Fame L.A'.

For best sound editing in a foreign feature film, the winners were supervising sound editor Martin Evans; sound effects editors Peter Baldock, Adrian Rhodes, Peter D. Bond, Chips Paul, and Nigel Mills; dialogue editor John Cochrane; Foley editors Peter Holt and Christine Newell; and ADR editor John Ireland for 'Tomorrow Never Dies'. Martin described their schedule as "difficult and short."

For best music editing in a television movie of the week or special, the winner was music and scoring editor Susan M. Mick for 'Holiday In Your Heart'.

For best sound editing in a television movie of the week, dialogue and ADR, the winners were supervisor Peter Austin; dialogue editors Ronald Evans, Barbara Issak, Gary C. Lewis, Ralph H. Osborn III, and Dennis Gray; ADR editors Paul Longstaffe, James B. Hebenstreit and the Walla Group, Australia for 'The Ripper'.

For best sound editing in a television movie of the week or special, effects and Foley, the winners were supervisor Stephen E. Grubbs, and sound effects editors Kevin Fisher and Charles V. Bruce for 'William Faulkner's The Old Man'.

The winner of the Verna Fields Award for best sound editing in a student film was Timothy Nielsen of USC's School of Cinema & Television for 'Switchback'.

For best music editing in an animated feature film, the winners were music editor Brent Brooks and scoring editor Thomas Villano for 'Anastasia'.

For best sound editing in an animated feature film, the winners were supervising sound editor J. Timothy Holland and Gary Rydstrom; supervising ADR editor Marilyn McCoppen; sound effects editors Pat Jackson, Jeffrey Jones and John K. Carr; Foley editors Mary Helen Leasman and Marian A. Wilde; and dialogue editor James Melton for 'Hercules'.

For best sound editing in a television mini-series, dialogue and ADR, the winners were supervising dialogue editor G. Michael Graham; supervising ADR editor Kristi Johns; dialogue editors Anton Holden, Michael O. Lyle, David C. Eichhorn, Mark Steele, Timothy Terusa, and Rusty Tinsley; and ADR editors Suzanne Angel, Joy Ealy, and William Kerr for 'Rough Riders'.

For best sound editing in a television mini-series, effects and Foley, the winners were supervising sound editors Michael Baskerville and Dan Sexton; supervising Foley editor Paul Edwards, and sound effects editors Scott Thiessen and Douglas Hubert for 'The Arrow'.

Joseph Rand won the Golden Reel for music editing on 'Titanic'. Supervising music editor James Henrikson was not present.

For best sound editing in animated television series, the winners were supervising sound editor and sound designer Craig Berkey and ADR, dialogue and Foley editor Deborah Adair for 'Todd McFarlane's Spawn: End Games'. Craig said that, for those who work at home, his win "proves you can do good work in your underwear!"

There was an unusual tie for best sound editing in animated television specials. The winners were supervising sound editors Robert Hargreaves and Mark A. Keatts; sound effects editors Gregory Beaumont and George W. Brooks III; dialogue editor John K. Hegedes; and ADR editor Kelly Ann Foley for 'The New Adventures of Batman/Superman: World's Finest' and supervising sound editors Robert Mackston and Travis Powers, and sound effects editors Norm Macleod and Terry W. Greene for 'The Simpsons: Tree House of Horrors VIII'.

For best music editing in television animation, the winners were Brian Mars and Dominick Certo (who was also scoring editor) for '101 Dalmatians: Mall Pups'.

For best music editing in a feature film, the winners were supervising music editor James Henrikson and music editor Joseph Rand for 'Titanic.' Joseph quoted a newspaper article about a marathon piano-player who took requests and nearly went mad playing 'My Heart Will Go On' over and over. They listened to it many more times making 'Titanic', he said, and went on to describe the incredibly meticulous process they went through before the epic was done. He also recalled someone saying, "Jim, nobody's gonna see your three-hour movie"!

For best sound editing in a domestic feature film, effects and Foley, the winners were supervising sound editor Thomas Bellfort, supervising sound editor and sound designer Christopher Boyes; supervising Foley editor Thomas Small; sound effects editors Ethan Van der Ryn, Scott Guitteau, Christopher Scarabosio and Shannon Mills; Foley editors Scott Curtis, Tammy Fearing, Michael Dressel, and David Horton, Jr., for 'Titanic.' "We lived to tell the tale and receive this award!"

For best sound editing in a domestic feature film, dialogue and ADR, the winners were supervising dialogue editor Gwendolyn Yates White, supervising ADR editor Hugh Waddell, dialogue editors Claire Sanfilippo, John Arrafat, and Richard Quinn, ADR editors Suzanne Fox, Harriet Fidlow Winn, Richard Corwin, Cindy Marty, and Lee Lamont for (you guessed it) 'Titanic.'