Features
Assembling the assets for my annual take on the best single shots of the year was more of a chore this time around than ever. Perhaps one need only look to a lackluster list of Oscar nominees in the Best Cinematography category to gauge just how underwhelming much of the work behind the camera was […]
The top 10 shots of 2009: part one
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:49 pm · February 16th, 2010
Filed in: The Lists
OSCAR GUIDE: Best Sound Mixing
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:52 am · February 9th, 2010
The year’s sound mixing category had relatively few surprises, just glancing at the tea leaves of the season. There was a typical 4/5 crossover between the Cinema Audio Society and the Academy, with “District 9” missing both here and in the sound editing field. One might be quick to chalk this, in fact all of […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Transformers,’ ‘Lost’ lead Razzie nods
Posted by Guy Lodge · 7:04 am · February 1st, 2010
I don’t really have much time for the Razzie Awards, since I think they’re a pretty lazy execution of a great idea. By all means single out the year’s artistic underachievers for censure, but why pick such easy targets as Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers? If I ran the Razzies, I’d use them to […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Avatar,’ ‘Star Trek’ lead the way with MPSE
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:13 am · January 22nd, 2010
For the first time I can ever remember, the Motion Picture Sound Editors have announced their list of nominees BEFORE the Academy has announced the Oscar nominees. Because these always came a few days after the big announcement, I have to say, I have never bothered to see how often they match up with the […]
Filed in: Daily
TECH SUPPORT INTERVIEW: Sound mixer Greg P. Russell
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 11:51 am · January 21st, 2010
When you’re coming off of one of the most elaborate and intensive sound mixing gigs in movie history, let alone of your own career, how do you top it with a sequel? That’s the challenge sound re-recording mixer Greg P. Russell faced when he and his team set about weaving in the various sonic elements […]
Filed in: Interviews · Tech Support
CAS nominees
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:56 pm · January 20th, 2010
Ironic that his release drops tonight just as I’m transcribing an interview with sound mixer Greg Russell for tomorrow’s Tech Support column. The list of nominees for the Cinema Audio Society doesn’t exactly hold any surprises. The only film on the list that isn’t being predicted in the sidebar as of right now is “District […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Avatar’ leads VES nominations
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 5:49 pm · January 18th, 2010
No surprises there. James Cameron’s film landed 11 separate mentions from the Visual Effects Society (some more specifically indicated than others). “2012” and “District 9” each landed three nominations, while “Sherlock Holmes” and “Star Trek” each landed two. The nominees in the main field, “visual effects in a visual effects driven feature motion picture,” are: […]
Filed in: Daily
OSCAR TALK: Ep. 18 — WGA, ACE, ASC, parties, awards shows on the way…uh, we forget anything?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:46 am · January 15th, 2010
Welcome to Oscar Talk, a weekly kudocast between yours truly and Anne Thompson of Thompson on Hollywood. After a busy week of guild announcements and circuit parties, not to mention plenty of industry news from NBC to Disney and anything in between, Anne and I are beat. And we’re moving into a busy weekend of […]
Filed in: Oscar Talk
Behind the sonic magic of ‘Transformers’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:48 am · January 12th, 2010
Speaking of sound, Paramount was shrewd enough to put together a wonderful event last night in the Cary Grant Theater on the Sony lot dedicated to the sound design of “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” Re-recording mixers Gary Summers and Greg P. Russell were on hand, as well as sound effects editors Ethan Van Der […]
Filed in: Daily
Visual effects bake-off leaves seven
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:28 am · January 6th, 2010
And they are, via AMPAS press release: “Avatar” “District 9” “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” “Star Trek” “Terminator Salvation” “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” “2012” And the three I still expect to get in are in the mix, so, whew. I think we all know what will eventually win here, but if there’s a […]
Filed in: Daily
On the sound of ‘Transformers’
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:47 am · December 30th, 2009
A few weeks back we told you about a new site called SoundWorks Collection, which has been doing a great job of featuring the sound mixing and sound editing on a number of the year’s contenders. Using brief video pieces to illustrate an element of the industry that is still somewhat mysterious to many, I […]
Filed in: Daily
‘Air,’ ‘Basterds,’ ‘Precious’ lead the way with SAG
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 6:01 am · December 17th, 2009
There wasn’t much in the way of a surprise with this year’s Screen Actors Guild announcement. The nods that are least likely to translate to Oscar, if I were a betting man, are Diane Kruger’s supporting actress bid for “Inglourious Basterds” and (I guess I just have a feeling) Matt Damon, supporting for “Invictus.” The […]
Filed in: Daily
If I had a ballot
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 12:04 pm · December 16th, 2009
Every year I like to keep track of personal favorites throughout the Academy’s designated categories (plus one of my own addition, Best Ensemble). At the end of the year, my “if I had a ballot” post is the result. Of course, for the most part, I follow Academy designations here. If something is ruled ineligible, […]
Filed in: Daily
Paramount FYC site goes live
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:08 am · December 5th, 2009
One of the things I always look forward to each year has been the launch of VantageGuilds.com, an FYC site that was geared toward Paramount Vantage’s product and always had great interactive features and wonderful design. This year, with Vantage gone, we’ve got ParamountGuilds.com, which just went live. You can check out some goodies related […]
Filed in: Daily
TECH SUPPORT: Best Sound Mixing — Volume II
Posted by gerardkennedy · 5:53 pm · November 12th, 2009
As a recap from the last time we covered this field, the category of Best Sound Mixing (formerly known as merely Best Sound) rewards re-recording mixers — individuals who mix music, dialogue, effects and everything else into the soundtrack we ultimately hear — as well as production sound mixer — those responsible for capturing the […]
Filed in: Tech Support
TECH SUPPORT: Best Visual Effects — Volume II
Posted by gerardkennedy · 12:17 pm · October 22nd, 2009
As more films have been unleashed, the race for the visual effects Oscar now appears clearer than it did three months ago. I’m starting to feel the race for the final three will really be down to a handful of films. As I explained in August, a shortlist of seven films will be announced in […]
Filed in: Tech Support
TECH SUPPORT: Best Sound Editing — Volume II
Posted by gerardkennedy · 3:27 pm · October 8th, 2009
Back in July, I took an initial stab at the “zaps,” “booms,” “clinks” and “bams” of the sound editing category. Since then, several titles have been seen, moved on to 2010 or popped up as new comers. Let’s take a look… With “Green Zone” and “The Wolf Man” delayed until next year, the category’s potential […]
Filed in: Tech Support
Bigelow, Ephron, ‘Up,’ ‘Transformers’ to be honored at Hollywood fest
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 9:50 am · September 30th, 2009
The awards keep coming for “The Hurt Locker” director Kathryn Bigelow, who is already set to be feted at the Gotham Independent Film Awards. As her film’s star Jeremy Renner takes down the Breakthrough Actor award at the upcoming Hollywood Film Festival, Bigelow herself will receive the Hollywood Director Award, fest director Carlos de Abreu […]
Filed in: Daily
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