Features / Series: Beyond Casual Observation

For this edition of Beyond Casual Observation, Ashley Lynch, owner of Burnaby, BC-based Gingerbreadgirl Post—a versatile post-production studio that specializes in genre film-editing, colour grading and theatrical trailer campaigns—stepped away from a busy schedule to answer a few questions for us. As I've focused on film music, sound effects, foley, … Read more

Jason Alberts is an audio engineer with an extensive career in post-production, along with location sound. His recent work includes mixing on Paralytic, Dead Body, and Soaked in Bleach (film review here). Jason is an engineer at Sumosound in Seattle, WA and was generous in answering a few questions for us … Read more

For this installment of "Beyond Casual Observation" Claudio Marino of Artax Film and Swedish band Tid took some time to speak about the processes of picking crew, the goals for a score and his own creative discovery. In his answers he references each piece of his Blood and Spirit trilogy … Read more

BJ Rochinich plays guitar for the Morgantown, WV band Ancient Shores, who released the Step to the Edge 7" last year on A389 Recordings. Rochinich (pictured below right) lends his voice to Scene Point Blank for a new column that explores perceptions of film and art. His turn-ons include Kafka, … Read more

Considering the phrase “making movie history,” one could allude to films with big budgets, big actors, new innovations, or otherwise. For the 1995 film, Heat, Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino went head-to-head in a big way. The significance in casting DeNiro and Pacino opposite each other is seen on-screen in … Read more

"There are things known and there are things unknown, and in between are the doors of perception.” - Aldous Huxley The definition of a sequel or prequel is basically concrete. At times, sequels or prequels would be better off as an individual, unique piece free of association to another property. … Read more

The story of Nightbreed’s production goes back to the pre-internet days reading fangoria magazine and conversations among those who were into horror movies and fiction. Clive Barker’s journey with this film started in the late ‘80s and continued into the early 2000s. The story of this film is as relevant … Read more

As young as 14, Jeff King was drumming in bands and in years after would continue writing music and touring. He was the final drummer in Arkansas’ Handshake Murders before taking on a path to sound design and mixing films. Where he was once arranging music as a part of … Read more

The Conversation is a film that uses sound to drive the story. Walter Murch handled mixing duties and Art Rochester worked as the sound engineer. Each were early in their careers, having about 10 years of film experience between them. Their work complemented the score composed by David Shire and … Read more

For those who have seen The Take (a four-part British mini-series starring Tom Hardy) or for those who appreciate the differences between British and American gangster films, you may want to take a look at The Long Good Friday. Finished in 1979 and released in 1980, The Long Good Friday … Read more

Jeffrey Roy is busy. Check the link for his credits and you will see a vast list of projects. In this edition of “Beyond Casual Observation,” as with other entries, I talk to Roy to help round out the roles that audio professionals have in film. The similarities in sound … Read more

In the previous installment of Beyond Casual Observation, we visited with three films to briefly illustrate the pleasant entanglement of music and storytelling in cinema. By looking at three different films from different eras, we attempted to express the resonant value of sound in film. I have always been fascinated … Read more

Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum is a Grammy Award-winning and Juilliard-trained composer. She was born in New York City. She grew up listening to classical music “by the pound,” as well as enjoying musical theater and film music. She is greatly skilled and immensely talented. In this interview Nora talks about her creative … Read more

Thanks to insight from professionals in the field, and the freedom to explore the use of sound in film, Beyond Casual Observation has featured a broad look at the functions of a soundtrack in film. Soundtracks are defined literally as the track of all sounds, and more commonly as a … Read more

In this installment of Beyond Casual Observation the moving picture becomes a partner with technological advancements and forges an enduring storytelling medium. Filmmaking is a conversation. A conversation between the viewer and the filmmaker. A conversation between characters. Among the elements that a filmmaker uses to communicate information with the … Read more