by Jeremy Rogers Films are a hugely collaborative undertaking, often requiring dozens of people from different backgrounds and with hugely divergent skill sets to work long hours finish their film on time. One of the less glamorous yet still vital roles in film production is that of the sound editor. To get an idea of what it is like to be a sound editor, we got some insight from Vickie Sampson. Though she has recently turned to directing, Vickie has spent over 40 years editing audio for Hollywood hits like Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean, Donnie Darko, and The Fifth Element. The Ball State Daily News interviewed Vickie when she came to campus to screen her newest film Shelby’s Vacation this past September. We got a hold of her to ask her about lessons she has learned over her 40-year career. https://vimeo.com/174415605
Q: How did your experience editing sound and dialogue affect the perspective that you brought to your directing?
What are some common misconceptions that people have about the nature of sound editing and directing? What do you wish people knew about your line of work?
Vickie: The RiverI wish directors would be more open to what we sound editors can bring to the table. All we’re trying to do is to enhance their movie, not to create a whole different thing.
What effect have technological advancements had on your job?
Vickie:Shelby's Vacation - a little scene from Vickie Sampson on Vimeo.
With streaming options like Hulu and Netflix being so popular, many people are choosing to stay home instead of going to the cinema. Are they missing some of the experience by doing so, especially in regards to sound?
Vickie:What are some things that employers look for in new hires coming right out of university? What can students do outside of class to make themselves more competitive?
Vickie: www.editorsguild.comHow many students typically try to get into the type of audio work that you've been so successful at? Has this number changed as time has gone by? If so, what may have caused this change?
Vickie: Shelby’s Vacation Planet of the Apes
Is sound editing still a male-dominated industry? Is that changing? How has that change affected the industry?
Vickie:What are your predictions about the future of sound in film production as well as the future of directing? Are trends like binaural audio or intentional ASMR stimulation here to stay?
Vickie:Sound envelopes us with the environment of the movie; whether it’s space, or water or a cave or a deserted island or prehistoric times or future times we don’t yet know what they may sound like.
@directorgal her website Vickie's website IMDb page
