'No Country' tops Cinema Audio Society Awards

Organization snubs action pics

By LIBBY MCCARTHY

Hollywood’s sound gurus met in downtown Los Angeles Saturday night for the 44th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards, handing their top prize to “No Country for Old Men” and spotlighting special honorees Bill Condon and Dennis Sands, as well as a recording device called the Zaxcom Deva 5.8.

The Coen brothers’ film won the nod for motion picture sound mixing, beating “Into the Wild” and such action fare as “Transformers,” “300” and “The Bourne Ultimatum.”

Award for sound mixingin a television series went to the “Living Doll” episode of “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.”

Other nods went to HBO’s “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee” in the television movie series category; “Species: The Awakening” for DVD original programming; and “The Magic Flute” installation of the “Great Performances at the Met” series in the nonfiction, variety or music series/specials category.

Technical achievement awards, which were added to CAS’ show only four years ago, went to the Deva recorder for production technology achievement. Award for the piece of equipment used in post-production work went to the Digidesign Icon Console.

Sands, who was honored with the Career Achievement Award (the CAS’ most esteemed honor) and Condon, who received the year’s filmmaker award, reminisced on their prolific careers after receiving standing ovations from the aud.

“No matter how far you’re fortunate enough to get in this business, you’re going to always work really hard, and sometimes you’re going to have to sleep on some really crappy studio couches,” Sands joked about getting his start in the industry.

2008 Filmmaker Award Honoree
Bill Condon

Motion Picture
"No Country for Old Men"
Production Mixer: Peter Kurland
Re-Recording Mixers: Skip Lievsay, Craig Berkey, and Greg Orloff

Television Movies and Mini-Series
"Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee"
Production Mixer: George Tarrant
Re-Recording Mixers: Rick Ash and Edward C. Carr III

Television Series:
"CSI: Crime Scene Investigation"--"Living Doll"
Production Mixer: Mick Fowler
Re-Recording Mixers: Yuri Reese and Bill Smith

Television -- Non-Fiction, Variety or Music - Series or Specials:
"Great Performances at the Met: The Magic Flute"
Production Mixer: Bill King
Music Mixer--Live Performance: Jay Saks
Re-Recording Mixers: Ken Hahn and John Bowen

DVD Original Programming
"Species: The Awakening"
Production Mixer: Gabriel Coll Barberis
Re-Recording Mixers: Alec St. John and Derek Marcil

Technical Award for Production
Zaxcom Deva 5.8 Recorder

2008 CAS Career Achievement Award Honoree
Dennis Sands, CAS