Grand Central Recording Studios (GCRS) in London has secured its first guest sound designer, Los Angeles-based Ben Wilkins. GCRS will be representing Wilkins in the U.K. and Europe.
He brings to GCRS a stellar track record in sound design and mixing, for which he has been recognized with a host of accolades including both an Oscar and a BAFTA for his work on the critically acclaimed Whiplash.
Wilkins spent his formative years working in London where GCRS founder/managing director Carole Humphrey gave him his first break into the industry at The Tape Gallery. He moved to L.A. and has since made his name working in the film industry on projects such as Starship Troopers, Dazed and Confused, Stargate, The Last Samurai, The Fast and The Furious, Star Trek, and Whiplash.
Wilkins said, “I’m thrilled to be working with the team at GCRS again and to have the opportunity to share the unique experience that I’ve cultivated since my formative Tape Gallery days. It will be exciting to delve into the unique challenges that sound design for advertising and short form presents. As the lines blur between film, broadcast and digital technologies I can think of no better facility to explore those new creative frontiers than at GCRS.”
Ivor Taylor, technical director and co-founder, GCRS, commented: “As the world gets smaller, remote working enables us to collaborate with world class talent such as Ben. The time zone difference is an enormous advantage, as it enables for 24/7 work on a project. Cloud based working means full technical compatibility between the two locations and allows for seamless integration of digital workflows.”
Director Dag Johan Haugerud’s “Dreams (Sex Love)” Wins Top Prize At The Berlin Film Festival
A Norwegian film about love, desire and self-discovery won top honors at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival on Saturday.
A jury headed by American director Todd Haynes awarded the Golden Bear trophy to "Dreams (Sex Love)" by director Dag Johan Haugerud.
Haynes called it a "meditation on love" that "cuts you to the quick with its keen intelligence."
The film focuses on a teenager played by Ella Øverbyer, infatuated with her female French teacher, and the reactions of her mother and grandmother when they discover her private writings. It's the third part of a trilogy Haugerud has completed in the past year. "Sex" premiered at Berlin in 2024, and "Love" was screened at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.
The runner-up Silver Bear prize went to Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro's dystopian drama "The Blue Trail." Argentine director Ivan Fund's rural saga "The Message" won the third-place Jury Prize.
The best director prize went to Huo Meng for "Living the Land," set in fast-changing 1990s China.
Rose Byrne was named best performer for her role as an overwhelmed mother in the Mary Bronstein-directed "If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You." Andrew Scott won the supporting performer trophy for playing composer Richard Rodgers in Richard Linklater's "Blue Moon."
The climax of the festival known as the Berlinale came on the eve of Germany's parliamentary elections after a campaign dominated by migration and the economy.
The national election is being held seven months early, after Chancellor Olaf Scholz's governing coalition collapsed in a dispute about how to revitalize the country's economy.
Efforts to curb migration have emerged as a central issue in the campaign — along with the question of how to handle the... Read More