September 19, 2000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:  Leslie Unger - (310) 247-3000

                         lunger@oscars.org

Beverly Hills, CA - George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola and Saul Zaentz are among the confirmed participants for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' tribute to Oscar^®-winning sound designer and film editor Walter Murch on Friday, October 6, at 8 p.m., in the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Murch also will participate in the first of two Academy symposia examining various aspects of sound for film; those sessions will take place on October 11 and 18.

Murch has received eight Academy Award^® nominations, three for his sound work and five for film editing. He has taken home three Oscar statuettes, one in 1979 for his contribution to the sound in "Apocalypse Now" (for which he was also nominated in the film editing category) and two in 1996, for both the sound and film editing in "The English Patient." He is the first person to win both of those categories for the same - or any - film. His other nominations were for work on "The Conversation" (Sound, 1974), "Julia" (Film Editing, 1977), "Ghost" and "The Godfather, Part III" (both Film Editing, 1990).

The tribute program will feature numerous film clips and discussion with a number of directors and producers who have worked with Murch. Lucas collaborated with Murch on "THX 1138" and "American Graffiti," and Coppola utilized Murch's talents on "The Godfather, Parts II and III," as well as "Apocalypse Now" and "The Conversation." Zaentz will discuss working with Murch on "The English Patient;" that novel's writer Michael Ondaatje will also participate in the tribute program. In addition, restoration expert Rick Schmidlin will introduce a clip from the "director's reconstruction" of "Touch of Evil," which he edited with Murch in 1998.

On the subsequent two Wednesdays, at 8 p.m., the Academy will present a pair of symposia on motion picture sound. The October 11 session will feature Murch and Academy Award-winner Randy Thom ("The Right Stuff," 1983) in a program highlighting great sound moments from motion pictures, past and present. The pair also will discuss the significance of collaboration with other crafts in creating a film's sound. Thom has received five additional Academy Award nominations in the sound category ("Never Cry Wolf" and "Return of the Jedi," 1983; "Backdraft," 1991; "Forrest Gump," 1994; "Contact," 1997) , as well as a sound effects editing nomination ("Forrest Gump").

The October 18 session will lead the audience through the process of creating a film soundtrack from pre-production through the post-production process. Academy Governor and sound editor Don Hall ("A Walk in the Clouds," "The Scout," "Single White Female") will moderate the discussion, which will feature supervising sound editors Paul Huntsman ("The Thin Red Line," "The Peacemaker," "The Fabulous Baker Boys") and Dane Davis, who won the Sound Effects Editing Academy Award for "The Matrix;" ADR and dialogue editor Avram Gold ("South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut," "Die Hard with a Vengeance," "JFK"), pioneer foley artist John Roesch ("House on Haunted Hill," "The Matrix," "The Thin Red Line") and production sound mixer Gene Cantamessa ("Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," "E. T. the Extra-Terrestrial," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind.").

Individuals may purchase a three-night ticket package for $12 for the general public and $8 for Academy members and students with valid identification. Tickets for each of the three nights can also be purchased individually for $5 each, $3 for members and students. Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Academy during regular business hours or by mail, or on the night of the event, if still available, when the doors open at 7 p.m. The Academy is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call 310-247-3600.