Summer 2001 - The Association of Motion Picture Sound

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A SUIET DAY IN THE SOUND DEPARTMENT - TRtrBUTES TO KBN WESTON * From Saruly MacRae : It was a sad day, Ken's funeral. Amongst the mourners, there was a large turnout from the Industry Sound Department and this caused me to wonder who was doins the sound that day. Maybe it was a mute day. I had the good fortune to visit Ken a couple of weeks before he died. I was acting 'Messenger Boy' on behalf of AMPS, delivering congratulations on his Oscar win. It was a good meeting; Ken was on new painkillers and was comfortable enough to sit and chat for a couple ofhours. He was amazingly philosophical about his predicament. His only regret was not being well enough to make the Ceremony but he pointed out that had been there before for the Evita Nomination so he knew what it was like. He was really chuffed with his Oscar and, to quote the man himself, "What a way to go!" I'd known Ken for quite a few years and he recalled the first series of Poirot where we worked as two crews on alternate episodes. We discovered we had similar ways of working and the same aim - to get the best out of the production. We were two voices in the Production Office saying the same things, supporting each other.It made the difference and he remembered the experience as I did, great for both of us. We consequently became friends and occasionally we met for lunch in town on a Friday with Ivan Sharrock and Richard Daniel. It soon became dubbed'The Friday Whinge Club'- what else do four soundmen do when they meet socially! But it was the 'crack' we all met for, and Ken was always up for that. That was all too many years ago I'll miss him - it will be quieter without him. From Lionel Sn'utt As a Sound Technician Ken was one of the all time greats. His list of credits is phenomenal, with thirty films as Boom Operatorcommencing withThe Eiger Sanction (I975) directed by Clint Eastwood and ending with a Hollywood OscarAward and Cinema Audio S_gciety Award for Best Sound on Ridley Scott's epic GkuJiator, one of around twenty five major films on which he was Production Mixer. This, in itself, is a fitting tribute to Ken. To achieve this within just twenty five years, is an indication of how prolific a worker he was. Ken notched up around fifty major credits including such marathons as six episodes of the Poirot TV series in 1989, for which he received BAFfA awards. And the numerous long term stints in far away places on such epics as Evita(1996) on location in Buenos Aires and Hungary, with Alan Parker directing. A particularly complex shoot and a challenging taskfor any Production Sound Mixer. Ken often worked on Alan's films over the years and they got along famously - Bugsy Malone (1W6), Midnighr Express (1978), The Wall (1982), The Commitments (l99l) and Angela's Asltes (1999). At other times he was working with Stanley Kubrick as Boom Operator onThe Shining (1980), and with Ridley Scott on White Squall (1996) as Production Sound Mixer which was soon followed by the multi award winningGkxliator (2000), also with Ridley. The rest of his credits, though prestigious are too numerous to list. Ken was a founder member of the Association of Motion Picture Sound. Proof of how popular he was came in the mid nineties when an informal meetine tabled'An Evening With Ken Weston' proved to 6e one of the most well attended and successful gatherings of it's kind ever held by AMPS ! He gave a lot of his - time to the Association and also helped many younger members. He was kind, generous and considerate. Not only was he popular amongst his fellow workers but he was also well known for his rather dry brand of humour. Alan Parker shared this and loved workins 12
with hirn. Ken was renowned for his collection of sltort 'poems' most of which were laced with gritty humour often related to the particular production of the day. Lots of thern are unprintable in profanity [L:rrIIs, bttt they served trr relieve the stresses and strains of the fourteen hour days ancl tight schedules that toclay's film crews have to put up with. For example, on the Eyrlz shoot, to the hit tune of Don't Crv For Me Argerttita, Ken rewrote Lhe Iyrics "They think I'm a lavatory cIeaner....,....." Born in Finsbury Park in 1947 he grew up in Borehantwood, Hertfordshire beginning his career in sound as a boom operator, learning early on how to keep the mic out of shot! But taking things one stage further when he himself was caught full on camera in Midnight Express t Ken was always very exacting in his work and demanded the highest standards. He was not satisfied merely to deliver an up front 'Radio Mic' sound. He wanted, and strove, to obtain the right ambience on his tracks and he achieved this admirably using his knowledge of microphones, and experience on the floor as both a boom operator and mixer. A moving Service of Thanksgiving was held for Ken at Christ Church, West Wimbledon on the 26th April 2001. After developing renal cancerin1997 he had a kidney removed, but the cancer returned and he died on Good Friday 13th April 2001 only a month after receiving his top awards for best sound. He married twice. He is survived by his second wife, Janice, a daughter and son and three stepchildren. The service, conducted by the Rev Celia Thomson, was well attended and fourteen AMPS members were amonsst the many friends and relatives presenl Alan Parker was also amons the mourners along with many 6ther industry professionals. Peter Glossop gave a reading and David Nichols read a fascinating address including one of Ken's poems....... Quote from David Nichols "One of the few that can be read in Church". In memory of Ken a donation was made by the Association of Motion Picture Sound to Martin Gore's Research Fund at The Royal Marsden Hospital. Frotrt Cr;lin Codner On Good Friday this year I lost a very close work colleague and my dearest friend to cancer. Ken Westort trnd I worked together for over l8 extraordinary years. I was introduced to Ken by John Llhandl er r. Although crn i grn ati r:, Ken' s motto rcmai tied "Sinrplicity is Bcst", But, that sinrplicity made hirn a perf ectionist- l)irectors such as Alan Parker', Ridley Scott, John Iving, Peter Yates, would specilically request Ken to record the sound tbr theirfllrtts. Such was their respect fbr him the culmination of his career lrad been his Oscar win for the film Clutliu.Lrr which I had the pleasure of working with him on. Thankfully he was still around to receive the Oscar and appreciate the honour. During our years together I had not only learned technical skills from Ken but also life skills, the politics that surrounds the sound and camera departments. His casual manner, easy smile and having that listening ear made him a popular crew member. He was generous and gave a lot of boom operators, who later became mixer's. their first break. As I am writing thisThe Son Of Pink Panther ts on the TV. I can remember Ken giving me the responsibility for the second unit mixing, with Boom Op John Chandler, and we did around 4AVo of the dialogue from the film. Blake Edwards saw the second unit rushes and commented to Ken that the sound was all usable stuff. Ken did not take any of the credit. He told Blake "You should thank Colin for that". He was a gracious man. Ken Weston was a mentor to several young sound men: he had lots of respect fron-r his peers... Ken always spoke up for his crew. Ken will always be remember by many. From Dave Nichols' Eulogy for Ken Weston: " At the risk oJ' heing .flip, tlzere is a.jolce in rhe busine.ys about souncl being Last to arrive und the first to leave. The n'uth is our fttiencl Ken dicl leut,e mtich too ,toorl" . GEORGE STEPHENSON Hon AMPS Sadly George died in June. Tributes to him will follow in the Autumn Newsletter. I am sure all members will wish to express deepest sympathy to his wife and his son, AMPS member David Stephenson, especially as David's brother died just two weeks after his father. ll\ And sadly, as we go to press we have learnt of the death of the Footstep Artist, Beryl Mortimer. Beryl will have been well known to many AMPS members who worked with her over several decades.. l3
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Summer 2001 - The Association of Motion Picture Sound

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