MultipleCASandOscar-nominatedre-recording mixer Anna Behlmer willreceive the Cinema AudioSociety’s highestaccolade,theCASCareer Achievement Award,to bepresentedatthe 54th CAS Awards on Saturday,February24,2018, attheOmniLosAngeles Hotel atCalifornia Plaza.
“It’s truly an honor to announce the selection of Anna Behlmer for our Career Achievement Award,” says CAS President Mark Ulano. “Anna isa world-renowned re-recording mixer witha huge portfolio of iconic credits. Her longtime collaborations with filmmakers and her work on over 150 projects isa testament to her excellence and creativity. She isa beloved figure, and I take great pleasure in announcing the recognition of Anna and her terrific body of work.” Behlmer, who grew up in Hollywood not far from Glen Glenn and Todd-AO, never thought she would be involved in the film business, but after helpinga friend out at the famed Ryder Sound, she was encouraged to geta union card. “I was advised to go to GlenGlenn Sound because they had two women working there, and a woman in charge of scheduling and hiring crews,” she recalls. “I walked into Jan Olson’s office and asked her to help me, and she said yes.” HerfirstcallwasontheParamountlotworkingonLaverne and Shirleyand HappyDaysasa Y-15loader.Shethenwenttowork in the new Glen Glennbuildingonstage2doingmostlyTVand was promotedtorecordistworkingwithGary Bourgeois.Glen Glenn mergedwith Todd-AOand they developedamixertrainingprogram. In 1989, withthe encouragementofJRDelang, Chris Jenkins and Bourgeois,Behlmerjoinedthe program;therewere no femalere-recordingmixersat that time.“Ineverlookedback. I foundsomethingthat wasfun, that Iloveddoingand that Ihad an aptitudefor,”Behlmersays.
Shestayedat Todd-AOand workedwiththegreatRichardPortman forseveral years, before beginning analmost20-yearcollaborationwithAndyNelson.In1996, Behlmerbecamethe firstwoman tobenominatedforan Academy Awardin the SoundMixing categoryfor Braveheart.The followingyear therewas asecond Oscar nominationforEvita, and shehasaddedeight more forL.A. Confidential,The ThinRed Line, MoulinRouge!, Seabiscuit,The LastSamurai,Warofthe Worlds,Blood DiamondandStar Trek.
