KOCHI: The exclusion of two categories of sound engineering - production sound recording (location/sync sound), and sound design - from the National Film Awards this time and recognising only re-recording mixers has triggered a discussion in the industry with leading sound engineers coming out against the decision.
In contrast, the Kerala State Film Awards recognises each of the sub-segments in the sound craft.
"A sound craft is a product of the collective effort of a set of sound designers, sound mixers, and sync sounds. It is illogical to recognise only a sound designer. With digital technology coming in, the entire sound editing job for the film has come out of the editing room to a set of people; the sound designers. Under them, there are sound editors, sync sounds, and mixers. So, the work is done by three departments and all of them need to be recognised and appreciated," renowned sound designer Resul Pookutty told TNIE.
Pookutty, who won the Oscars for best sound mixing for the film Slumdog Millionaire in 2010, said all three heads of the departments should be recognised through awards.
Pookutty, who won the Kerala State Film Award 2024 for sound mixing for 'Aadujeevitham' which he shared with Sarath Mohan, said guidelines followed in the national awards for the category of Soundcraft are based on the analogue era, which recognises only the re-recording mixer.
The Western India Motion Picture and Television Sound Engineers Association (WIMPTSEA), an association for sound engineers, in a letter to Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union Minister for information and broadcasting, called for reinstating all three awards.
"The national award for sound categories was earlier considered in three categories: production sound recording (sync. sound), sound designer and re-recording (final mixing, professional sound work in all three categories is so vital but it's not recognised both financially as well as due importance in the industry. So having an individual award will give dignity and fair recognition," stated the letter.
All three categories of sound engineering - production sound recording, sound design, and re-recording were included in the national award in 2010 after Resul received the Oscar. However, it was dropped from 2024.
"The recent change in 2024 for national award categories was such a shock that two of the awards were dropped and only one award was retained," said Pookutty.
He added that in Kerala, the state awards are given in three different categories: sync sound, sound mixing, and sound design, recognising the heads of all three categories.
