A Night of Sound Excellence and Industry Recognition
The 60th annual Cinema Audio Society Awards ceremony, hosted by comedian and television personality Chris Hardwick, served as a vibrant platform to honor the artistry and technical prowess behind the immersive soundscapes that define modern cinema and television. The evening was not only a celebration of the year’s best sound mixing but also a moment to acknowledge the pioneers and rising talents shaping the future of audio post-production.
Skip Lievsay CAS was a standout recipient, honored with the esteemed CAS Career Achievement Award. This accolade recognizes his decades of groundbreaking work and significant contributions to the field of sound mixing across a distinguished career. Guillermo del Toro, a celebrated filmmaker known for his visually stunning and sonically rich works, was presented with the Filmmaker Award, underscoring the vital role of sound in his directorial vision.
This year also marked a significant milestone with the inaugural presentation of the Jeffrey S. Wexler Award for Advancement in Sound Technology. This new award, named in honor of a respected figure in the audio industry, was bestowed upon Evan Brooks, Peter Gotcher, Glenn Sanders, and Howard Stark, acknowledging their innovative contributions that have pushed the boundaries of sound technology. Mingxi Xu received the CAS Student Recognition Award, accompanied by a $5,000 prize, highlighting the organization’s commitment to nurturing emerging talent.
CAS President Peter Kurland eloquently captured the spirit of the evening, stating, "Tonight we celebrate the very best of our profession. Sound mixing demands both technical skill and artistic intent, and these honorees exemplify the precision, creativity, and discipline that define our craft. We are proud to recognize professionals whose dedication and excellence continue to elevate the standard for our industry."
Motion Picture Victors: A Symphony of Cinematic Sound
In the highly competitive motion picture categories, "F1: The Movie" secured the coveted award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Live Action Motion Picture. The film’s immersive audio, which brought the high-octane world of Formula 1 racing to life, was recognized for its exceptional clarity, dynamic range, and atmospheric detail. The winning team included Production Sound Mixer Gareth John, Re-Recording Mixers Gary A. Rizzo CAS and Juan Peralta, Scoring Mixer Alan Meyerson CAS, ADR Mixer Alan Freedman CAS, and Foley Mixer Dennis Leonard.
The animated realm saw "KPop Demon Hunters" claim the award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for an Animated Motion Picture. This win highlights the growing sophistication and creative application of sound design in animated storytelling. The team behind this success comprised Original Dialogue Mixer Howard London CAS, Re-Recording Mixers Michael Babcock CAS and Tony Lamberti, Scoring Mixer Erich Talaba, and Foley Mixer Giorgi Lekishvili.
Documentary filmmaking’s auditory achievements were celebrated with "Becoming Led Zeppelin" taking home the award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Documentary Motion Picture. This award underscores the crucial role of sound in capturing the essence and narrative of real-world subjects. The documentary’s sound team included Production Sound Mixer Nigel Albermaniche and Re-Recording Mixer Nick Bergh.
The Cinema Audio Society Awards often serve as a bellwether for Academy Award predictions. Last year, "A Complete Unknown" received the CAS award for live-action motion picture, and in 2024, "Oppenheimer" clinched the top honor at the CAS Awards before going on to win the Academy Award for Best Sound. While this trend doesn’t guarantee future wins, it signifies the high caliber of work recognized by the CAS. Notably, "F1" is also nominated for the 2026 Academy Award for sound, alongside "Frankenstein," "One Battle After Another," "Sinners," and "Sirat," indicating a strong contender in the Oscar race.
Television Soundscapes: Crafting Immersive Worlds
The television categories showcased the diverse and intricate sound design required for contemporary series and limited series. "The Studio" was honored for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Series – Half Hour, recognizing its exceptional work in crafting a compelling auditory experience within a shorter format. The winning team included Production Sound Mixer Buck Robinson CAS, Re-Recording Mixers Lindsey Alvarez CAS and Fred Howard CAS, Scoring Mixer Adri Serrano, ADR Mixer Brian Magrum CAS, and Foley Mixer Ron Mellegers.
In the One Hour Television Series category, "The Pitt" emerged as the winner, lauded for its masterful sound mixing that enhanced the narrative tension and emotional depth. The sound team responsible for this achievement was Production Sound Mixer Von Varga, Re-Recording Mixers Todd M. Grace CAS and Edward C. Carr III CAS, ADR Mixer Tami Treadwell, and Foley Mixer Alex Jongbloed CAS.
The Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures or Limited Series award went to "Adolescence" S01 E01, a testament to the high production values and sophisticated sound design found in streaming content and limited series. The award-winning team included Production Sound Mixers Kiff McManus and Rob Entwistle, Re-Recording Mixers Jules Woods CAS and James Drake, ADR Mixers Mike Tehrani and Simon Diggins, and Foley Mixer Adam Mendez.
The Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials award was presented to "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" S1 E01 Part One. This win highlights the critical role of sound mixing in capturing the nuances of musical performances and the intimate atmosphere of documentaries. The team included Production Sound Mixers Mark Mandler CAS, David Mitlyng, and Michael Stewart, Re-Recording Mixer Bob Chefalas CAS, Score & Music Mixer Bradshaw Leigh, and Music Mixers Brian Ruggles and Jay Vicari.
A Deeper Look at the Winning Teams and Nominees
The extensive list of nominees and winners provides a comprehensive overview of the talent and dedication within the sound mixing community. Each category reflects a meticulous attention to detail, from the initial capture of production sound to the final re-recording and Foley work.
Motion Pictures – Live Action
- F1: The Movie (WINNER)
- Production Sound Mixer: Gareth John
- Re-Recording Mixer: Gary A. Rizzo CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Juan Peralta
- Scoring Mixer: Alan Meyerson CAS
- ADR Mixer: Alan Freedman CAS
- Foley Mixer: Dennis Leonard
- Frankenstein
- Production Sound Mixer: Greg Chapman
- Re-Recording Mixer: Brad Zoern CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Christian Cooke CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Peter Cobbin CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Kirsty Whaley CAS
- ADR Mixer: Sebastian Vaskio
- Foley Mixer: Kevin Schultz CAS
- Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
- Production Sound Mixer: Lloyd Dudley
- Re-Recording Mixer: Chris Burdon
- Re-Recording Mixer: Mark Taylor
- Scoring Mixer: Chris Fogel CAS
- ADR Mixer: Nick Roberts
- Foley Mixer: Adam Mendez
- One Battle After Another
- Production Sound Mixer: Jose Antonio Garcia
- Re-Recording Mixer: Christopher Scarabosio CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Tony Villaflor
- Scoring Mixer: Graeme Stewart
- Foley Mixer: Kevin Schultz CAS
- Foley Mixer: Chelsea Body
- Sinners
- Production Sound Mixer: Chris Welcker CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Brandon Proctor
- Re-Recording Mixer: Steve Boeddeker
- Scoring Mixer: Chris Fogel CAS
- ADR Mixer: Jason Oliver
- ADR Mixer: Tami Treadwell
- Foley Mixer: Darrin Mann
Motion Pictures – Animated
- Elio
- Production Sound Mixer: Vince Caro CAS
- Production Sound Mixer: Paul McGrath CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Lora Hirschberg
- Re-Recording Mixer: Bonnie Wild
- Scoring Mixer: Scott Michael Smith
- Foley Mixer: Richard Duarte
- KPop Demon Hunters (WINNER)
- Original Dialogue Mixer: Howard London CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Michael Babcock CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Tony Lamberti
- Scoring Mixer: Erich Talaba
- Foley Mixer: Giorgi Lekishvili
- The Bad Guys 2
- Original Dialogue Mixer: Ken Gombos
- Re-Recording Mixer: Julian Slater CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Greg P. Russell CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Sam Okell
- Foley Mixer: Paul Pirola
- The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants
- Re-Recording Mixer: Will Files CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Mark Paterson
- Re-Recording Mixer: Steve Neal CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Shawn Murphy
- Foley Mixer: Jordan McClain
- Zootopia 2
- Original Dialogue & Re-Recording Mixer: Gabriel Guy CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: David Fluhr CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Warren Brown
- ADR Mixer: Doc Kane CAS
- Foley Mixer: Richard Duarte
Motion Pictures – Documentary
- Becoming Led Zeppelin (WINNER)
- Production Sound Mixer: Nigel Albermaniche
- Re-Recording Mixer: Nick Bergh
- I Was Born This Way
- Production Sound Mixer: Travis Franklin
- Re-Recording Mixer: Leslie Gaston-Bird CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Gabriel Guy CAS
- It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley
- Production Sound Mixer: David Hocs
- Re-Recording Mixer: Lewis Goldstein CAS
- Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery
- Re-Recording Mixer: Steve Foster
- Re-Recording Mixer: Lana Marie Hattar
- Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror
- Production Sound Mixer: Paul Stula
- Re-Recording Mixer: Tony Solis CAS
Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures or Limited Series
- Adolescence S01 E01 (WINNER)
- Production Sound Mixer: Kiff McManus
- Production Sound Mixer: Rob Entwistle
- Re-Recording Mixer: Jules Woods CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: James Drake
- ADR Mixer: Mike Tehrani
- ADR Mixer: Simon Diggins
- Foley Mixer: Adam Mendez
- Black Mirror S07 E06 USS Callister: Into Infinity
- Production Sound Mixer: Stuart Piggott
- Re-Recording Mixer: James Ridgway
- Scoring Mixer: Sam Okell
- ADR Mixer: Mike Tehrani
- Foley Mixer: Adam Mendez
- Chief of War
- Production Sound Mixer: Fred Enholmer
- Production Sound Mixer: Thomas Visser
- Re-Recording Mixer: Carlos Sanches CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Josh Eckberg
- ADR Mixer: Chris Navarro CAS
- ADR Mixer: Vedat Kiyici
- Foley Mixer: Andrey Starikovskiy
- Love, Death + Robots
- Production Sound Mixer: Rob Cairns
- Re-Recording Mixer: Joe DeAngelis CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Chris Carpenter
- Star Trek: Section 31
- Production Sound Mixer: Bill McMillan CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Todd M. Grace CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Edward C. Carr III CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Michael Perfitt
- ADR Mixer: Tami Treadwell
- Foley Mixer: Darrin Mann
Television Series – One Hour
- Andor S02 E08 Who Are You?
- Production Sound Mixer: Danny Hambrook
- Re-Recording Mixer: David Acord
- Scoring Mixer: Geoff Foster
- ADR Mixer: Nick Roberts
- Foley Mixer: Richard Duarte
- Pluribus S01 E01 We Is Us
- Production Sound Mixer: Phillip W. Palmer CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Larry Benjamin CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Tim Hoogenakker CAS
- ADR Mixer: Judah Getz CAS
- ADR Mixer: Jason Wolf
- ADR Mixer: Jamieson Rabbe
- Foley Mixer: Ron Mellegers
- Severance S02 E10 Cold Harbor
- Production Sound Mixer: David Schwartz CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Bob Chefalas CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Jacob Ribicoff
- Scoring Mixer: Chris Fogel CAS
- ADR Mixer: Kris Chevannes
- Foley Mixer: George Lara CAS
- Stranger Things S05 E08 Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up
- Production Sound Mixer: Michael P. Clark CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Mark Paterson
- Re-Recording Mixer: Will Files CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Steve Neal CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Craig Henighan CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Carlos Remirez
- Foley Mixer: Judah Getz CAS
- The Pitt S01 E13 7:00 PM (WINNER)
- Production Sound Mixer: Von Varga
- Re-Recording Mixer: Todd M. Grace CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Edward C. Carr III CAS
- ADR Mixer: Tami Treadwell
- Foley Mixer: Alex Jongbloed CAS
Television Series – Half Hour
- Hacks S04 E04 I Love LA
- Production Sound Mixer: Jim Lakin CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: John W. Cook II CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: James Parnell CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Carlos Rafael Rivera
- ADR Mixer: Fernanda Domene
- Foley Mixer: Jacob McNaughton
- Murderbot S01 E01 Free Commerce
- Production Sound Mixer: Michael Lacroix
- Re-Recording Mixer: Alexandra Fehrman CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Emilie Corpuz
- Only Murders in the Building S05 E09 LESTR
- Production Sound Mixer: Joseph White Jr. CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Mathew Waters CAS CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Kyle O’Neal CAS CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Alan DeMoss
- Foley Mixer: Mitch Kluge
- The Bear S04 E03 Scallop
- Production Sound Mixer: Scott D. Smith CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Steve “Major” Giammaria CAS
- ADR Mixer: Patrick Christensen CAS
- Foley Mixer: Ryan Collison CAS
- Foley Mixer: Connor Nagy CAS
- The Studio S01 E08 Golden Globes (WINNER)
- Production Sound Mixer: Buck Robinson CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Lindsey Alvarez CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Fred Howard CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Adri Serrano
- ADR Mixer: Brian Magrum CAS
- Foley Mixer: Ron Mellegers
Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials
- 100 Foot Wave S03 E04 The Eddie
- Re-Recording Mixer: Keith Hodne CAS
- Billy Joel: And So It Goes S1 E01 Part One (WINNER)
- Production Sound Mixer: Mark Mandler CAS
- Production Sound Mixer: David Mitlyng
- Production Sound Mixer: Michael Stewart
- Re-Recording Mixer: Bob Chefalas CAS
- Score & Music Mixer: Bradshaw Leigh
- Music Mixer: Brian Ruggles
- Music Mixer: Jay Vicari
- Formula 1: Drive to Survive S07 E09 Under New Management
- Re-Recording Mixer: Steve Speed CAS
- Re-Recording Mixer: Lydia Brown
- Re-Recording Mixer: Nick Fry CAS
- John Candy: I Like Me
- Production Sound Mixer: Brad Dawe
- Production Sound Mixer: Michael Kool
- Re-Recording Mixer: Gary A. Rizzo CAS
- Scoring Mixer: Tyler Strickland
- Pee-Wee as Himself S01 E01
- Production Sound Mixer: John Mathie
- Re-Recording Mixer: Daniel Timmonds CAS
The Evolving Landscape of Sound Design
The Cinema Audio Society Awards annually highlight the critical, often unsung, role of sound professionals in bringing stories to life. The increasing complexity and artistry displayed across all categories, from epic blockbusters to intimate documentaries and character-driven television series, underscore the evolving nature of sound design and mixing. The CAS continues to be a vital organization, fostering a community of excellence and innovation, and this year’s ceremony was a fitting tribute to the individuals whose auditory contributions enrich our cinematic and television experiences. The recognition of new technologies and emerging talent further signals a dynamic and forward-looking industry, ensuring that the art and science of sound will continue to captivate audiences for years to come.
