The Secrets of Sound and Silence

When Christine McLeod is at her best, you’ll never even know she was there.


The life of a dialogue and sound editor may seem like a thankless life. Audiences rarely see a film before the squeaks, pops and other annoying audio “clutter” is removed or before dialogue is properly synched with motion on screen. When the editor does their job, viewers don’t strain to decipher mumbled dialogue. Instead, they enjoy carefully edited, ambient noise and clean audio that sounds natural.

Christine McLeod understands the incredible importance of sound editing in the film industry. She also knows the kind of elbow grease and talent it takes to get ahead. When she left her home in Saskatchewan to attend the Professional Recording Arts program at The Art Institute of Vancouver, she hit the ground running.

“I had no experience with audio, so I had to work really hard to keep up,” recounts McLeod, who was put in touch with the school by the Vancouver Chamber of Commerce. “There were some great instructors who helped me out. I lived at school and really milked the info I could attain, especially with Pro Tools!”

Today she is reaping the benefits of her early determination. McLeod’s portfolio outlines audio work on over 20 feature films, eight TV series and 18 documentaries. She has secured prestigious contracts with companies like dbc Sound inc., Post Modern, Electronic Arts, and Rockstar Vancouver. She also teaches Sound Design in the Digital Film Program at The Art Institute of Vancouver.

“I started at Airwaves, and met Gael MacLean who mentored me. I worked my butt off and went from dialogue assistant to editor in six months. I remember there being a time when I had worked a month straight without a day off and to the tune of about 16 hours a day!”

High profile contracts are not the only indication of how deeply McLeod is embedded in Canada’s recording arts industry. This year she received three Leo Award nominations for her dialogue and ADR editing work – one for Best Sound Editing in a Feature Length Drama for The Love Crimes of Gillian Guess and two for Best Sound Editing in a Documentary Program or Series for 100% Woman and Drawing Out the Demons. Awards will be presented at a gala event at the Vancouver Bay Shore Inn on May 27th and 28th.

“There are about 800 entries for the Leo’s, so to have three is pretty cool. In total, I have seven nominations and have received one Leo for The Snow Walker, released in 2003 by Charles Martin Smith.”

McLeod offers praise to both Bill Sheppard and Dean Giammarco, the proprietor’s and
mixers of dbc Sound who were contracted for The Snow Walker. “They really helped me get a name for myself and their combined wealth of knowledge overflowed into my head, making my skills more valuable.” In addition to the Leo Awards, The Snow Walker gained international attention as well as a Genie Award nomination. “We all went to Toronto for the Genie’s and although we didn’t win, we had a blast!”

A career in the recording arts industry is open to unlimited growth says Mcleod, who has no plans to box herself into one area. “I still want to cut dialogue, but I also want to expand on my experience in video games and live sound.” She adds that positive changes are already in the works, and that she is currently sub-contracting at Rocky Mountain Production Services. “That’s the cool thing about audio. You don’t have to just be a dialogue editor for the rest of your life!”

McLeod ultimately believes it’s the desire to teach, her industry experience and a mastery of Pro Tools that makes her an asset in the classroom. She aims to inspire students to take control of their own careers and to embrace the work ethic needed to succeed. “There is work out there for the students who want it bad enough.”

Take advantage of the many resources available at the school, she advises. A good group of peers and flexible lab times are two of the most invaluable resources at the school. “Learn how to network now because you’ll always have to do it. Milk the lab time!”