Several weeks ago, as I sat in my comfy yellow chair in the afternoon sunlight, I got a text message that read something like “Party at my girlfriends house, come by.” with a number I didn’t recognize. In this age of digital tethering, such spontaneous invitations have become less of a surprise to me, though i always chuckle that no one signs the invitations… there’s just an assumption that their phone number is already programmed into my phone.
“who is this?” I texted back drowsily.
“Ed Turner” the texter replied.
Because I already had other plans that was the last I heard from Edward Turner. he died a little over a month later.
Ironically I found out by text. a simple one from Jeff “Ed Turner passed”…
Ed was the very talented, wonderfully funny, thoroughly insightful sound man I hired on “Witt’s Daughter.” I met him nearly two years ago and being new at this, I placed high weight on the suggestions Jeff Siljenberg my cinematographer gave, and Jeff thought the world of Ed. Though I can’t remember why I had to pick him up to bring him to the first day of shooting, I did so. And as he sat in the front seat of the car propped up against the door, long and lanky, indifferent and dog tired from working the night through before: I was thinking to myself “hmmm… what have I gotten myself into?”
What I had gotten myself into was a working relationship with a man I knew I wanted to always have on my team. He took a while to warm up to me–a newbie director who once I was feeling my sea legs under me started saying “Schmack it on the Bingbong” when I was satisfied with the take and wanted to go on to the next set up. I recall him approaching me near the dumpster in my driveway, Cigarette dangling from his mouth “Schmack it on the Bingbong?” he said. and after a moment like he was rolling a slug of wine around in his mouth to determine the taste, added –”I like it”
Ed’s laid back demeanor with a dry wit was welcome on the set. He was a hard worker who though he could have taken over because he was a big man and also had more experience than I, was totally was respectful. The several private talks we had on the set were invaluable. He was encouraging and wanted to see me succeed. You want to have people like that around you, the world at times can provide people who are quite the opposite. I adored working with Ed and I planned on continuing the working relationship on other projects.
The last time I saw him was about five or six months ago at Phat fish for their happy hour. It was a surprise that he showed up, but I was happy to see him and catch up– same old Ed who made me smile– but he had forgotten “Schmack it on the Bingbong” (which is probably well enough….)
a month before I saw him, I had sent him this thanking him for his work. I really really appreciated him.
Hey Edward,
I just wanted to take a moment to say what a wonderful job you did with the sound
on “Witt’s Daughter” Of course some things you don’t realize until you are intimately aquatinted with them, ad that is the case with the sound on this film. I just got through doing the sound break down for my final mix (which is sill about four weeks away) but I discovered so much about what you had done as I listened
to the various takes and cut them together to make a clean sound track. I was loving you!
… yes… you were right about the bathroom…
and I ended up having to do that adr… as i was cutting it together, I was sad because my ADR lost a little spontaneity (which I understand it to be expected) but as I was going through the takes, I found one take in the bathroom that had no water running. At first I thought it was a mistake… but then as time went on I remembered that you had insisted we do that. and so there it was– lovely unwaterred sound that I could cut in as I could make it fit. Believe you me, I was thanking God for you then!
Well,
I just wanted to let you know how much i appreciate your work. Even though its looooooong after you have gone on to other things, you have my utmost thanks.
I am indeed very thankful for having known and worked with Ed, and my prayers go to his family and girlfriend Sara in their time of grief.
The mom set the large disposable plastic ware container on the table, its contents brimming with glistening violet red grapes. “Do you want one?” she offered, I took one or two, not wishing to be greedy…

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