Episode 123: Vickie Sampson – Dialogue, Detail, and the Art of Sound In this episode of The Filmumentaries Podcast, I speak with sound editor, dialogue and ADR supervisor, and filmmaker Vickie Sampson. Vickie’s career began in the early 1970s, and she’s since built up a mighty list of credits including Romancing the Stone, The River, Tank Girl, The Fifth Element, Ordinary People, and Return of the Jedi. She’s also the daughter of the trailblazing Kay Rose – the first woman to win an Oscar for sound editing. We discuss:
- Growing up surrounded by film and sound
- Her hands-on experiences on shows like The Big Valley and The Rifleman
- The vital but often misunderstood role of dialogue and ADR editing
- What makes a great production sound handover (and how so many indies get it wrong!)
- ‘Temp love’ and the challenges of directors getting attached to scratch tracks
- Working with actors like Keanu Reeves, Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver
- Her time in London supervising ADR for Return of the Jedi – including a story about the reels being stolen from her car
- Why clean dialogue is the bedrock of a good film
- Her continued work as a director and teacher
This one’s packed with stories, insights, and practical advice for anyone working in – or just obsessed with – film sound. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. Mentioned in this episode:
- Skywalking Through Neverland Podcast – Episode 72 – More on Vickie’s Jedi reels story
- Simon Hayes’ article on the sound of Wicked
- “A Letter from Your Sound Department” (available upon request or via Vickie’s site)
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