Sarawak Producer Wins Hollywood Award For Audio Work In Disney's Encanto
Alvin Wee has become the first Malaysian to receive the Cinema Audio Society (CAS) award.
By May Vin Ang — 24 Mar 2022, 05:28 PM
A Malaysian recently won a Cinema Audio Society (CAS) Award in Hollywood for his sound mixing work behind the scenes of Disney's hit animated feature film Encanto
Credited as the scoring mixer in the team behind the movie's sound editing, Alvin Wee — who hails from Kuching, Sarawak — became the first Malaysian to receive the coveted award, which recognises outstanding sound mixing and editing in film and television.
In an interview, Wee said he felt proud to receive the award with his co-workers and the entire Encanto team at the 58th Annual CAS Awards ceremony in Los Angeles
"It's a really tight race and the people that we were up against are the best the industry has to offer, so at no point was I taking that for granted," the 34-year-old told The Borneo Post.
"We knew the one thing we had going for us was the teamwork we had between the entire team, which I believe rarely comes by often."
Their work in Encanto edged out other nominees — Luca, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sing 2, and The Mitchells vs. The Machines — in the Animated Motion Picture category this year.
Wee said he was delighted that Encanto has also earned three Academy Award nominations, including Best Original Score.
Wee (right) with his colleagues (from left) Doc Kane, Paul McGrath, David Fluhr, Dolph Iundgren, and David Boucher from Encanto's sound mixing team at the 58th CAS Awards ceremony.
Image via The Borneo PostAs a producer, mixer, and audio engineer based in LA for many years now, Wee regards his achievement as a win for Malaysians looking to pursue a creative path back home
"I walked in the shoes of the trailblazers who have come before me in terms of showing that it is possible to work in the film industry and be taken seriously for your craft," he said.
"I want the next generation of composers, producers, and engineers who look like me to say 'I can do that as well' when they hear my story."
Prior to Encanto, Wee has worked on many other Hollywood titles, including Disney's live action film Mulan; Kingsman: The Secret Service; The Zookeeper's Wife; The Meg; No Time To Die; as well as on video games, such as Final Fantasy XIII, Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, and Uncharted 4: The Thief's End.
According to New Straits Times, he has also collaborated and made music with international singers such as Jay Chou, Pharrell Williams, and Christina Aguilera, as well as Malaysian singers Zee Avi, Yuna, and Jaclyn Victor.
