‘Hurt Locker’ wins for sound mixing and sound editing

Sound mixing

“The Hurt Locker”

Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett

In what was the second award of the night for sound editor Paul N.J. Ottosson and the first for mixer Ray Beckett, “The Hurt Locker” swept the sound categories, perhaps proof, at the least, of the common Oscar wisdom that the loudest war film always wins.

The mixing took its cues from the characters in Kathryn Bigelow’s testosterone-drenched film, as well as a rich sense of place. Speaking backstage, Ottosson called Staff Sgt. William James, played by Jeremy Renner, “a very confident man. So we were trying to duplicate that as well in sound throughout the movie.”

Beckett said the focus wasn’t always on the loudest bang. “I was also trying to get the background sounds, what happens when it’s quiet . . . down to the sounds that the soldiers hear.”