Ken Burns The War, about World War II, will be seen in installments beginning Sept. 23 on PBS. As the 14½ hours of material are readied, Burns finds himself in a New York studio, at work on the soundtrack. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)
Sound editor Ira Spiegel helps to ready The War for presentation. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)
In a New York studio, Ken Burns works on The Wars soundtrack. Sound editor Ira Spiegel mans the board. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)
Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns sifts through papers in his home office in Walpole, N.H. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)
In late 2006, Ken Burns strolls through autumn colors outside his editing house, just off the town green in Walpole, N.H. (Carolyn Cole / LAT)
