A Swell Of Sound In "Manchester By The Sea": An Interview With Jacob Ribicoff

By: Marjorie Galas

Working with director Kenneth Lonergan on the soundscape for “Manchester by the Sea” piqued Jacob Ribicoff’s creative interest. Joining the project as Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer and Sound Re-recording mixer, Ribicoff saw the potential he could have in adding to, and lifting, the story off the screen.

“Kenny had a specific idea of what he wanted to hear,” said Ribicoff. “What was great was that he also valued and tried my ideas.”

After reading the script, Ribicoff determined he’d use a few field mikes for capturing the audio in the film’s authentic locations, including his RSM 191 Neumann microphone. Now discontinued, the RSM 191 is a stereophonic microphone ideal for recording outdoor and motion picture sound where the width of the sound image must match the camera viewing angle.  Ribicoff then spent hours at each location capturing every type of atmosphere.  He went into the fisherman’s bar during operational hours, capturing audio from different sides of the room, recorded sound in multiple corridors of the hospital and high school, even staged scenes with people walking and casually talking so he could have material to use for voice scoring.  He traveled on the boat, recording vessel sounds at different engine settings.  He recorded ocean front sounds in varying weather conditions and different times of day.

Audio crew, including dialogue and ADR, were crucial to the creating the mix, particularly foley artists. Ribicoff reteamed with his “The Light Between the Oceans” foley expert Leslie Bloome, who he credits with creating “all types of soundscapes,” to classically capture audio such as blades on ice during the hockey sequence.

“A computer would have to know character and emotion. These sounds are vesical, tactile. They are an extension of the movie,” said Ribicoff.

Before completing the sound editing and mixing stage, Ribicoff sat with Lonergan and editor Jennifer Lame, discussing the overall movie as well as specific scenes. After mapping out his edit, sound design and mix, he’d create multiple versions of some scenes: a mix that followed their requests as well as a soundscape he imagined.  His handling of a more visceral opening design featuring seagulls and storm sounds combined with the score replaced the early idea of score only.  Robison’s concept to eliminate ambient sounds in a pivotal hospital scene veered from the original concept, but served to strengthen the emotional weight the characters experienced in that moment.

Ribicoff is comfortable stepping into the multi-hyphenate role of sound editing, sound designing and sound re-recording. The practice has become common on smaller budget, more intimate films: since 2013’s “Concussion” he’s simultaneously handled these positions on seven films, including “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” and “Where to Invade Next.”  Ribicoff feels “Manchester by the Sea”, with its seaside local and fine-tuned personal dynamics, particularly benefitted by one individual wrangling the multiple tasks.  However, being a 20 year audio veteran, Ribicoff does appreciate projects that hire a dedicated professional for each role, noting “a fresh set of ears really adds to the outcome.”