SMPTE awards Andy Munro Samuel L Warner Memorial Medal 2020

SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) has presented the 2020 Samuel L Warner Memorial Medal to British acoustician Andy Munro at the annual SMPTE Awards Gala, which this year was webcast.

Munro, known for his acoustic design both in the UK and internationally, has worked extensively in India, the Middle East and China, where he has won several accolades including an engineering award from CCTV. He joined Shure brothers in 1973 after studying mechanical engineering in London, and spent five years developing the professional microphone and sound system business, working with major acts on tour and in studios throughout the 70s, including the Rolling Stones, The Who and Led Zeppelin. After further study in electroacoustics, he started an independent design, installation and consultancy company in 1980. Since then, Munro has developed strong relationships with major film, broadcast and music studios, including Pinewood-Shepperton, Elstree, Buena Vista (Disney), Warner Bros and many others. He has worked closed with Dolby to promote high quality multi-channel sound studios including the company’s own theatres in London and India. He is a lifetime member of the Audio Engineering Society and the Institute of Acoustics, and has received several personal lifetime achievement awards, plus product design awards for his work with companies such as Dynaudio Acoustics, which he cofounded in 1990. Although he recently sold his UK companies to his colleagues, Munro continues to work independently from his homes in England and Italy.

Established in 1946 in honour of film producer and Warner Bros co-founder Samuel L Warner, and sponsored by Warner Bros, the award recognises outstanding contributions in the design and development of new and improved methods and/or apparatus for motion picture sound, including any step in the process. Munro has been awarded the medal for his contribution to advancing the art and science of sound reproduction in the motion picture industry. According to SMPTE: “Munro has advanced the design and construction of reference studios for four decades, enabling sound designers and re-recording mixers to have greater and more precise control over their craft. Munro has been entrusted by leading post-production facilities and film companies worldwide.”

SMPTE is a global professional association of engineers, technologists and executives working in media and entertainment. It has more than 800 internationally recognised standards, recommended practices, and engineering guidelines for broadcast, filmmaking, digital cinema, audio recording, IT and medical imaging.