UCC graduate and legendary sound engineer in running to bring Oscar glory to Cork
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From the Grand Parade to Gotham City — a legendary sound engineer who studied in Cork to prepare for retirement is in the running for an Oscar this weekend for his work on .
While there is huge excitement and anticipation around and , Emmy Award-winning Doug Murray’s Oscar nomination has added yet another Irish dimension to this weekend's ceremony.
“This is my first nomination, and it will no doubt be my last, since I retired right after completing work on ,” he said.
"It's a very gratifying way to have my career in film sound end.
“Of course, it would be very nice to win but even if I don't it will be a fun party."
The San Franciscan-born Irish citizen through marriage studied film at California State University, and went to work for a production company where he met his future wife, Dubliner Bernadette ‘Betch’ Glenn, while he worked on Jimmy Carter’s re-election campaign.
The couple then moved to Ireland in the late 1980s, where Mr Murray found work with Ardmore Studios as the Irish film industry took off following the introduction of the Section 35 tax break for movie production.
They contracted with Screen Training Ireland to provide a training course for assistant sound editors, which helped train a generation of Irish sound editors, and later, they brought editors and mixers from Hollywood to teach courses, and to work with them on films by John Boorman, Neil Jordan, Gerry Stembridge, and Peter Sheridan, as well as TV shows from the BBC and RTÉ.
During his incredible career, Mr Murray worked on the sound for films including , , and the recent series.
In preparation for retirement, he sought a qualification that would enable him to lecture — which brought him to UCC’s masters in experimental sound practice.
“As a mature student at 67 years old, I was slightly concerned about how I would make the transition back to being in a challenging academic programme,” he said.
“But it didn't take long for me to forget all that as the course was perfectly suited to my interests.
“I loved every part of it.”
Despite his time in Cork being cut short by the covid pandemic, Mr Murray also fell in love with the city, its streets and sounds, including the famous boys' cry.
“My Brompton folding bike made the bike paths along the river Lee accessible and very enjoyable," he said.
“I was so fascinated by the ' ' cries of the street vendor by the post office that I recorded him and researched the 'Echo Boys of Cork'.
“I made a short sound documentary about him. Sadly I was unable to arrange an interview for the piece."
Mr Murray is bringing Betch and their daughter, Lydia, to the Oscar ceremony.