AMPS awards winners receive trophies for excellence in sound

In its 11^th year, the Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS) winner’s presentation for Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film 2024 took place at The Rosewood Hotel, with The Zone of Interest (A24) receiving the coveted award.

Johnnie Burn AMPS, Tarn Willers AMPS, Mateusz Stasiak and Simon Carroll were present to receive their prestigious polished bronze AMPS trophies from AMPS Chair Andrew Wilson, in the company of AMPS members including Award Group Leader and three-time Academy Award nominee Graham Hartstone. James Ogden was unable to attend but will be sent his award.

AMPS’ annual awards recognise multiple facets of the Sound industry;  alongside Supervising Crew members, AMPS honours Key 1st Assistant Sound/Boom Operators and Supervising Dialogue/ADR Editors. AMPS are proud to recognise the assistants in the team as well as the HoDs, with Mateusz, Simon and James receiving trophies and being named as winners in their annual awards.

The AMPS awards are often a pre-cursor to the BAFTA and Academy Awards. Previously, of the ten award winners, nine had gone on to win at BAFTA and six won the Oscar. This year added to the tally, with the AMPS winning going on to win the BAFTA for The Zone of Interest on Sunday 18^th February.

Speaking about winning their AMPS Award, The Zone of Interest Sound team said:

Johnnie Burn: “We are deeply honored to receive the AMPS Film Sound Award. This accolade is a testament to the hard work, creativity, and dedication that we, along with our incredible team of Brendan Feeney, Simon Carroll, Max Behrens, and everyone at Wave Studios, pour into every project. I feel so grateful to work with Jonathan Glazer on such extraordinary projects. It truly is beyond a privilege to see our commitment to pushing the boundaries of sound in cinema being recognized by my peers.”

Tarn Willers added: “Collaborating with Jonathan Glazer, and Johnnie, was an enriching experience. The work was incredibly challenging but thoroughly rewarding. This award not only celebrates our partnership but also the dedication and craft of my team of Mateusz Stasiak, Jimi Ogden and Filip Sulima and underscores the importance of sound in storytelling. We’re grateful to AMPS for this recognition and feel particularly honoured to receive such recognition from our peers.”

On the winning film AMPS Chair Andrew Wilson said: “The Zone of Interest is a compelling piece of filmmaking and a truly remarkable achievement in the artistry of Film Sound.  The grotesque picture of happy family life next to the horror of Auschwitz is stark, disturbing, and visceral, and it is here that the power of the soundtrack excels. The sonic storytelling is of the highest standard, and the film’s narrative is driven by its creative and crafted sound. AMPS is delighted to recognise the work of Johnnie, Tarn, Mateusz, Simon, James and their teams.

“The Association of Motion Picture Sound is proud to have one of 2024’s most diverse lists of titles and nominees for its Film Sound Award. We are proud to recognise some of the less well-known roles in both Production and Post-production sound, and to have so many of our talented members on the list of nominees.”

All winning nominees who received a trophy are Johnnie Burn AMPS, Tarn Willers AMPS, Mateusz Stasiak, Simon Carroll, James Ogden.