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R.I.P. Rick Patton


Scott Aitken

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For those of us in Vancouver, we lost a true elder statesman of our sound community on tuesday.

Rick Patton was a sound mixer who saw a need for a location sound rental house (or "club house" as we liked to think of it) in our fair city. It quickly became more than just a place to rent and buy gear, things like hanging out in the kitchen talking shop or in the "showroom" with his dog Dixie laying on the floor learning the "new" digital recorders that would soon replace the Nagra and DAT machines he also rented. Or maybe smoking on the back deck nervously while somebody quickly repaired something or was building you a "life saving" cable

This place was ground zero for many of us just starting out on independant productions with little or no money. Rick's home/shop was also a place where as Jeff Wexler says "there are no stupid questions". Rick would be there to help, mentor and hopefully sell you something that was going to make your life easier! He was always a phone call away, sometimes no matter what time of day...night shoots that need to pick up gear after the regular 9-5 world closes shop, or you need to send a driver because your recorder failed!! Rick understood our world because he'd lived it and answered the phone because of it. Of course the unwritten rule that usually next time you'd show up with a nice bottle of red wine or some nice whole bean high end espresso for the coffee machine!

You felt like you were part of a club, now a triumphant mixer or boom op who was now a little wiser from the ordeal no matter what the size of the production you were working on. And, of course forever grateful for the much needed advice, rental or service.

There's no one like this anymore in this town, Rick represented that "old school" attitude towards his customers who were also his brothers and sisters in the wonderful craft and art of recording location sound.

He will be missed by many many folks here who are now feeling the loss of his wonderful wisdom, comraderie and sense of sound community.

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He'll be missed. When I started doing sound about ten years ago I had the chance of meeting Rick when he had his shop at the back of his house. What a great place that was. Most of what I learned about sound comes from those days when I hung out at his place. It was wonderfully informal. Even when he was busy you always felt welcome. Just like going to a friend's place. Nothing but good memories.

Stephane

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Yes, very sad to lose one of the best among us, and way too early. But I am thankful to have gotten to know Rick over the last 6 years or so, which caused me to respect and admire him more and more. My deepest sympathy to Rick's family, and the sound community of Vancouver, and those he worked with, who I know are heartbroken. At least we can be happy to have had time with such a rare jewel.

Glen Trew

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He had what many of us have had, an "interesting life" he even lived in Naples, or so he told me. I wish we had got together after he retired, but it was not to be. He saw a lot in his life, and had a good soul. He helped me a lot, very sad to hear he has left us, and I will always appreciate his endeavors in the Vancouver film industry.

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Sad News.

I first met Rick in 2004, at the "Clubhouse" in Vancouver. I was in town on a shoot and as luck would have it a piece of gear was giving me trouble. I made a few calls and Ricks name came up pretty quickly as the go-to guy in Vancouver. I made my way over to his place for what I thought would be a quick pickup, but ended up spending the afternoon hanging out, swapping stories ( I say swapping, but i'd say his experience made up for 90 percent of the tales) A great, easy going guy with a seemingly endless amount of tales from the field.

After getting back to my home town we kept in touch. A few months later I was looking to equip myself with a soundcart. At the time I only knew of the PSC upright carts and some modified magliners. But Rick showed me some beautiful designs he had made for his clients. We spent countless hours on the phone or through Emails passing back design ideas of what would make the ideal cart for me. All the while I never felt like I was being "Sold" anything, it was just great advice from a guy who had been there and done that.

In the end he built me a beautiful cart that I still use today. Thanks Rick.

My condolences to your family.

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I met Rick in 1973 when I first moved to Vancouver. There was not a lot of work to go around in those days but we spent countless hours talking about sound mixing. Rick was the kind of guy that after 5 minutes after meeting him you felt that you had known him for years. A man very comfortable in his own skin. He was also a guy that did not put money before everything else. Even though he told me the time was close his passing is still a shock. If you look up the word 'professional' in the dictionary you shoud see a picture of Rick. A great loss to Vancouver's sound community.

RIP to one of the best!

Rob Young

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  • 3 weeks later...

The film Industry lost an important leader today. Rick Patton. Most know him for his location sound expertise, his book, and the many people he has mentored. Rick started his career as an experimental film maker in San Francisco in the 60's. For a look at some of his films and his life pre- Vancouver watch them on vimeo: vimeo.com/user8114042/videos

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I also knew Rick for many years and met with him several times at his house, LA, NAB and other places. His cancer hit him like a ton of bricks as it derailed his long term plan to enjoy life more. I talked to him as recently as three months ago. He knew he was going to die soon and freely discussed life's regrets, mainly not living enough of it for yourself. It had a deep and everlasting impact on me as our good health and mortality is not something to take for granted. It's easy to forget that when we work 70 hours a week. Rick was a one of kind guy and I'll always remember him too.

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I met Rick, David, and Dixie, in 2001, I had just moved to Vancouver to pursue a career in our field.

I can with 100% honesty say, that without their patience and hospitality I would never have lasted in this complex world of sound recording.

Rick was one of the coolest, most down to earth people I have ever met, and on top of that, had a way of doing things that

made me regard his as a kind of "Audio Outlaw"

He always had a kind word and a funny story, and was brilliant when it came to anything technical.

I was lucky enough to get to visit him at a party before Christmas, and wish I had gotten the chance for more visits

before he passed.

He will be missed greatly by me and everyone else in the Vancouver sound community.

Jason Wood

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