Oscar-winning sound editor Michael Hopkins killed in rafting accident

Oscar-winning sound editor Michael Hopkins, a frequent collaborator of filmmaker Peter Jackson, was killed in a rafting accident in New Zealand, police said.

Hopkins, 53, drowned Sunday in the Waiohine River on New Zealand‘s North Island, the BBC reported. Two people with him survived after all three were ejected from the raft in a fast-flowing eddy, the report said.

Hopkins won Academy Awards for his work on “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” in 2003 and “King Kong” in 2006. Both were big-screen epics Jackson directed. Hopkins also collaborated with Jackson on the movies “Braindead,” “Heavenly Creatures,” “The Frighteners,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” and “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

Hopkins’ other film credits included “Blade Runner,” “Superman,” “Octopussy” and “Transformers.”

The New Zealand Herald said a family celebration of Hopkins‘ life is planned for Thursday.

New Zealand’s News One quoted Jackson as saying he and his fellow producers -- Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, Caro Cunningham and Zane Weiner -- are “deeply shocked and saddened to learn of the tragic death” of Hopkins.

“I know I can speak for the many actors, directors, production and post-production crew who were lucky enough to work with Mike, in saying that he will be terribly missed,” Jackson said.

“Mike was an extraordinarily talented sound designer, editor and supervisor and thoroughly deserving multiple Oscar winner. Under his guidance, New Zealand became recognized as one of the leading hubs of post-production sound in the world.”

Jackson went on to call the sound expert “a very genuine, caring and warm-hearted guy with a great sense of humor.”

“We are all mourning his passing -- his family, his friends and colleagues are in our thoughts,” he said. (UPI)



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오스카 수상자, 래프팅하다 사망

사운드 에디터로서 오스카 상을 수상한 마이클 홉킨스(Michael Hopkins)가 뉴질랜드에서 래프팅을 하던 중 사망했다.

홉킨스는 피터 잭슨(Peter Jackson) 감독 영화 "반지의 제왕: 두 개의 탑"과 "킹콩"으로 오스카 상 수상의 영예를 안았다.

홉킨스는 영화 "블레이드 러너", "수퍼맨", "옥토퍼시"와 "트랜스포머"에서도 일을 한 바 있다.

뉴질랜드 언론은 감독 잭슨과 다른 동료들이 충격을 금치 못하고 있으며 깊이 슬퍼하고 있다고 전했다.

"수많은 배우, 감독, 제작자들이 마이크와 일한 것을 행운이라고 생각할 겁니다. 이제 우리 곁을 떠났군요."라고 잭슨이 말했다.

"마이크는 사운드 디자인에 보기 드문 재능을 가진 사람이었지요. 에디터, 관리자 등 여러 분야에 재능을 가졌었고 오스카 상을 받을 만한 인재였어요. 그로 인해 뉴질랜드가 촬영 후 사운드 제작 분야에서 떠오르게 되었고요."

잭슨은 계속해서 홉킨스를 두고 "아주 진실되고 사람들을 잘 챙기는 마음 따뜻한 사람이었습니다. 아주 재미있는 사람이기도 했고요."라고 말했다.

"그의 죽음에 대해 그의 가족, 친구 그리고 동료들 모두가 너무나 슬픕니다." (코리아헤럴드)