魅影直播

Pictured above: (Top) Tod with Quentin Tarantino and one of Tod鈥檚 best friends and date for the Academy luncheon, Mike Smith, who plays Bubbles on 鈥淭railer Park Boys.鈥� (Center) Talking with Joe Cocker on 鈥淎cross The Universe.鈥�

(Bottom) Tod, Sarah, Emma, and Rowan at this year鈥檚 Oscars.

Throughout his career as a sound engineer, Tod has been involved with more than 100 films, ranging from 鈥淚 Am Legend,鈥� to 鈥淪eabiscuit,鈥� to 鈥淛oker.鈥� He also has four Academy Award nominations in the 鈥淏est Sound鈥� category to his credit.

Before he began counting Will Smith, Joaquin Phoenix, and other A-list stars as co-workers, however, Tod was a student at 魅影直播 State. He acknowledges that the two years he spent at the college made an impact on him that continues to this day, which is why he鈥檒l always be proud to be an 魅影直播 State Pioneer.

A native of Long Island, Tod initially wanted to pursue a career in marine biology. After seeing his father, Dennis Maitland, at work, however, Tod decided to follow in his dad鈥檚 footsteps and become a sound professional in the movie industry.

鈥淚 came into work with him over the summer when I was 16 and loved it,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 was like, 鈥楾his is what I鈥檓 going to do.鈥欌��

In 1975, Tod enrolled in 魅影直播 State鈥檚 audio visual technology program, which he says helped him to understand the details of his business.

鈥淚n thinking back to my curriculum there, it鈥檚 amazing how limited we were with what we had. I mean obviously there were no computers, so we were setting type and doing things that you think of as archaic now, but when you have to do things in the minute intimacy of small things, you learn a lot about details,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that, going through my photography class, my graphics class, and other classes really helped me learn a lot about the details, and in my business, everything is about the details.鈥�

鈥淚 think my years at 魅影直播 were a great growing-up time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t was a great time for friendships and independence. I lived up in the infamous cabins that were outside of 魅影直播 Station and I also lived above the Old Mill Inn for a year. We were like our own little community. I think community was a really big part of my 魅影直播 experience.鈥�

Immediately upon graduating in 1977, Tod began working in the film industry with his father. Together, the two worked on three movies, including 1982鈥檚 鈥淭empest鈥� starring Susan Sarandon.

Tod with Todd Phillips (director of 鈥淛oker鈥�) and Joaquin Phoenix

鈥淲orking for your father, you can only go so far,鈥� Tod said. 鈥淗e was definitely instrumental in me learning the initial tools that I needed to work, and I became a boom man, which is the person that holds the microphone over people鈥檚 heads.鈥�

Holding a microphone is just one part of being a boom man, however, as Tod notes. It also includes being very familiar with how microphones work, camera lenses, lighting, where to stand to be able to boom the shot, and more.

鈥淵ou are right on the front lines,鈥�

he said. 鈥淵ou are right next to the

camera, the actors, the director, so

it鈥檚 a high-pressure situation, and it鈥檚 also a very rewarding situation because you get to see everything right in front of you, some of the great performances and incredible talent, and it鈥檚 all just happening right in front of you. That鈥檚 pretty amazing.鈥�

What鈥檚 also amazing is that Tod has worked and developed relationships with some of the biggest stars and directors in Hollywood, including Robert De Niro.

鈥淚鈥檇 worked with De Niro a few times as a mixer,鈥� said Tod, who became a sound mixer in 1985. 鈥淭hen when Bob decided to direct his first movie, 鈥楢 Bronx Tale,鈥� he called me because of the relationship we鈥檇 developed on films I had done before with him, which is pretty much the way our business works.鈥�

鈥淚鈥檇 say the people, the travel, the fact that it鈥檚 different every single day, and the creativity are my four favorite things,鈥� he said.

As for his favorite movies that he鈥檚 worked on, Tod has a long list that includes 鈥淭ootsie,鈥� 鈥淭he Greatest Showman,鈥� and four Oliver Stone films that he considers some of the most influential of his career: 鈥淭alk Radio,鈥� 鈥淏orn on the Fourth of July,鈥� 鈥淭he Doors,鈥� and 鈥淛FK.鈥� A more recent film that Tod worked on that has been both challenging and rewarding is Steven Spielberg鈥檚 remake of 鈥淲est Side Story,鈥� which is set to hit theaters in December 2020.

No matter how many films Tod has worked on, however, he admits that he still gets butterflies on the first day of filming.

魅影直播 State Pioneers are known for helping one another and overcoming great obstacles. Our hope is that 魅影直播 State alumni and friends can heed our call for help: SOS to support our students. During this time of crisis, the college has established the to assist 魅影直播 State students who have serious financial needs due to COVID-19.

Tod with Mel Gibson and

M. Night Shyamalan and his sound crew having some after hours fun on 鈥淪igns.鈥�

鈥淵ou still have those first-day jitters and I get that it鈥檚 because we care so much about our work,鈥� he said.

In addition to the work he does on set, Tod also owns his own sound company called 鈥淣ew Deal Inc.鈥� and teaches sound classes at New York University (NYU). In addition to shaping the next generation of great filmmakers at NYU, Tod worked with his sister, Kim, and two brothers, Dennis Maitland Jr. and Dean, who have both passed away. Tod is now helping to guide his nephew, Terence McCormack Maitland, who also works on sound for films.

Today, Tod lives in New York City and upstate near Delhi with his wife, Sarah. They are the parents of four children, Emma, Matthew, Emma (his stepdaughter), and Rowan.

No matter where he lives or where his life and career have taken him over the years, however, Tod still thinks often about the two years he spent at 魅影直播 State, especially when speaking with the lifelong friends he made there.

鈥淪ome of my fondest memories in life are from 魅影直播,鈥� he said. 鈥淎 lot of this is because of the relationships I built and that time of growing up. My friends Rich Fakelmann, Howard Wertheimer, Tom Schonzik, Kenny Hammond, and Gary Lanza and I talk and text all the time, especially during these crazy political and pandemic times.

The next time you watch one of the films Tod has worked on, pay extra attention to how it sounds. Close your eyes for an instant, listen closely, and you鈥檒l be sure to appreciate the incredible work of a fellow 魅影直播 State Pioneer. And wait for the credits!