One of the leading sound designers in the industry, with an outstanding history of collaborating with major American filmmakers such as Martin Scorsese, Spike Lee, the Coen Brothers, and John Sayles. Lievsay served as sound editor for the Coens on "Blood Simple" (1984) and was their sound editor supervisor on "Raising Arizona" (1987), "Miller's Crossing" (1990), and "Barton Fink" (1991). For Spike Lee, he provided sound design for "Do the Right Thing" (1989), "Mo' Better Blues" (1990), and "Jungle Fever" (1991). Lievsay began an extensive collaboration with Martin Scorsese on "After Hours" (1985), continuing through "The Age of Innocence" (1993). For John Sayles, he worked on "Matewan" (1987) and "City of Hope" (1991).Lievsay has modestly asserted that little of his sound work deserves the exalted title of "sound design," a credit first given to the highly acclaimed Walter Murch on Francis Ford Coppola's "Apocalypse Now" (1979). He admits, however, that the ominous soundtrack he created for Jonathan Demme's "The Silence of the Lambs" (1992) was a good attempt.
Profession(s):
sound designer, supervising sound editor, supervising sound mixer, assistant sound editor, theatrical set construction worker
Sometimes Credited As:
1989 First feature credit for sound design on "Do the Right Thing" and first collaboration with writer-director Spike Lee
1987 First collaboration with writer-director John Sayles as sound editor supervisor on "Matewan"
1985 First assignment as sound editor supervisor for "After Hours" and first collaboration with director Martin Scorsese
1984 First collaboration with Joel and Ethan Coen on "Blood Simple"
1982 Served as sound consultant for Charles Musser's documentary feature, "Before the Nickelodeon: The Early Cinema of Edwin S. Porter"
1981 Worked as sound editor on "Polyester", director John Waters' first mainstream feature
1980 First significant assignment as a sound editor on "No Nukes", a concert film documentary
Abandoned hopes of becoming an architect in the late 1970s due to the recession
Parlayed some experience in theatrical set construction into a job on a low-budget feature; tasks included answering phones, getting coffee, and assistant sound editor duties
Worked for a film-editing facility
