Gunther Kortwich, R.I.P.

I was saddened to hear about Gunther Kortwich's passing.

I met Gunther when I was working on a TV pilot in Berlin. The producer of the show, Piet Lessnick, told me that every sound person working in Berlin needs to visit Gunther's shop Kortwich Filmtontechnik. Being a foreigner that in theory was taking work away from his customers, I was nervous walking into his shop, but of course he gave me a warm welcome that instantly made me feel like I had a home away from home.

We talked a bit about the job, but instead of talking tech, he asked me who the caterer was. When I told him who it was (MovieCat, if I remember) he smiled broadly, eyes beaming, and declared "Ah well! Then it will be a good job! If there's good food, it will be a good job!"

I learned a lot from my brief encounter with him, not just about the secret to determining a good job, or even the German pronunciation of WD-40*, but the way a sound shop should be - welcoming and accommodating to everyone in the production sound community, which was something Jim and I kept in mind when opening Gotham Sound in 2002.

Later, crew members told me about how Gunther was Wim Wender's longtime sound mixer, and how he was the inspiration for the sound mixer protagonist in Wender's Lisbon Story, portrayed by Rudiger Volger!

So, thank you for your warmth and kindness, Herr Kortwich. I trust that catering is amazing wherever you are!

- Peter Schneider

*If you're ever in Germany looking for WD-40, ask for it by name: Vay-Day-Fourtzig!

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