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Our friend and former Vancouver store manager, Rick Patton, passed away January 10, 2012. We wish his family, friends and fellow sound compatriots fond memories of Rick and solace in his passing.
Rick was born in Nashville, TN and moved to New York and San Francisco while exploring the art and craft of filmmaking. He “embraced the back-to-the-land movement” for a period in the late 60s/early 70s while living in minimalist style on Quadra Island and filming only occasionally. In 1974 he resumed his filmmaking career making Vancouver, BC his home base as he worked on documentaries for the CBC and PBS and dozens of features like “Bird on a Wire,” “Happy Gilmore” and “Seven Years in Tibet.” In 1997 Rick opened Location Sound, Ltd. out of an old storefront in the Chinatown district of Vancouver providing sound gear to his industry buddies old and new. In 2007, Rick’s business was purchased by Trew Audio, and Rick stayed on as Branch Manager– thus expanding his store’s size and offerings to the Vancouver clientele. Rick retired in May of 2010 and focused on his book, “Sound Man” where he delivers his extensive knowledge of location sound woven with sage observations of film production life. Most recently, he had been working with a Buddhist lama on translation of another book.
Kind soul, caring mentor, acute observer, gifted writer, true craftsman and gentle-man armed with a wry wit—we were all lucky to have known Rick. He will be missed but not forgotten.
Rick’s own words and visuals best define him and his intense passion for film production and location sound capture.
Read more of his observations in excerpts from his book, “Sound Man”.
Read Rick’s summary of his career as of 2005.
Take a look at many of Rick’s own art films via his Vimeo or YouTube channels.
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All of us who worked with Rick during the three years he was with Trew Audio liked him immensely and respected him deeply.
Anyone whoever had a coversation with Rick knows how well he expressed himself. Rick wrote like he talked. I was privileged to be one of the first people to read the manuscript of his book "Sound Man", and it was like Rick was right there talking to me. It was always fun to listen and learn from him. We're fortunate he left behind such a unique memoir, entertaining and instructive.
We will miss you, Rick! Thanks for all you were and did.
Richard Rosing
Trew Audio
Rick worked with me on my feature Ghostkeeper in 1980 which we shot at Lake Louise in a freezing cold hotel in the middle of winter. Rick was a trouper, he did excellent sound as well as becoming a friend. And Rick was also witness to the lead actress throwing a glass of wine at me at the famous Post Hotel wherein the management kicked us out. We all had a great laugh and wondered if our pictures were posted anywhere.
I will miss him very much, and was anxious to tell him we were going to do Ghostkeeper 2 this fall and that he would do sound, even if it meant getting him out of retirement.
The crew will be thinking of you, Rick as will myself and the cast. Good luck, buddy.
Jim Makichuk
I'm not even sure how I found Rick's Location Sound; having just returned to Vancouver from my PhD in Kingston, Ontario. His "office" was perfect for my very small, newly sprung business, and he taught me street secrets not taught in the halls of the Royal Military College.
His secrets continue to be the foundation of my lessons for field staff and I think of him on every project I do. If only I had met him earlier in his career, I might have tempted him to join me while I record night flying birds and bats.
Now I must find his book!
Rhonda Millikin
I met Rick in 2005 when I visited Location Sound in need of some gear. I was just about to go on my first international adventure to record indigenous music throughout the South Pacific and Asia. I remarked at the way he said "Aaah the South Pacific" with a sigh as we chatted. Since then I have had the opportunity to work around the world and today I can truly empathize with his sentiments.
I saw his book "Sound Man" on the Trew Audio website last year and immediately ordered it. What a great writer...
Rick I didn't get the chance to tell you in person before and I'm sorry for that but,
Thanks to you,
I appreciate the work that you did and the time that you took to put it in print.
Dax Hickson
Sound Recordist
Montreal, Canada
I used to work with Rick at his house at Location Sound Ltd in 2007. Being a musical gearhead and soundtech we got along well, he hired me and we hungout drinking espressos and shooting the shit about whatever.. gear,news,stories,music,drugs,guns,cars,women, whatever. I didnt know people his age could be that cool. Although now I realize working on set isnt the ideal place for me, he is actually the one who influenced me to start working in film in the first place, and I looked up to him. Anyways, miss ya Rick
Does anyone know if Rick Patton's works as a filmmaker have been preserved and are available for rental anywhere? I recently discovered his films, mostly BLUE MOUNTAIN (1967-1969, 16mm, 15 minutes) that he uploaded to Youtube and Vimeo in 2011... and that I find very interesting.
Please get in touch if you do have any information.
Xavier Garcia Bardon
Film Researcher / Curator
Brussels