Cinema Audio Society (CAS)

Overview

The Cinema Audio Society (CAS) is a nonprofit honorary professional society founded in 1964. Headquartered in Burbank, California, the CAS represents production sound mixers, re-recording mixers, Foley mixers, ADR mixers, and scoring mixers working in motion pictures, television, and interactive media. The organization has over 1,000 members, including more than 700 Active members, with additional Associate, Academic, Honorary, Career Achievement, and Retired members. The CAS is not a labor union. It does not negotiate collective bargaining agreements, set minimum compensation rates, or regulate working conditions. It is a peer society focused on craft recognition, education, and the advancement of sound mixing as a distinct creative discipline.

Only Active members in good standing may use the "CAS" letters after their name in screen credits. This designation appears in the credit sequences of major productions worldwide and signals peer-recognized professional standing. The CAS publishes the CAS Quarterly, a member-contributed publication covering technical developments, craft techniques, and industry trends in sound mixing. Members also receive exclusive screening invitations, industry Q&A access, and technology discounts.

Membership Categories and Requirements

The CAS offers six membership classes, each with distinct qualifications:

Active Membership:

• Minimum requirement: 5 years of professional experience as a sound mixer in motion pictures or television, with the majority of work in each of those 5 years
• The applicant must have mixed the majority of each project listed as proof of experience
• Requires sponsorship by 2 Active CAS members in good standing, both of whom must write signed comprehensive letters of recommendation and sign the application form
• Applications are submitted electronically through the CAS website
• The Board of Directors reviews applications quarterly (January, April, July, October meetings)
• Upon a two-thirds Board vote, the applicant's name is published on the CAS website for a 30-day posting period. If no written objections are received, the applicant is accepted
• If denied, the applicant must wait 12 months before reapplying
• Only Active members may use "CAS" in screen credits and vote on CAS business and awards

Associate Membership:

• Available for individuals involved in cinematic sound or closely related fields who do not qualify for Active membership (sound editors, technicians, engineers, boom operators)
• Requires a two-thirds Board vote
• Associate members enjoy social and academic activities but cannot use "CAS" in credits or vote

Academic Membership:

• Available for students, faculty, or school administrators enrolled or employed in recognized educational programs with interest in cinematic sound
• Application must be resubmitted annually for review

Career Achievement:

• Conferred by unanimous Board vote
• Exempt from initiation fees, dues, and assessments for life
• Carries Active membership status for life

Honorary Membership:

• Conferred by unanimous Board vote
• Exempt from initiation fees, dues, and assessments for life

Retired Membership:

• Available for Active members who cease working in cinematic sound due to retirement, transfer to other fields, or illness
• Requires unanimous Board vote
• Exempt from dues while inactive. If the member returns to active mixing, dues resume

The CAS does not publicly publish specific initiation fee or annual dues amounts. Applicants should contact the CAS office (CASOffice@CinemaAudioSociety.org) for current fee schedules. Volunteer opportunities are available that may offset dues costs.

62nd Annual CAS Awards (2026)

The 62nd Annual CAS Awards will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. The awards recognize Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing across seven categories:

1. Motion Pictures - Live Action
2. Motion Pictures - Animated
3. Motion Pictures - Documentary
4. Non-Theatrical Motion Pictures or Limited Series
5. Television Series - One Hour
6. Television Series - Half Hour
7. Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music - Series or Specials

Key dates for the 62nd CAS Awards:

• Entry submissions open: October 28, 2025
• Entry submissions close: 5:00 p.m. PT, December 16, 2025
• Nomination ballot voting begins: December 30, 2025
• Nomination ballot voting ends: 5:00 p.m. PT, January 14, 2026
• Final nominees announced: January 20, 2026
• Final voting begins: February 12, 2026
• Final voting ends: 5:00 p.m. PT, February 24, 2026
• Awards ceremony: March 7, 2026

Entry fees: $110.00 per entry (inclusive of processing fees). Each CAS member in good standing receives 2 complimentary entry submissions and a 25% discount on additional entries. Paid submission fees are non-refundable.

Eligibility period: January 1, 2025 through December 31, 2025. Individual awards are given to the mixers of winning titles, with a maximum of 7 awards per category.

Special awards at the 62nd ceremony:

• Career Achievement Award: Skip Lievsay, CAS
• Filmmaker Award: Guillermo del Toro
• Jeffrey S. Wexler Award (inaugural): for advancement in sound technology
• Student Recognition Award: winner announced at the ceremony

Past Filmmaker Award recipients include Denis Villeneuve (2025), Sir Ridley Scott, George Clooney, James Mangold, Steven Spielberg, Quentin Tarantino, and Jon Favreau. Past Career Achievement honorees include Paul Massey, Anna Behlmer, Randy Thom, Walter Murch, and Gary Rydstrom.

Notable Members and Leadership

Peter Kurland, CAS, serves as president of the Cinema Audio Society for a second term as of 2025. Kurland is a production sound mixer whose credits include multiple Coen Brothers films. The executive officers include Vice President Amanda Beggs, CAS, Treasurer Lee Orloff, CAS, and Secretary Lindsey Alvarez, CAS.

Karol Urban, CAS, MPSE, served as president from 2019 to 2023 and remains on the Board of Directors. She is a re-recording mixer for television and feature films and previously served as content editor of the CAS Quarterly for 7 years. The CAS Quarterly is edited by Editor in Chief Matt Foglia, CAS, and the organization's operations are managed by Operations Manager Carol Thomas.

The 2026 CAS Career Achievement Award honoree is Skip Lievsay, CAS. He is a re-recording mixer and sound supervisor known for his work with the Coen Brothers, Martin Scorsese, and Alfonso Cuaron. Past Career Achievement honorees include Paul Massey, Anna Behlmer, Randy Thom, Walter Murch, and Gary Rydstrom. The 2026 Filmmaker Award goes to Guillermo del Toro, following past recipients Denis Villeneuve, Sir Ridley Scott, and Steven Spielberg.

Benefits Breakdown

CAS membership provides professional recognition through the "CAS" credit suffix, which Active members in good standing may use in screen credits. This designation signals peer-recognized professional standing to studios, directors, and fellow crew members. Only Active members who have passed the full review process may use this mark.

Members receive the CAS Quarterly, a member-contributed publication covering technical developments, craft techniques, and industry trends in sound mixing. The publication offers members a platform to share expertise and stay current with evolving sound technologies and practices.

The CAS hosts exclusive screening invitations, industry Q&A sessions, and educational live streams throughout the year. Members receive technology discounts from industry partners and access to the CAS YouTube channel content, including the "Getting into the Mix: Meet the Winners" series. The annual CAS Awards ceremony provides networking opportunities with the top sound professionals in the industry.

The CAS does not provide health insurance, pension benefits, or minimum wage enforcement. Those functions belong to IATSE Local 695, the labor union for production sound technicians. The CAS is a peer honorary society focused on craft recognition and education, not labor representation.

How Initiation and Eligibility Actually Works in Practice

The path to Active CAS membership begins with documenting 5 years of professional sound mixing experience. The applicant must have mixed the majority of each project listed as proof. This means serving as the primary mixer, not assisting or operating under another mixer's supervision.

Securing 2 Active CAS member sponsors is the most practical hurdle for applicants. The sponsors must write signed comprehensive letters of recommendation and sign the application form. Applicants should build professional relationships with CAS members over years of working together, not request sponsorship from acquaintances.

The Board of Directors reviews applications quarterly at meetings in January, April, July, and October. A two-thirds Board vote is required for approval. After approval, the applicant's name is published on the CAS website for a 30-day posting period. If no written objections are received, the applicant is accepted. If denied, the applicant must wait 12 months before reapplying.

The practical decision of when to apply depends on your credit history and professional network. If you have 5 years of confirmable mixing credits and 2 CAS member sponsors, the timing is right. If you are still building your credit list or lack sponsor relationships, focus on your craft and professional connections first. The Associate Membership category is available for sound editors, technicians, and engineers who do not qualify for Active membership but want access to CAS publications and events.

CAS vs. Related Organizations

The CAS covers sound mixers specifically. This distinguishes it from:

• MPSE (Motion Picture Sound Editors): Covers sound editors, not mixers. Sound editing and sound mixing are sequential but distinct crafts
• IATSE Local 695 (Production Sound Technicians): The labor union that provides union coverage for production sound workers on union productions. Local 695 regulates working conditions and minimum rates. CAS is a peer honorary society
• Academy Award for Sound: Covers the full sound department (editing and mixing). The CAS Award isolates mixing as a distinct creative contribution

What Filmmakers Should Know

For directors and producers, the "CAS" credit suffix after a sound mixer's name signals peer-recognized professional standing. An Active CAS member has at least 5 years of professional mixing experience, 2 Active member sponsors, a two-thirds Board vote, and a 30-day posting period behind their membership. This is distinct from union membership through IATSE Local 695, which certifies eligibility for union employment but does not assess craft excellence.

For sound professionals pursuing CAS membership, the path requires documenting 5 years of confirmable credits where the applicant mixed the majority of each project, securing 2 Active member sponsors willing to write comprehensive recommendation letters, and passing a two-thirds Board vote. The quarterly review cycle means applications are processed four times per year. The 30-day posting period allows the full membership to review each candidate.

For students and emerging sound professionals, the Academic Membership category provides access to CAS publications, screenings, and educational events without requiring professional credits. The annual Student Recognition Award, presented at the CAS Awards ceremony, recognizes emerging talent in sound mixing.

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See Also

For the sound editing counterpart, see Motion Picture Sound Editors (MPSE) in this directory. For union representation of production sound workers, see IATSE in this directory. Use the LUFS Loudness Calculator and the Audio Bitrate Calculator for sound delivery planning tools.