Rob Young, a highly regarded Canadian sound mixer with a career spanning 40 years, has died at the age of 76. Young was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Sound Mixing for his work on Clint Eastwood’s critically acclaimed film “Unforgiven.” His other notable achievements include BAFTA nominations for “Unforgiven” and Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet,” a Cinema Audio Society prize for “Jumanji,” and a Golden Reel Award for Bryan Singer’s “X2.”
Young’s impressive filmography also includes movies such as “Roxanne” and “The Russia House” for director Fred Schepisi, the first two “First Blood” films for Ted Kotcheff and George P. Cosmatos, and the first two “Night at the Museum” films for Shawn Levy. He also worked on films like “The Accused,” “Leaving Normal,” “This Boy’s Life,” “Double Jeopardy,” “Reindeer Games,” “Mission to Mars,” “The Pledge,” “She’s the Man,” “Shooter,” and “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.”
Born and raised in New Brunswick, Canada, Young pursued his passion for sound mixing after completing his studies in Radio & Television Arts at Ryerson University in Toronto. He gained experience working at Spence-Thomas Productions and traveling extensively for the CTV investigative news show “W5.” Eventually, Young settled in Vancouver and began working on documentaries before transitioning to feature and TV sound.
Aside from his successful career, Young enjoyed retirement in a village in the south of France. He spent his time reading, listening to music, writing a novel and screenplay, cooking, hiking, fishing, and traveling to exotic places. Young’s love for food took him to Morocco, where he tragically suffered a fall that ultimately led to his passing.
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Young leaves behind his wife of nearly 53 years, Yvonne Young, as well as his children Brendan, Michael, and Gillian. He is also survived by his sister Kathy, daughters-in-law Jane and Mackenzie, son-in-law Derek, and grandsons Isaac, Sebastian, and Wilder.
To honor Rob Young’s memory, his family has planned a celebration of his life at the Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver on July 23. They ask that people perform random acts of kindness in his name, a fitting tribute to a talented and beloved sound mixer.
Young’s death is a great loss to the film industry, which has been shaped by his incredible talent and contributions. His dedication and passion for his craft will continue to inspire future generations of sound mixers.
