Tom Kobayashi, brother-in-law of David and Anna Grotenhuis of Montecito, died on March 3, 2020 in Bakersfield, CA. Kobayashi was 91 years old, and one of the most respected film and television audio executives in Hollywood. He is survived by the love of his life, Christine, married for 43 years, his son, Jesse, his daughter- in-love, Micah, his daughter, Kimiko, his son-in-love, Jake, six grandchildren, and two sisters, Fujiko and Tsutako. Tom was respected for his complete devotion to his extensive family, and to his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
The earliest years of Tom’s life were difficult, having been born at the beginning of the depression as a child of Japanese immigrant parents, Kasuo and Chie Kobayashi, and surviving internment during the 2nd World War in Utah and Arkansas. Notwithstanding these difficulties, Tom proudly served in the U.S. Army from 1946 to 1951. Tom was a proud USC Trojan his whole life, having graduated from USC’s Marshall Business School in 1953. Upon graduation, being unable to join a major CPA firm at that time due to residual workplace prejudice against anyone of Japanese ancestry, he began his career in Hollywood as an accounting clerk at a film laboratory. From this humble beginning, Tom’s tenacity would eventually gain him vast experience in the production of film and television, and he would emerge as a respected leader,
After his many years as President of Glen Glenn Sound in Hollywood, Tom Kobayashi was recruited in 1985 by George Lucas to head his new Lucasfilm Post Production division, Skywalker Sound. This move by Lucas was precipitated in part due to Tom’s extensive network of friends and professional colleagues throughout Hollywood.
Tom’s first big challenge was to complete the construction of the Technical Building, a 700,000 square foot advanced Post Production facility on Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch in Marin County, 25 miles north of San Francisco. The new studio was to be equipped with advanced digital picture, sound editing and mixing devices developed by The Droidworks division of Lucasfilm, the revolutionary Computer/R&D Division that eventually spawned Pixar.
The initial plan was that the new studio would be only for the use of Lucas and his friends and colleagues. The first two pictures, Francis Coppola’s Tucker and Lucas’ Willow, directed by Ron Howard, were completed, and it became clear that there needed to be a bigger business plan: Kobayashi would need to work his Hollywood connections to bring outside productions north to complete their films at the Ranch. To help feed that pipeline, Tom constructed a second Post facility in Santa Monica, right in Hollywood’s backyard, Skywalker Sound South. Both facilities flourished and dozens of acclaimed films were completed, among them Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Backdraft and Terminator 2.
Also, during those years, the Droidworks development work was restarted inside Kobayashi’s Skywalker Sound. In 1990, the EditDroid, an advanced computer film and video-editing machine matured and found use in Hollywood, New York, Vancouver, and Toronto, presaging the digital film-making revolution by more than a decade.
Kobayashi and his engineers then simplified the post production challenge in 1992 by clever use of digital telephone technology and newly developed audio compression devices from Dolby. They connected the two Skywalkers, North and South, creating essentially a 400 mile long ‘digital extension cord’ that allowed the editors and mixers at Skywalker Ranch to play the day’s completed work each afternoon to the Directors and Producers down in Southern California.
This model worked so well that Tom approached George Lucas with a plan to start a separate effort under Lucasfilm to sell the technology to other studios. While Mr. Lucas demurred, he did offer to let Tom start his own new company at The Ranch until his replacement was hired. Tom, together with Lucasfilm colleague, Academy Award recipient Tom Scott, and experienced executive David Gustafson, brother to Kobayashi’s wife Christine, began a new venture in 1993 that they grandiosely called Entertainment Digital Network or EDnet. In 1994 the company moved to San Francisco where it still exists today, over a quarter century later. It has been estimated that more than a quarter of a million collaborative long distance sessions have been accomplished saving literally millions of hours of travel time, travel expense, and tons of carbon-based fuel—a terrific Green Legacy for this talented leader.
Tom retired in 2000 in order to use his time and extensive experience to further education of the next generation of professionals. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of Azusa Pacific University, helping initiate their film program. Tom maintained his love of film and exercised it as a voting member of the exclusive Motion Picture Academy since 1979.
Though Tom accomplished much through his work, watching his children and grandchildren develop into a wonderful mature new generation of Kobayashis brought him great joy. His life with Christine was imbued with love, as they were always each other’s boyfriend and girlfriend. Even through his ever-increasing medical challenges, Christine’s devoted caring attention to his comfort further deepened their loving relationship. They reveled in pouring their love and energy into their children and grandchildren. Daughter, Kimiko currently devotes her creative business sense to a non-profit organization that provides equine therapy for children, adults and veterans. Jesse has inherited his father’s tenacity and motivation to contribute significantly to the film and special effects industry in major projects in Hollywood. Thus, Tom Kobayashi’s enduring legacy is evident in the vibrant personas of his Son and Daughter, and their children.
Memorial contributions can be made to: M.A.R.E. Therapeutic Riding Center, P.O. Box 21916, Bakersfield, CA 93390
