Dolby Creator Talks

Director Joseph Kosinski and his sound team discuss their groundbreaking work on the hit sequel to the classic 80s film "Top Gun." Joining the discussion are re-recording mixers Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor, as well as supervising sound editors James Mather, Al Nelson, and Bjørn Schroeder. Since most of the movie's flight scenes were filmed practically (or "in-camera") without relying on too many visual effects in post-production, this created some unique challenges for the sound team. “It was a great catching up with [production sound mixer] Mark Weingarten after he was done with the shoot. And I know that he had a lot of challenges in the beginning just to get those recorders into the cockpit because they had to go through a lot of different steps to ensure the safety. They had to make sure that they could still use the ejector seat just in case of an emergency. So this little recorder had to eject with them, they had to be separate from the cameras. I think it was really important to [director] Joe [Kosinski] and [producer] Tom [Cruise] and everyone in the crew that they could keep it simple and that they could basically trigger the recording before they took off and do all the recordings.” — Bjørn Schroeder,  Supervising Sound Editor, "Top Gun: Maverick""The truth of flying in these airplanes is: They're not that interesting to listen to. When you're inside doing it, it looks spectacular and it feels incredible; and from the outside these jets are deafening and have so much character, depending on where it is relative to you and how fast it's moving. But from the inside, it's very much like riding on an airliner. It's that kind of constant hum. So a big challenge of this film was figuring out, 'okay, that's reality. So we've got this really realistic image that was captured, but how do we get the emotion that we wanna feel from the soundtrack in this?' And that is not easy. There was a lot of — obviously — work and effort from design through mixing to achieve that. And luckily we've got a whole panel full of experts here to take us through that."— Joseph Kosinski,  Director, "Top Gun: Maverick"With Awards Season fast approaching, this is certainly a film to look out for in the Best Sound category, and this episode offers a unique insight into just how much went into crafting such a thrilling and dynamic mix.Check out "Top Gun: Maverick" today, available in Dolby Atmos® and Dolby Vision®, where available.Please subscribe to The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Director and co-writer Ryan Coogler joins us to discuss the making of the latest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe — Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. Joining the discussion is the film’s composer Lugwig Görannson, supervising sound editor and re-recording mixer Steve Boeddeker, supervising sound editor Benjamin Burtt, and re-recording mixer Brandon Proctor.This is the first Black Panther movie since the sudden and tragic death of its star, Chadwick Boseman. But as the title implies, the filmmakers hope this film is both a fitting tribute to him as well as a reminder that he and his work live on in these powerful films.“What I hope audiences take away from it is how much we love Chad [and] how much we missed him. For us, Chadwick and T’Challa are linked because that was the circumstance by which we got to meet this great guy. It was through bringing his character and this world to life. So for us, it's always gonna be a link there that we can't ignore. So I hope all the audiences understand how we felt about this guy. But in a more expansive sense, just because somebody's dead doesn't mean that they're gone. They feel him and feel what he was about because his effect is still there. I think it's gonna be around forever.”— Ryan Coogler, Director and Co-Writer, Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda ForeverBe sure to check out Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever in theaters now, and in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® where available.Please subscribe to The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

In this special, supersized episode we take a peek behind the curtain to examine Pixar's unique editorial process. It's often messy and non-linear, with shots and sequences constantly being re-worked... and this might just be the secret to why their films end up feeling so cinematic and have the emotional impact that they do. At Pixar, the editor has much more authority and responsibility than their live-action and traditional cell animation counterparts. How did this come to be?It's all outlined in a new book by authors Bill Kinder and Bobbie O'Steen, "Making the Cut at Pixar: The Art of Editing Animation." Bill and Bobbie join us today to discuss the history of editing at Pixar, and explain the origins of Pixar's groundbreaking editorial process. "If you look at Pixar short films, before they had an editor — all of the ones before 'Toy Story' had no editor, really, they [just] had someone assembling things — they're very classic proscenium, 2D animation... You don't see shot/reverse shot in classic Disney animation. It's just not the way the grammar really worked. Whereas if you watch 'Toy Story,' and that was my memory when I first saw that film — it felt like a movie! And I think that difference, that turning point has to do with the editor saying, 'Wait, we can create shots here. There's a certain language we can use. We're not stuck with the storyboards.' So storyboards are telling us a lot about character and performance and plot and clarity, but now we can up the whole game with what we know about the language of camera."— Bill Kinder, Co-Author, "Making the Cut at Pixar: The Art of Editing Animation"Joining the discussion are couple of legendary filmmakers — both of whom had been there since the very early days — multiple Academy Award® winning director Pete Docter and another multiple Academy Award® winning director and editor, Lee Unkrich. Rounding out this conversation we also hear from longtime collaborator and editor of Pete Docter's, Kevin Nolting, and editor Edie Ichioka, who worked on "Toy Story 2," to give their perspectives.You can find "Making the Cut at Pixar: The Art of Editing Animation" wherever books are sold.AmazonBarnes & NobleTo check out many of the Pixar films discussed in today's episode, subscribe to Disney+.Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

NOTE: This episode contains spoilers.We are back from a short break, as we’ve been working on a couple of very big episodes. But in the meantime, we had the privilege to speak with Michael Giacchino, the director of Marvel’s “Werewolf by Night,” a super fun and spooky “television special” on Disney+, perfect for this Halloween season. Joining us for the discussion is much of his post-production team: Re-recording Mixer Juan Peralta, Editor Jeff Ford, Supervising Sound Editor Josh Gold, and Dialogue and ADR Supervisor Chris Gridley. Maybe it’s because Giacchino, one of Hollywood’s top film composers, is usually a member of the post team, but his rapport with his crew is apparent in this lively discussion. Clearly this team had a blast working together and that infectious spirit continues here.We discuss the challenges of making a modern Marvel film in a Classic Hollywood “creature feature” style, the directorial advantages of being your own composer, that wild flame-throwing tuba, and so much more.“I even had some music that I had written that was going to be in the movie itself, thematically. And so I could play that for the actors and just have the sense of tone — so they'd get it immediately. It's something weird about music, the moment you hear it, it puts you in a place, you know? And so it was nice to have that. So that helped me figure out tones on set the entire shoot, for it was always in my head.”— Michael Giacchino, Director, Marvel’s “Werewolf by Night”Very special thanks to our friends at Disney, Marvel, and especially Skywalker Sound, who were instrumental in pulling this conversation together for us.Be sure to check out Marvel’s “Werewolf by Night” this spooky season, available now, exclusively on Disney+, in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

NOTE: This episode features clips mixed in Dolby Atmos®. For best results, please listen to this episode with headphones!Podcasts have exploded in popularity in recent years, and creators have been exploring new ways to create fully-immersive experiences for their listeners. In today’s episode, we speak with a few of the companies that are on the cutting-edge of crafting a truly cinematic experience for audio storytelling in podcasts, from QCODE and Wondery, the latter of which is now delivering podcasts in Dolby Atmos® — for a next-level listening experience — via the Wondery+ app. This innovation has made it possible to drop a listener directly into the world of a podcast like never before.“The beautiful thing about mixing in Atmos is you're really designing in a spatial environment. Our team is able to think about how objects sound around the listener in a spatial environment that's additive to the storytelling. So it's not just about that mono experience, let alone stereo. But really, we try to be thoughtful about how we use the technology to enhance the storytelling and immerse a listener into the actual world of the story.”— Steve Wilson, Chief Strategy Officer, QCODEThroughout this episode, we have included several clips of recent shows, which were all mixed in Dolby Atmos®, so you can experience just how immersive this technology can make a podcast feel. So, please, if you can, listen to this episode with headphones.How to listen to podcasts in Dolby Atmos®.Check out the free trial of Wondery+.FEATURED in today’s episode, all of these podcasts were mixed in Dolby Atmos®:- “Electric Easy”- “Jacked”- “Listening In” - “Soft Voice”- “Who Killed Daphne?”Hollywood Reporter - “Wondery to Release Podcasts in Dolby Atmos Format,” by Carolyn Giardina.Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

If you caught the last installment of the Thor franchise, then you already know that director Taika Waititi has taken this particular series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe into a considerably more comedic direction. And Thor: Love and Thunder continues that trend. This film has some very funny sound moments, including a jealous battle axe, Russell Crowe doing an over-the-top Greek accent, and a pair of screaming goats. Literally. But how does creating a soundtrack for comedy — and specifically a superhero comedy — differ from crafting a typical superhero action movie? Joining us to discuss that on today's episode are the film's re-recording mixers Onnalee Blank and Brandon Proctor, supervising sound editors Daniel Laurie and Baihui Yang, and sound designer Samson Neslund."We were like, 'well, how do we make that sound fun and magical and ridiculous, but still be grounded somehow? And actually feel like it's a boat?' I mean, that goat boat is ridiculous. And of course the goat [is] screaming. They're just screaming throughout the whole film. And we kept talking like, 'is it gonna be too much screaming? Do we outplay that joke?' You just never could get enough screams. You just need more. And [supervising sound editor] Baihui [Yang] would laugh every time a scream happened. [So] you're like, 'nope! Still working.'"— Brandon Proctor, Re-recording Mixer, Thor: Love and ThunderThor: Love and Thunder is in theaters now! And be sure to check it out in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® where available.Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Quick Content Warning: There is some colorful language in this podcast episode. Listener discretion is advised.Season 3 of the eleven-time Emmy winning series LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS hit Netflix on May 20th and we are delighted to sit down with creator Tim Miller, supervising director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, and supervising sound editor Brad North to discuss how they managed to succeed where so many others have failed — creating a hit anthology television series."It really comes down to who's doing the shorts. There's been a lot of care trying to match-make: The shorts, the stories, the directors, and the studios. You've got a whole lifetime of experience with people and studios that Tim has worked with at Blur. People that have been doing incredible content, that maybe haven't had the opportunity to do a feature yet, because of the size and experimentalism of that particular place. And to be able to hook them up with really good, solid stories that they can put all of their effort into making that, actually, great. You're not spinning a lot of wheels here. You're doing amazing. Everything goes right to the screen."— Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Supervising Director, LOVE DEATH + ROBOTSBe sure to check out LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS, only on Netflix.Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

The latest season of "Stranger Things" finally returned to Netflix on May 27th and we are so excited to sit down with the creators of the show, along with several key members of the post-production team, to discuss the sound, music, and editorial process behind this wildly successful series. This is a supersized episode of the podcast with a TON of bonus guests. Joining us are the creators (as well as writers and directors) Matt and Ross Duffer; composers Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein; re-recording mixers Mark Paterson, Craig Henighan (also the sound supervisor), and Will Files (also the supervising sound editor); and the editor of the series, Dean Zimmerman.This conversation offers an incredible glimpse into the creative process of what makes "Stranger Things" work so well. And it's apparent from this conversation that it has a lot to do with how much this team trusts each other in order to work so seamlessly together."Yeah, there's a lot of people who work on the show. But in terms of making big, big decisions, say in post-production, shaping the sound and the music of the show, it's a pretty, actually, tight knit group. And I think we've all gotten to the point where we really respect and trust each other. And then it's just a creative collaboration... It feels weirdly the same as it did season one."— Matt Duffer, Co-Creator, "Stranger Things"Be sure to check out "Stranger Things," only on Netflix.Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

The newest and final installment of the Jurassic World franchise roared into theaters on Friday and we are delighted to share this conversation with director Colin Trevorrow and his sound team, to discuss how they crafted the soundtrack to this latest dinosaur Summer blockbuster. On today's podcast:— Colin Trevorrow, Director and Co-writer — Christopher Boyes, Re-recording Mixer — Pete Horner, Re-recording Mixer — Al Nelson, Sound Designer and Supervising Sound Editor — Gwendolyn Yates Whittle, Supervising Sound Editor Jurassic World Dominion features another monstrous soundtrack that these dinosaur epics are known for. But as you might have guessed, keeping those big action set pieces sonically coherent enough for an audience to actually enjoy is a very complicated, but also enjoyable, challenge for the sound team."One thing that we take for granted as humans, when we walk into a chaotic environment, our brains are actually mixing that environment for us. Where what we choose to focus determines what we're actually hearing. In a theater, we have to do that for the audience. If we just put all the sound in, then you don't hear anything — because it's chaotic and our brains are not able to do that in a theatrical setting. So as mixers, Chris and I are collaborating, trading off, 'OK, this is a moment for dialogue. This is a moment for dinosaurs...' And then in the midst of it, somehow there's an orchestra playing. And so we have to also make room for themes, which are incredibly important to how you experience the scene and feel about it. So that's the challenge and, honestly, the excitement of doing a scene like that. You have everything at your fingertips and you have to decide, 'What are we hearing here? What are we hearing here?' So it's really fun."— Pete Horner, Re-recording Mixer, Jurassic World DominionBe sure to check out Jurassic World Dominion in theaters, and ideally at a Dolby Cinema, near you!https://www.jurassicworld.com/Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Legendary sound designer and re-recording mixer Gary Rydstrom joins us once again, this time to discuss his groundbreaking work on Steven Spielberg's classic film, "Jurassic Park" (1993), ahead of the upcoming premiere of the final film in the franchise — "Jurassic World: Dominion." Amazingly, even nearly 30 years later, Rydstrom's work on the original film still holds up incredibly well."I have a theory that — especially in the early days of computer graphics — sound needed to be real. Even more so, like real sounds. Synthesized sounds are hard to do [and] not so interesting, usually. So I knew we needed to be real. But in this case, it has to ground visuals that you can't believe, right? So the sound had to be organic and real. So the first thing I did is record as many animals as I could."— Gary Rydstrom, Sound Designer and Re-recording Mixer, "Jurassic Park" (1993)Rydstrom and his team recorded dozens of animals and layered those tracks together to create the unforgettable sounds of the dinosaurs, as showcased in the behind-the-scenes documentary: "The Making of 'Jurassic Park,'" directed by John Schultz, which we feature in today's episode:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0256908/"Jurassic World: Dominion" will be available in theaters on June 10th in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®, where available.https://www.jurassicworld.com/Please subscribe to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.