Dolby Creator Talks

Director Jon M. Chu joins us, alongside the brilliant editing and sound team behind “Wicked,” the hit movie musical based on the beloved Broadway show. Joining the discussion: - Jon M. Chu – Director - Myron Kerstein – Editor - John Marquis – Supervising Sound Editor, Sound Designer, Re-Recording Mixer - Nancy Nugent Title – Supervising Sound Editor - Jack Dolman – Supervising Music Editor - Andy Nelson – Re-Recording MixerFollowing our previous episode on the music of “Wicked,” this conversation dives deep into the film’s innovative sound design, immersive mixing, and groundbreaking visual storytelling. Hear how the team seamlessly integrated sound, music, and picture to bring the world of Oz to life as well as how the live recordings brought authenticity and spontaneity to the performances, creating magical moments that could only happen on set."Some of the moments that we got in the movie were only because of the live [recordings]. There were moments that went viral... if we had tried to record that, Steven Schwartz would’ve killed that in one second in the recording... But by that point [on set], [Ariana Grande] was riffing, she was Glinda. Or even in 'I’m Not That Girl.' That beginning of it is just so delicate, that Cynthia’s just barely singing coming in. And when she starts to do those riffs... that’s the magic, actually, that happened."—Jon M. Chu, Director, “Wicked”Be sure to check out “Wicked,” now playing in theaters, in stunning Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.And don’t miss last week’s episode featuring Stephen Schwartz and the music team behind “Wicked,” now on YouTube!Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks 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 interview contains spoilers! Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker RaMell Ross and his acclaimed sound and music team join us to discuss the making of “Nickel Boys.” In adapting Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, Ross employed first-person cinematography to draw audiences directly into the emotional and physical experiences of the film’s protagonists in a completely immersive way. This innovative approach created unique challenges for the sound team.“I know before we make the film that the sound is going to be deeply complex… Dan [Timmons] worked so long on this thing because it's so subjective… You can go too far [with the sound]… in a way in which it's so abrasively rendered, that it pushes you away.” —RaMell Ross, Co-Writer and Director, “Nickel Boys” Joining the discussion are: - RaMell Ross – Co-Writer and Director - Alex Somers – Composer - Scott Alario – Composer - Tony Volante – Supervising Sound Editor and Re-Recording Mixer - Daniel Timmons – Supervising Sound Editor and Re-Recording MixerThis conversation was recorded as a live panel discussion after a screening of the film at the New York Film Festival. It was part of Dolby’s support for the FLC Artist Academy program, which brings conversations about the art and craft of filmmaking to the next generation of directors:https://www.filmlinc.org/academy-programs/artists-academy/Be sure to check out Nickel Boys, in limited theatrical release starting December 13th, by Amazon MGM Studios.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. 

The groundbreaking musical “Emilia Pérez,” which captured the Jury Prize at Cannes, is redefining the movie musical genre. Directed by the visionary Jacques Audiard, the film explores identity, transformation, and redemption with a powerful ensemble cast. From the vibrant choreography of its musical numbers to its daring and surreal visual style, “Emilia Pérez” is a boldly original film. Join us as we dive behind the scenes with the creative team to uncover how this extraordinary film was brought to life and how it all came together as a successful musical."[Director] Jacques [Audiard} always says he had this idea a long time ago — to make a little opera. And then for this movie, he finally decided to turn it into a musical. But for some reason, I think when he started the idea, he just made a treatment. And then, [composers and songwriters] Camille and Clément started to work."—Juliette Welfling, Editor, “Emilia Pérez”Joining today’s conversation are: - Juliette Welfling – Editor - Paul Guilhaume – Director of Photography - Cyril Holtz – Re-Recording Mixer & Sound Supervisor - Clément Ducol – Composer - Camille – SongwriterBe sure to check out “Emilia Pérez,” now streaming in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® on Netflix.Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Academy Award® and Grammy Award®-winning songwriter Stephen Schwartz, Tony Award®-winning musical director Stephen Oremus, and Oscar-nominated composer John Powell join guest host Jon Burlingame for an in-depth discussion about bringing the iconic Broadway musical “Wicked” to the big screen. Together they discuss how they collaborated with director Jon M. Chu to adapt the beloved musical into a cinematic experience, the challenges of blending live and pre-recorded vocal performances, and the ways in which they expanded the orchestral arrangements to match the scale of this massive Hollywood movie musical.“We had spent so much time — and by ‘we’ I mean myself and [writer] Winnie Holtzman — when we were writing the screenplay, which of course includes the songs [and] going through everything very meticulously with [director] John Chu, that basically he came in knowing how he was going to shoot it… But then, of course, once you're actually there and working with bodies and working within the environment, things will change… This was an extremely collaborative process all along the way. It wasn't as if we did some music work, then went away, and came back and were surprised by what was done with it… Nobody sort of went off and did his thing by himself.”—Stephen Schwartz, Executive Producer, Music and Lyrics, “Wicked” Be sure to check out “Wicked,” now in theaters in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Renowned film composer Harry Gregson-Williams joins guest host Jon Burlingame to discuss his sweeping score for “Gladiator II,” the highly anticipated sequel to Ridley Scott’s 2000 Academy Award®-winning classic. Having collaborated with Scott on seven films now, Gregson-Williams shares his approach to crafting a fresh sound for the world of Gladiator while also paying homage to Hans Zimmer’s iconic original score. From using ancient-inspired instruments and choirs, to experimenting with vocalists from around the globe, Gregson-Williams reveals how he wove together a richly textured score that enhances the film’s epic scale and emotional depth.“The conversation I had with Ridley at first was that this is a fresh movie. It relates to the first movie, [but] let's not make our first port of call anything to do with the first score, thematically or otherwise, which was quite liberating. I knew we would circle back somehow, and lean on some of Hans's thematic material, just occasionally.”—Harry Gregson-Williams, Composer, “Gladiator II”Be sure to check out “Gladiator II,” now in theaters and Dolby Cinemas in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

“I think that sound is, by far, the most powerful tool in the cinematic language.”—Denis Villeneuve, Director, Co-Writer, and Producer, “Dune: Part Two”Director Denis Villeneuve returns to Dolby Creator Talks to discuss the incredible sound work in “Dune: Part Two,” his latest adaptation of the epic sci-fi saga. He and his multiple Academy Award®-winning sound team share their thoughts on how sound plays such a pivotal role in his films, offering insights into his process of integrating sound design even during the early stages of development. From Paul’s iconic worm-riding sequence to the hauntingly quiet deserts of Arrakis, this episode explores the bold artistic choices that make the film such an immersive sonic experience. Joining today’s conversation: - Richard King - Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Designer - Ron Bartlett - Re-Recording Mixer - Doug Hemphill - Re-Recording Mixer - Clint Bennett - Supervising Music EditorBe sure to check out “Dune: Part Two,” now streaming in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® on MAX.Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks wherever you get your podcasts.You can also check out the video for this episode.Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Multiple Emmy® Award-winning A1 audio mixer Glenn Stilwell joins us for an in-depth discussion on mixing live sports in Dolby Atmos®. As one of the first to adopt this immersive audio technology for sports, Glenn shares his journey into the high-pressure world of live sports audio, where he has worked on everything from the Olympics to Apple’s Friday Night Baseball. From setting up microphones for the iconic “bat crack” in baseball to leveraging the immersive capabilities of Atmos for crowd sounds and announcer placement, this conversation offers a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the artistry and challenges of live sports audio production.“When you go from stereo… now the room that you're listening in has opened up. The room, it feels bigger. Now imagine when you add four more speakers above you, now the room really opens up… If you can spread things out and get them away from the center channel, which is — the money. If the money's in the middle and the room becomes bigger, it becomes more distinct.”—Glenn Stilwell, A1 Audio Mixer and EngineerSpecial thanks to Major League Baseball and Apple for this week’s episode. You can find MLB’s Friday Night Baseball, now exclusively on Apple TV+.Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks 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 art of pitching is a high-stakes, nerve-wracking aspect of filmmaking, where ideas transform from concepts into potential projects. Joining us to help demystify the pitching process is Dolby Institute Fellowship winner Carlos López Estrada, hosting another insightful Satellite Session from April 2024. Carlos gathers an exceptional panel featuring film and television creators, each sharing personal insights and practical tips on crafting pitches, to offer invaluable wisdom on what it takes to pitch a project and navigate the journey from idea to production.Joining today’s discussion are: - Marvin Lemus – Director, Co-creator, and Co-showrunner of Netflix's Gentefied - Sadé Clacken Joseph – Director of Rap Sh!t on HBO Max, CEO of Out of Many Media - Francisco Cabrera-Feo – Writer for Acapulco on Apple TV+ and Gordita Chronicles - Matt Braly – Creator and Showrunner of Disney’s Amphibia - Jessica Virtue – SVP of Production at Walt Disney PicturesThis is another installment of our ongoing “Satellite Sessions” series, which we’re bringing to you in partnership with Antigravity Academy and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment. Follow @antigravityacademy and @capeusa for more information on even more upcoming panels.Antigravity AcademyCAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment)For more inspiring Satellite Sessions just like this one, be sure you are subscribed to Dolby Creator Talks 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. 

You have probably heard about the Hollywood writer’s room, but what, exactly, goes on inside one? Joining us once again to demystify yet another filmmaking topic is our good friend — and Dolby Institute Fellowship winner — Carlos López Estrada, with another of his excellent Satellite Sessions — this one from March 2024. Carlos welcomes an impressive and diverse panel of film and television writers to share their experiences, break down how these rooms come together, and discuss how collaboration drives storytelling from inception to screen. Joining today’s discussion are:- Teresa Hsiao – Writer, Producer, and Co-creator of “Awkwafina is Nora from Queens”- Charise Castro Smith – Writer, Director, and Academy Award®-winning Co-writer and Co-director of “Encanto”- Amy Aniobi – Head Writer and Co-executive Producer of “Insecure.”- Francisco Cabrera-Feo – Writer for “Acapulco” on Apple TV+ and “Gordita Chronicles”This is another installment of our ongoing “Satellite Sessions” series, which we’re bringing to you in partnership with Antigravity Academy and the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment. Follow @antigravityacademy and @capeusa for more information on even more upcoming panels.Antigravity AcademyCAPE (Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment)For more inspiring Satellite Sessions just like this one, be sure you are subscribed to Dolby Creator Talks 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.

Pharrell Williams has had a remarkable life and career in music, which are chronicled in the film “Piece By Piece,” a uniquely animated documentary made entirely out of LEGO. Joining today’s discussion is Director Morgan Neville, Supervising Sound Editor Al Nelson, and Re-recording Mixer Pete Horner, to talk how Pharrell’s creative vision for using LEGO opened up exciting storytelling possibilities, the film’s imaginative sound design and immersive audio mix, and how they brought Pharrell’s experience with synesthesia to life through sound and animation.“This film had so many more opportunities than a documentary normally [has]. Because of animation, I felt like we could time- and space-travel… That kind of freedom I got incredibly excited by. Normally we have so many constrictions, but both in terms of what I could do with sound, but also particularly with Pharrell, what I could do visually with sound. Both in terms of creating the synesthesia effect — which he sees color when he hears sound, and that we could actually see that — and by creating the beats, represented by physical objects of color, too. So that, from a storytelling point of view, was great.”—Morgan Neville, Director, Writer, and Producer, “Piece By Piece”Be sure to check out Piece by Piece, now in theaters and Dolby Cinemas in stunning Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks 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.