Dolby Creator Talks

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Sir Steve McQueen joins us to discuss his latest feature, “Blitz,” alongside his acclaimed sound team. The film, which explores the harrowing experience of the London Blitz during World War II, is shortlisted for Best Sound at the upcoming Academy Awards. In this episode, McQueen and his team take a deep dive into the process of creating a visceral, immersive soundtrack that captures both the chaos and quiet moments of survival, all presented in stunning Dolby Atmos®. And the film starts off with a literal bang, all designed to plunge the audience directly into the horrors of this place and time.“The backbone of [films], for me as a filmmaker, is sound. It's always been sound. Sound is much more important to me than images in some ways. Because when you hear something, you feel the weight of it. When you hear something, you sort of even smell it… Images, yes, they illustrate. But they don't tell you about the size and the mass of things. And that's what we wanted to jump in with two feet with, immediately. With that terror.”—Sir Steve McQueen, Director, Producer, Screenwriter, “Blitz”Joining today’s conversation: - Sir Steve McQueen – Director, Producer, and Screenwriter - Paul Cotterell – Re-Recording Mixer and Supervising Sound Editor - James Harrison – Re-Recording Mixer and Supervising Sound Editor - John Casali – Academy Award®-winning Production Sound MixerBe sure to check out “Blitz,” now streaming on AppleTV+ 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. 

Turning a script into a fully packaged film can be one of the most daunting challenges for any filmmaker. From assembling the right team to securing financing and attracting talent, the process—known in the industry as “packaging”—requires strategy, creativity, and connections. To help demystify this process, filmmaker Carlos López Estrada hosts another insightful Satellite Session, featuring an exceptional panel of producers, financiers, and agents who share their real-world experience and insider tips on packaging films.Joining the discussion: - Alex Coco – Producer (“ANORA”) - Dave Green – Director (“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”) - Chris Quintos Cathcart – Independent Film Financier (“Dìdi”) - Phil Sun – President and Managing Partner, M88 - Katie Laner – Literary Agent, CAAThis 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 Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Nine-time GRAMMY Award®-winning audio engineer Mick Guzauski and Robert Guzman, audio engineer at Studio DMI, join guest host Ben Givarz to discuss their work reimagining Daft Punk's iconic album “Random Access Memories,” in Dolby Atmos® for its 10th Anniversary Edition.Mick takes us back to the album’s original recording sessions, sharing how he and Daft Punk meticulously crafted the sound that went on to win Album of the Year in 2013. Robert adds his perspective on adapting the record to Dolby Atmos, a process that opened up new spatial dimensions while staying true to the album's artistic intent.This interview is part of our music series, "Reimagining the Classics."“You could do a lot more analysis of it from Atmos by separating channels and things, but I think Dolby Atmos added to the experience of the album. There's so much going on in parts of that album that I think Atmos was a big, big improvement, a big benefit for some of those really dense parts to separate and to be in their own space.”—Mick Guzauski, Audio EngineerYou can listen to Daft Punk’s “Random Access Memories (10th Anniversary Edition)” as well as many other classic and contemporary albums in Dolby Atmos, on enabled streaming services.Interested in creating content in Dolby Atmos? Check out our free resources to give you a jump start!- Dolby Atmos Music Accelerator: https://www.dolby.com/creator-lab/music-accelerator/- Dolby Atmos Essentials Course: https://learning.dolby.com/- Dolby Atmos Music Support: https://professional.dolby.com/music/Professional-resources/Learn more about Robert Guzman and Studio DMI here:https://www.studiodmi.com/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. 

Visionary director Robert Eggers joins forces with acclaimed sound artist Damian Volpe to deliver a stunning reimagining of the classic vampire tale “Nosferatu.” In this episode, Eggers and Volpe take us behind the scenes to discuss how they used cutting-edge sound design and Dolby Atmos® to create a truly terrifying and immersive experience. From the spectral sounds of Count Orlok’s castle to the brilliant use of silence and dynamic range, this conversation unpacks the intricate audio techniques that make the film so unforgettable.“I mean, it begins even before [the first scene] with the quote-unquote logo animations. [We] recreated silent film-style logos… with audio analog hiss and some wind, which morph into each other. You know, I think these horror film cold openings that end with a jump scare, when they’re done successfully… keep you on edge of your seat for the rest of the film because… you know that anything’s possible.”—Robert Eggers - Director, Writer, and Producer, “Nosferatu”Joining today’s conversation: - Damian Volpe - Sound Designer, Supervising Sound Editor, and Re-recording Mixer - Robert Eggers - Director, Writer, and ProducerDamian Volpe also wanted to thank his fellow team members: - Steve Little - Sound Supervisor - David Giammarco - Re-recording Mixer - Michael Fentum - Sound Designer - Heikki Kossi - Foley Artist - Shelley Rodin - Foley Artist - Joel Raabe - Foley Editor/Mixer - Grace Wong - Assistant Sound Editor - Tim Hands - ADR Editor - Samir Foco - Sound Effects EditorBe sure to check out “Nosferatu” in theaters and Dolby Cinemas®, in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®, when it premieres in the U.S. on December 25th.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. 

“Maria,” the latest film from director Pablo Larraín, offers a mind-bending exploration of the life and final days of legendary opera singer Maria Callas, with Angelina Jolie delivering a transformative performance. To bring her world to life, the acclaimed sound team faced the unique challenge of blending iconic original recordings of Callas with actual, live performances from Jolie, who trained extensively to sing opera at a professional level.“We absolutely went into this with the idea that Angelina was gonna do this live… She called it ‘face singing,’ because it's so unnatural. It's not a pop song in your shower or in your car where you kind of just go along with it. It's constantly changing tempos and dynamics; that's super hard to reproduce. I mean, what she did was incredible to even begin to approach this.”—Mac Ruth, Production Sound Mixer, “Maria”From live on-set vocal performances to intricate post-production layering, the team reveals their cutting-edge techniques for weaving together these extraordinary performances into a seamless auditory experience.Joining today’s discussion are: - Lars Ginzel – Re-Recording Mixer - Mac Ruth – Production Sound Mixer - Gwennolé Le Borgne – Sound Designer - John Warhurst – Supervising Sound EditorBe sure to check out Maria, now playing in select theaters and streaming on Netflix in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® starting December 11th.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. 

The director and sound team join us to discuss their work on the new Bob Dylan biopic, “A Complete Unknown,” covering the cast’s extraordinary performances, how they recreated those iconic original recordings, and why it took so long to bring this film to the screen, after being greenlit five years ago.Joining the conversation: - James Mangold, Director, Co-Writer, and Producer - Ted Caplan, Supervising Music Editor - Tod Maitland, Sound Mixer - Donald Sylvester, Supervising Sound Editor - Paul Massey, Re-Recording MixerBe sure to check out “A Complete Unknown” in theaters in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®, when it premieres in the U.S. on December 25th.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. 

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.