" Harry Potter and the Order if the Phoenix" materializes into theaters July 11th. Helping to make all those spells sound "wicked" is sound supervisor James Mather. This the fifth Potter flick, is Mather's first enrollment into Hogwarts. Joining an alumni that includes Randy Thom and David Evans, Mather enters a great pedigree of Muggle free sound soups. Sound designers James … [Read more...]
Interview with Chris Boyes
DOLBY: In Broken Arrow, there’s this scene where the A-bomb goes off and the ground sort of heaves up in a wave toward the audience. CB: This kind of thing is always a big challenge, because so often the production wants to arrive at the major climactic moment, and they’ve already brought a freight train of sound. So I have to try to figure out a way to work against that. You … [Read more...]
More “Transformers”
One person I wish I could have, and should have interviewed is FX mixer Greg Russell. Luckily, this month's issue of Mix magazine has a great interview with him and fellow mixer Kevin O'Connell. Greg and Kevin have been partners of the fader since the late 80's and a fixture in Sony's Cary Grant theater for some time now. Check out the interview HERE. … [Read more...]
Sound Behind the Picture: Transcribed
O'CONNELL: What percentage of what we do is artistic vs. technical? LANDAKER: It's very much artistic––at least 50-50 but more like 70-30 [artistic to technical]. You can have all the chops in the world about faders and EQ, but it's actually the fine balancing act of putting that movie together than makes it a reality. You have to have a feeling for that screen. Here is a … [Read more...]
“Transformers” (Pt.3) – Exclusive Interview with Sound Designer Erik Aadahl
Holy Crap! I went to see "Transformers" tonight. I just wanted to applaud all the great work in this film. Too much cool stuff to list! Check it out in the best sounding theater available. Thanks so much to Sound Designer Erik Aadahl for taking some time out to do this Q and A! Designing Sound: I've read a lot of discussions lately about defining a Sound Designer. What … [Read more...]
“Transformers” (Pt.2) – Exclusive Interview with Re-Recording Mixer Kevin O’Connell
Thanks to Re-recording mixer Kevin O'Connell for taking time out to do this brief Q and A! Designing Sound: With this the second huge film you guys mixed this year(the first being Spiderman 3), how much adaptation is needed working with different directors and sound crews? Kevin O'Connell: We had been in communication with Supervising sound editors Ethan Van Der Ryn and … [Read more...]
“Transformers” (Pt.1) – Exclusive Interview with Supervising Sound Editor “Ethan Van Der Ryn”
"Transformers" explodes into theaters this July 3rd. Collaborating to make those sounds more then meets the ear, are Sound Supervisor's Ethan Van der Ryn and Mike Hopkins. This is the first movie the pair supervised since winning their second sound-editing Oscar for their work on "King Kong". Sound mixing took place over at Sony with Greg Russell and Kevin O'Connell manning … [Read more...]