Absolutely wonderful video, Thomas. Fascinating. You're still the very best here on RUclips, man, and I'm so happy for you that you're getting the chance to meet and talk to people in the movie business that are producing some of the most unique and original work out there. Great stuff 👍👍👍
I love how the new Dune looks, except for this flying vehicle. Logically it makes no sense. No sense! They have anti-gravity. Anti-gravity means flying vehicles without wings, rotors, or propellers. So. They have AG, but they use wings? As I said. No sense.
@@jinxshadow5218 It's rude to ever do it in my mind. This interview proves how hard these people work and how impressive their work is (and in cases like this I'd argue the VFX and sound are what makes the movie work). They'd get like 2 minutes in the spotlight they should have let them have it
I misread part of the comment at first as thomas the technichal. Now im imagining a big blue pick-up truck with a smiling face full of soldiers shooting and fighting over an oil feild.
this video made me realize that hearing artists talk about their art with enthusiasm is always so fascinating, ive never really cared about sound effects in any film ive watched or any video game ive played, but hearing mark mangini talk about his skill and elaborating his talent with such passion was such a relaxing watch
One more reason that Dune's sounds feel so natural is that Mark Mangini is actually Fremen, as can be seen by his blue within blue eyes. Only he could do justice to it.
Really fascinating to me that he mentioned that Denis wanted it to sound ‘like a documentary’, because someone asked me how to describe Dune and I said to them that the detail, ambience and environmental world building made it feel like a documentary. There is also a great video on here about how they did the sound design for Arrival, which is one of the best films ever in that regard
It reminds me about how George Lucas said he wanted 'Star Wars' to have a documentary aesthetic; before then, sci-fi movies had a sterile and stylised aesthetic, and 'Star Wars' made everything feel broken down and used. Working with Ben Burtt, who he had previously collaborated with on 'THX-1138', they created something that audiences of the time had never seen, or heard, before.
And then some people say that this movie doesn't follow the book. I love how the director pays attention to such details, as did Frank Herbert in his books
D.V. actually started out his working career as a documentary filmmaker for Radio-Canada (French division of CBC)! So I'm sure that his naturalistic approach to filmmaking isn't a coincidence.
At 3:57 when he said that it immediately sounded like what it should sound like. The sound producer smiled and said you made a new best friend was so wholesome.
When I hear the score seamlessly blend itself into the ambient sounds of the seawall scene in BR2049, it's impossible for me to not have immediate goosebumps. It's hauntingly beautiful, and one of my favorites of all time.
I am convinced that we need to talk more and more about cinematic language; both to make people understand how much creativity everyone can express (even in aspects that are usually seen superficially as sound design), but also to remember that Cinema is also: technique at the service of story. Too often today I find myself seeing blockbusters that make little use of their own languages: confused editing, anonymous soundtracks, very standard camera-work and so on... And for me it's really boring. Instead, it is satisfying to see authors like Villeneuve who give space to creatives and exploit all the languages in non-obvious ways to tell the story in the best way. So... We have to thank you for the work you do.
Not tryna be rude, but there is nothing remotely superficial about Sound Design, Audio Editing, Mixing, & Mastering just because of the lazy tentpole movies you mentioned as well as the apathy, or even hatred, that many filmmakers have for the aural arts. If those things were superficial, then silent films would be more popular than sound films.
@@BaldPerspective I was referring to the fact that in general the public sees sound design as something superficial, of little importance, just a couple of sounds to record and put together... While in reality, as you point out, the work is there and it is much more complex. Furthermore, it is undeniable that every film certainly has a great deal of work behind it, it is also obvious, however, that in certain cases there is much more care or even "experimentation" than other more standard or approximate films. As I said in the other comment, when I find myself with a "standard" film that seems to have come out of an algorithm, that has an anonymous soundtrack or a confused editing, very often I realize that that composer or editor has made other valid films, so I realize that the problem sometimes doesn't even lie with the professionals themselves, but with the production that evidently wants a more "mediocre" or standard type of work. Sometimes, however, it is also a problem of the director who fails to enhance individual aspects and a fantastic work is obscured and not elevated. Mine was just a clarification: it's better to have a director with a clear, precise vision who surrounds himself with professionals and who exploits cinematographic languages rather than a more standard film, lacking in languages that doesn't know how to exploit them and wants to offer me a couple of hours of fun without actually having fun.
@@deadeyeduncan5022 The problem is that there are already professionals and creatives in the industry, only that they are often not considered or receive meager budgets because so many producers are busy making superhero films or series on fantasy sagas. Consider Coppola's latest film for example, which he had to produce entirely on his own. The industry follows the market, but if the public also changes or at least understands that cinema needs continuous evolution and the use of language, then the industry changes too.
I absolutely LOVE sound. And when it's done right. This is a fantastic interview / essay gives credit to those sound magicians. For my short film, Banshee, we literally acted out a bunch of the BG foley for high intensity scenes and it was a blast. It gave the film a huge sense of realism to the world we created that involved a spirit monster.
As a sound designer student, I thank you for this video. People really do not appreciate this art in films or other medias as much as it really deserves
You're absolutely correct. I just rewatched it, big screen, big sound system and no chattering audience. The first time I came at it like a long time Dune fan, critical of the story/visual interpretation. But I totally failed to see the whole. Now on second viewing its growing on me like Bladerunner did. I look forward to many more viewings, each of growing enjoyment.
easily one of your best videos, thomas. mark is such an inspiring sound designer, and like he said at the end, dune is such an immersive experience that outweighs the level of immersion that i’ve experienced with so many other films. it’s so special, and it’s because of people like mark and denis that work so hard at making sure the sound design is not only real, but fresh and familiar.
On the topic of sound libraries, I have on several occasions been pulled out of a scene by the super recognizable stock sound of a door opening. It might as well be an Inception horn blast.
the sound effect of a door opening and closing in silent hill is extremely recognizable, and ive heard that exact sound effect in so many other films and tv shows with huge budgets, it always pulls me out of the scene and brings me back to silent hill
If you insist on creating original sounds for your work, but also sell your sound library then aren't you driven by economic gain rather than artistic integrity? It's simply job security.
I didn't think it was possible for me to love Dune any more, but this video had me grinning ear to ear. Such a wonderful interview and such an inspiring artist!
What an excellent director Denis is, to be co-operating with the immense skill of people like Mark to enhance his films. If only Christopher Nolan could learn a thing or two about sound mixing for dialogue scenes now.
I love that sound designers actually talk about sound design and that people are actually interested. I've been hunting for a breakdown on the Ghostbusters proton pack startup sound and the Batmobile's, Luke's Landspeeder and DeLorean's laboured engine whine for years now and nobody knows their true origin. The proton pack is completely devoid of detail, while the DeLorean's engine sound has so many different origin stories, that I don't know what to believe.
as an animator and compositor, I absolutely love matching effects and movements to existing sounds. there's usually a final sound pass afterwards, so it's a wonderful back-and-forth
Watching interviews with Mark has made me realize the artistry of it. In this video in particular, I’m downright moved by how he speaks of it. I’m so happy you had the opportunity to interview him! And I’m so happy he was in the presence of someone so obviously appreciative and nerdy about his work.
i screamed YES! like five times watching this. i loved the way u explained ambient soundscapes and the interview w ur new best friend was so engaging! "Denis empowers the sound designers to think musically and the composer to think sonically" that's so slay i'd never thought about mixing like that
The realism of the sound of the ornithopter amazed me. Somewhat ironically, it was so good it pulled me out of the flow for a moment while I wondered at its "realism". I'm so happy to hear the artist talk about it.
I rewatched Dune yesterday and waited to watch this this video afterwards. SO GOOD! The more amazing interviews like this, with members of his team. the more I realize he's really one of the best directors working today!
*Everyone is always looking at the actors/actress of a movie. After that comes the director and that's it. No one really talks about that every single human who worked on a movie like Dune or Blade Runner 2049 is a special participant whos work made the movie what it is today. I really admire everyone, from the cinematographer, to the composer to the lightning guys and even the make up artist. Thanks to everyone who is giving all their got to bring us such movies!
Thomas, thank you for this video. What a true gift to hear from a master such as Mark. Also thank you for your continued dissection of the technical brilliance behind Dune. We were really given such a cinematic landmark with it.
He's so right about how we notice sounds without knowing. Everytime i hear a car door close and it's the one from Supernatural, I snap out of the movie so fast
Thomas this video is so amazing!!! I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Mark as well, he’s such a kind and thoughtful interviewee. Thank you so much for this video!
Love this peek under the hood of Bladerunner 2049 and DUNC. (I say DUNC lovingly. Ribbing the font choice, but also to immediately distinguish the movie from Lynch's Dune.) I'd certainly be interested in seeing an extended interview with Mark Mangini.
I wasn’t really conscious of it until now but I remember when we first had “water cooler” conversations about Dune after first seeing it, it was about the sounds. The ornithopters and the worm confronting Paul scene particularly.
Hi Thomas!! In the small chance that you read this comment I just wanted to say thank you for all your videos. As an aspiring filmmaker in High School, your videos fuel my passion for cinema. I actually recently created a short animated film with my friend Justin Dawson which we posted on this channel and made into various festivals, and just got it on Letterboxd on Christmas (woohoo!) but we made it with zero budget and zero resources (literally all drawing and Premiere Pro). I was just wondering what you thought the best way to learn filmmaking was: for example, film school, trying to get on sets, RUclips, online courses or books? Anyways, thank you so much!
The best ways I've found to learn is by 1. Doing it yourself and 2. reading or listening to filmmakers (not just directors) talk about how they work through interviews/commentary tracks etc.
Wowzas, Mark's final monologue about immersion in sound design paired with the footage of Paul flying the Ornithopter through the sand storm gave me goosebumps, felt straight out of a making-of bonus feature or somethin'. Fantastic video, incredibly informative and well put-together.
Mad Max: Fury Road had an amazing soundtrack too. While less ambient since it’s mostly action, but the music and sound effects also compliment each other
One problem I have with a lot of contemporary soundscapes is that people don't understand silence anymore. Thus the music is constantly present to interpret the scene. Likewise the sound. I know how to build many layers of sound. But sometimes the best use of sound is its absence, especially when there is too much constantly going on. Hitchcock understood silence. I often consider David Lynch as the accidental founder of the post-70s school of sound design. And he was such an artist with it that literally an album was made of his Eraserhead sound design. There is a great difference between sound design and actual air with ambient natural noise. I like both, but I think we need to get back to more reality. But I must say this was interesting. And sound is a huge component. I suspect what today's sound editors need to remember is that silence is a part of the palette as well. I kind of like empty 60s sound sometimes, where footsteps are all you hear in a hallway. And one sound effect that really should be retired is the 'subtle; crackling sound of someone smoking a cigarette. Thanks for this Thomas. Food for creative thought.
I didn’t even think about the sound design of the ornithopters that’s how good they are. Probably one of the most believable aspects of this absolutely unbelievable film.
Absolutely incredible and informative video! I've come to the realization in the past few years, as my passion for filmmaking intensifies, that actually the SOUND of what I'm seeing has a significant sway on my overall emotional connection to the moment. It's an area I think is extremely underappreciated and i'm so glad its highlighted here!
He's talking about recording sound like making brushes. You sometimes create your own, sometimes you use other's; but they all work in painting each stroke in a broader soundscape, bit by bit shaping the canvas to what you've envisioned. If you pulled all but one piece away, you'd get just a brush stroke - just one sample, but the layering of them creates a full piece.
Does anybody else notice that the person he’s interviewing has set up his computer to reflect onto his glasses a blue light that is perfectly aligned to give him the blue eyes of the Fremen? Haha awesome!
Beyond merely explaining why/how the soundscape in Dune is so great, your editing in this video truly helps to clarify and communicate HOW the soundscape brings things to life. It's like you painstakingly isolated the individual sound effects from the movie and spliced them over Mark's commentary and corresponding clips from the film so that we, the viewers, could directly hear the examples and impact of his commentary in real-time. Like you literally cut-together a custom "designer commentary" version of the film for those clips. I'm quite new to your channel, but as someone interested in cinematic studies (albeit for gamedev), the high quality of your content sets a high bar to aspire to and opens my mind to just how effective I could eventually become at my craft. Seriously, thank you so very much for the effort and passion you put into your work. We all deeply appreciate it. Liked and subscribed good sir.
"It sounds like it should" is really spot on for how I felt about it. So mini story. I got a ticket for Dune on opening day. And as it happens, my brother was off work. He was looking to move soon, so it was a nice opportunity to see a film. As it also happens, people must have been under the impression that it'd be packed, because nobody else showed up for that early showing. We had the entire auditorium to ourselves. It was *glorious*. The sound was half of what made me fall in love with the Thopters.
The depth and richness of exploration of your videos is so refreshingly satisfying... it makes me think of a chef who shows up to your table with pride and gives you the best of their kitchen. Thank you for carrying this medium to such fullness.
the sheer collective effort that goes into a film never fails to amaze me. what mangini and the rest of the crew were able to make is a ridiculous technical achievement, alone. not once did ever question the world of Arrakis or doubt that what I was witnessing was actually a movie and not an existing planet
one thing that struck me was that mark has the same attention to sound reverb as say a vfx artist pays attention to light. it never hit me that sound design ever had that layer of detail, how inricate and almost more crucial to the film, as great cgi would have. thanks for bringing your love of filmmaking to the internet
It's wonderful to hear these professionals speak so highly of Denis in regard to how much creative freedom and respect he gives them. Their work is essential and it's good to know that there's opportunity being given to them to truly excel.
10:50 So sound designers strive to record as much new sound as possible, yet just about every film made in the last 70 years uses the Wilhelm Scream at some point. The urge to meme (in the Dawkinian sense) overrides even strongest creative urges eventually lol.
I think the Wilhelm Scream is a meme in a more colloquial sense than Dawkinian; it's a silly stock that they keep passing around as joke, not a piece of information that changes as it is passed on.
Sound is so under appreciated in movies. People take for granted that for decades movies didn't have sound. Sound is the second most used scent our brain uses so its very important to get it right when making a movie.
Hey Thomas do you think you'll ever do some livestreams in the future? Saw Shawn from The Canvas do one recently and thought it was a good place for discussion and was pretty fun too. Also interviews or conversations with other guys interpreting art on youtube would be great too. Better Than Food, Leaf by Leaf, The Cinema Cartography I really like. Conversations between people in different artforms/mediums is really interesting
This is so cool! Dune is absolutely one of my favorite movies ever and it's always incredible to see behind the scenes and what went into making it such a masterpiece.
Mark's reaction to how "natural" the ornithopters sound was so adorable! Just discovered Thomas's channel and I'm loving the analyses and explanations!
Watched both Dune and 2049 multiple times for the sound design. Since began in working in audio a few years ago and I can now somethings hear the stock sounds and often pick up lines that were recorded in a booth after. Breathtaking and a goal to aspire towards in my own work. Thank you for this fantastic video.
14:55 This is really interesting. I know a lot of people have issues with this kind of massive layered sound mixing, but I love it so much. I love the way I can get pushed along like in a big wave in the ocean 17:30 I love this too. I only have a shallow understanding of 3D modelling, but I can look around and see how something could be broken down into geometry. Love to see that happens fro sound designers as well
Mark's passion for his work comes out, but hey, his work stands upon it's own merits. The sound, from Paul and Jessica's perspective during the sandstorm was for me one of the most visceral in the movie. The hammering, not of rain, but thousands of specks of sand was for me aurally claustrophobic. Am realising that the credit should be given to Mark.
I saw this video and thought this was a sound design channel. That's 100% a compliment. This was a fantastically in-depth interview and analysis. Also, I just want to say that Bladerunner 2049 has maybe the best gun sound (K's pistol) of any movie I've ever seen. Keep up the great work!
Stuff like this is exactly why I need a partner that will get into a scene with me, pause, discuss, rewind, discuss some more, and continue watching. I care about everything from the costume choice, to the placement of certain objects, to the seemingly quiet background noise. My biggest pet peeve is when someone tells me it's not that deep, or something along those lines. Yes. Yes it is. Most everything is intentional and geeking out over those details is fun for me. Thank you for another amazing video. Between you, The Corridor Crew, and Modern Gurlz, I get to fuel up on film analysis.
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Absolutely wonderful video, Thomas. Fascinating. You're still the very best here on RUclips, man, and I'm so happy for you that you're getting the chance to meet and talk to people in the movie business that are producing some of the most unique and original work out there.
Great stuff 👍👍👍
I love how the new Dune looks, except for this flying vehicle.
Logically it makes no sense. No sense! They have anti-gravity. Anti-gravity means flying vehicles without wings, rotors, or propellers.
So. They have AG, but they use wings? As I said. No sense.
05:05 Overlay that part with the yawn sound!
ag vehicles in dune require spice and those navigators bruh@@oldi184
Don't forget ornecopters are biologically driven, no AI/computing mashins.
I wish someone loved me as much as Thomas loves the technical aspects of Dune
It’s so rude that Dude was the year of the Oscars where all the technical awards were given separately.
@@jinxshadow5218 It's rude to ever do it in my mind. This interview proves how hard these people work and how impressive their work is (and in cases like this I'd argue the VFX and sound are what makes the movie work). They'd get like 2 minutes in the spotlight they should have let them have it
I misread part of the comment at first as thomas the technichal. Now im imagining a big blue pick-up truck with a smiling face full of soldiers shooting and fighting over an oil feild.
@@Charles37400 Thomas the technical and his suicide bombing friends.
I do 😊
this video made me realize that hearing artists talk about their art with enthusiasm is always so fascinating, ive never really cared about sound effects in any film ive watched or any video game ive played, but hearing mark mangini talk about his skill and elaborating his talent with such passion was such a relaxing watch
The people that worked on this movie are all at the top of their game
Most never stop to think about sound effects and engineering - yet we don't realize how much they impact us.
You don’t realize how important they are until they’re not there or they’re of lower quality
It's amazing how many people treat their senses like optional DLC, they're just out there wandering about aloof to all around them.
I hear you
Whatever the ‘mystical’ sound cue from The Fifth Element has stuck with me though. You know the one
One more reason that Dune's sounds feel so natural is that Mark Mangini is actually Fremen, as can be seen by his blue within blue eyes. Only he could do justice to it.
😂😂😂
Really fascinating to me that he mentioned that Denis wanted it to sound ‘like a documentary’, because someone asked me how to describe Dune and I said to them that the detail, ambience and environmental world building made it feel like a documentary. There is also a great video on here about how they did the sound design for Arrival, which is one of the best films ever in that regard
It reminds me about how George Lucas said he wanted 'Star Wars' to have a documentary aesthetic; before then, sci-fi movies had a sterile and stylised aesthetic, and 'Star Wars' made everything feel broken down and used. Working with Ben Burtt, who he had previously collaborated with on 'THX-1138', they created something that audiences of the time had never seen, or heard, before.
I thought _The Gods Must Be Crazy_ was a documentary.
And then some people say that this movie doesn't follow the book. I love how the director pays attention to such details, as did Frank Herbert in his books
D.V. actually started out his working career as a documentary filmmaker for Radio-Canada (French division of CBC)! So I'm sure that his naturalistic approach to filmmaking isn't a coincidence.
At 3:57 when he said that it immediately sounded like what it should sound like. The sound producer smiled and said you made a new best friend was so wholesome.
God, I love when auteurs just get an outlet to geek out over their craft. It's always so fun to see while also being incredibly insightful
When I hear the score seamlessly blend itself into the ambient sounds of the seawall scene in BR2049, it's impossible for me to not have immediate goosebumps. It's hauntingly beautiful, and one of my favorites of all time.
I am convinced that we need to talk more and more about cinematic language; both to make people understand how much creativity everyone can express (even in aspects that are usually seen superficially as sound design), but also to remember that Cinema is also: technique at the service of story. Too often today I find myself seeing blockbusters that make little use of their own languages: confused editing, anonymous soundtracks, very standard camera-work and so on... And for me it's really boring. Instead, it is satisfying to see authors like Villeneuve who give space to creatives and exploit all the languages in non-obvious ways to tell the story in the best way.
So... We have to thank you for the work you do.
Rings of Power in a nutshell
Not tryna be rude, but there is nothing remotely superficial about Sound Design, Audio Editing, Mixing, & Mastering just because of the lazy tentpole movies you mentioned as well as the apathy, or even hatred, that many filmmakers have for the aural arts. If those things were superficial, then silent films would be more popular than sound films.
@@BaldPerspective I was referring to the fact that in general the public sees sound design as something superficial, of little importance, just a couple of sounds to record and put together... While in reality, as you point out, the work is there and it is much more complex. Furthermore, it is undeniable that every film certainly has a great deal of work behind it, it is also obvious, however, that in certain cases there is much more care or even "experimentation" than other more standard or approximate films. As I said in the other comment, when I find myself with a "standard" film that seems to have come out of an algorithm, that has an anonymous soundtrack or a confused editing, very often I realize that that composer or editor has made other valid films, so I realize that the problem sometimes doesn't even lie with the professionals themselves, but with the production that evidently wants a more "mediocre" or standard type of work.
Sometimes, however, it is also a problem of the director who fails to enhance individual aspects and a fantastic work is obscured and not elevated. Mine was just a clarification: it's better to have a director with a clear, precise vision who surrounds himself with professionals and who exploits cinematographic languages rather than a more standard film, lacking in languages that doesn't know how to exploit them and wants to offer me a couple of hours of fun without actually having fun.
What we really need is for people to stop just pointing this out and instead go into the industry if they are this passionate.
@@deadeyeduncan5022 The problem is that there are already professionals and creatives in the industry, only that they are often not considered or receive meager budgets because so many producers are busy making superhero films or series on fantasy sagas. Consider Coppola's latest film for example, which he had to produce entirely on his own. The industry follows the market, but if the public also changes or at least understands that cinema needs continuous evolution and the use of language, then the industry changes too.
Mangini and the Dune team absolutely deserved to win the Oscar for Best Sound.
shout out to the man on the right that was translating for deaf people 0:57
the sound artist's reaction after being told that the sounds he makes are so natural makes me feel happy inside
I absolutely LOVE sound. And when it's done right. This is a fantastic interview / essay gives credit to those sound magicians. For my short film, Banshee, we literally acted out a bunch of the BG foley for high intensity scenes and it was a blast. It gave the film a huge sense of realism to the world we created that involved a spirit monster.
As a sound designer student, I thank you for this video. People really do not appreciate this art in films or other medias as much as it really deserves
Sound is such a big part of why 2020 Dune is such a masterpiece, including the Hans Zimmer score.
It grabbed me from the get-go. I rave to everyone now about they need to experience Dune, as much to listen to it as to see it!
You're absolutely correct. I just rewatched it, big screen, big sound system and no chattering audience. The first time I came at it like a long time Dune fan, critical of the story/visual interpretation. But I totally failed to see the whole. Now on second viewing its growing on me like Bladerunner did. I look forward to many more viewings, each of growing enjoyment.
I love how much Mark seems to really love his work.
easily one of your best videos, thomas. mark is such an inspiring sound designer, and like he said at the end, dune is such an immersive experience that outweighs the level of immersion that i’ve experienced with so many other films. it’s so special, and it’s because of people like mark and denis that work so hard at making sure the sound design is not only real, but fresh and familiar.
On the topic of sound libraries, I have on several occasions been pulled out of a scene by the super recognizable stock sound of a door opening. It might as well be an Inception horn blast.
the sound effect of a door opening and closing in silent hill is extremely recognizable, and ive heard that exact sound effect in so many other films and tv shows with huge budgets, it always pulls me out of the scene and brings me back to silent hill
For me it’s the wilhelm scream. I hate it every time I hear it 😆
@@yovelnaomi8416 yeah, but that's at least self aware to a degree. But I agree it's annoying.
If you insist on creating original sounds for your work, but also sell your sound library then aren't you driven by economic gain rather than artistic integrity? It's simply job security.
There are a few door sounds and page-turning sounds that I recognize constantly in movies.
I didn't think it was possible for me to love Dune any more, but this video had me grinning ear to ear. Such a wonderful interview and such an inspiring artist!
couldn't have said it better myself! this video made the whole movie so much more rich. I believe I'll go watch it again hahaha
What an excellent director Denis is, to be co-operating with the immense skill of people like Mark to enhance his films. If only Christopher Nolan could learn a thing or two about sound mixing for dialogue scenes now.
Sound design is often criminally underrated.
I love that sound designers actually talk about sound design and that people are actually interested. I've been hunting for a breakdown on the Ghostbusters proton pack startup sound and the Batmobile's, Luke's Landspeeder and DeLorean's laboured engine whine for years now and nobody knows their true origin. The proton pack is completely devoid of detail, while the DeLorean's engine sound has so many different origin stories, that I don't know what to believe.
Loved the interview aspect of this. Also very well edited using samples from each movie. Great job.
as an animator and compositor, I absolutely love matching effects and movements to existing sounds. there's usually a final sound pass afterwards, so it's a wonderful back-and-forth
Watching interviews with Mark has made me realize the artistry of it. In this video in particular, I’m downright moved by how he speaks of it. I’m so happy you had the opportunity to interview him! And I’m so happy he was in the presence of someone so obviously appreciative and nerdy about his work.
You know I never even thought about the sound of a ornothropter because it just seemed so right and natural.
Dude, you’re a fantastic editor
i screamed YES! like five times watching this. i loved the way u explained ambient soundscapes and the interview w ur new best friend was so engaging! "Denis empowers the sound designers to think musically and the composer to think sonically" that's so slay i'd never thought about mixing like that
The realism of the sound of the ornithopter amazed me. Somewhat ironically, it was so good it pulled me out of the flow for a moment while I wondered at its "realism". I'm so happy to hear the artist talk about it.
love that the blue reflection of his screen makes mark mangini's eyes look blue like spice.
I like how Mark's glasses reflected light just right to almost consistently give him the eyes of Ibad.
"Wanted it to sound like a documentary". Damn, that's exactly how I'd describe the sound design!
3:30 the sounds always remind me of WW2 bomber formations, I think it’s the low humming sound when they fly past the screen
I rewatched Dune yesterday and waited to watch this this video afterwards. SO GOOD! The more amazing interviews like this, with members of his team. the more I realize he's really one of the best directors working today!
As a fellow sound engineer, thank you so much for bringing attention to the detailed work we do when it comes to making a picture come to life!!
*Everyone is always looking at the actors/actress of a movie. After that comes the director and that's it. No one really talks about that every single human who worked on a movie like Dune or Blade Runner 2049 is a special participant whos work made the movie what it is today. I really admire everyone, from the cinematographer, to the composer to the lightning guys and even the make up artist. Thanks to everyone who is giving all their got to bring us such movies!
How gratifying it is to see a creative person's face light up when their creation bears fruit.
I love that the reflection of Mark's monitor on his glasses makes his eyes look bright blue. Wonder if that was intentional
3:45 dude must eat a lot of spice to do what he does. He even has the blue eyes of Ibad
Hahaha he really does though.
Thomas, thank you for this video. What a true gift to hear from a master such as Mark. Also thank you for your continued dissection of the technical brilliance behind Dune. We were really given such a cinematic landmark with it.
I just love how the monitor reflection in his glasses gives the illusion that he has the spice infused Eyes of Ibad
Creating sounds for movie _sounds_ like an awesome job
He's so right about how we notice sounds without knowing. Everytime i hear a car door close and it's the one from Supernatural, I snap out of the movie so fast
I saw dune part 2 today and the thing that most pulled me into the film was the sound. For me the riding of the sand worms was electrifying.
This man is so happy, I wish the best in life for him.
Thomas this video is so amazing!!! I’ve had the pleasure of interviewing Mark as well, he’s such a kind and thoughtful interviewee. Thank you so much for this video!
You're absolutely right Mark was such a great interviewee! Really appreciate him sharing his insight and experience!
I’m someone just getting into sound design for fun. Your video was extremely informative thanks 🙏
Love this peek under the hood of Bladerunner 2049 and DUNC. (I say DUNC lovingly. Ribbing the font choice, but also to immediately distinguish the movie from Lynch's Dune.) I'd certainly be interested in seeing an extended interview with Mark Mangini.
DUNC
I wasn’t really conscious of it until now but I remember when we first had “water cooler” conversations about Dune after first seeing it, it was about the sounds. The ornithopters and the worm confronting Paul scene particularly.
Hi Thomas!! In the small chance that you read this comment I just wanted to say thank you for all your videos. As an aspiring filmmaker in High School, your videos fuel my passion for cinema. I actually recently created a short animated film with my friend Justin Dawson which we posted on this channel and made into various festivals, and just got it on Letterboxd on Christmas (woohoo!) but we made it with zero budget and zero resources (literally all drawing and Premiere Pro). I was just wondering what you thought the best way to learn filmmaking was: for example, film school, trying to get on sets, RUclips, online courses or books? Anyways, thank you so much!
The best ways I've found to learn is by 1. Doing it yourself and 2. reading or listening to filmmakers (not just directors) talk about how they work through interviews/commentary tracks etc.
@@ThomasFlight Thank you! That’s so helpful. :)
I love the recognition for ALL the artists it takes to make a film
mark mangini was so adorable. love when artists get excited about their work like that
I like how blue light reflects in Mark's eyes, so he looks like a real freeman
9:18 the blue monitor reflects in the eyes giving a fremen blue eye effect.
Wowzas, Mark's final monologue about immersion in sound design paired with the footage of Paul flying the Ornithopter through the sand storm gave me goosebumps, felt straight out of a making-of bonus feature or somethin'. Fantastic video, incredibly informative and well put-together.
Mad Max: Fury Road had an amazing soundtrack too. While less ambient since it’s mostly action, but the music and sound effects also compliment each other
One problem I have with a lot of contemporary soundscapes is that people don't understand silence anymore. Thus the music is constantly present to interpret the scene. Likewise the sound. I know how to build many layers of sound. But sometimes the best use of sound is its absence, especially when there is too much constantly going on. Hitchcock understood silence. I often consider David Lynch as the accidental founder of the post-70s school of sound design. And he was such an artist with it that literally an album was made of his Eraserhead sound design. There is a great difference between sound design and actual air with ambient natural noise. I like both, but I think we need to get back to more reality. But I must say this was interesting. And sound is a huge component. I suspect what today's sound editors need to remember is that silence is a part of the palette as well. I kind of like empty 60s sound sometimes, where footsteps are all you hear in a hallway. And one sound effect that really should be retired is the 'subtle; crackling sound of someone smoking a cigarette.
Thanks for this Thomas. Food for creative thought.
I didn’t even think about the sound design of the ornithopters that’s how good they are. Probably one of the most believable aspects of this absolutely unbelievable film.
Absolutely incredible and informative video! I've come to the realization in the past few years, as my passion for filmmaking intensifies, that actually the SOUND of what I'm seeing has a significant sway on my overall emotional connection to the moment. It's an area I think is extremely underappreciated and i'm so glad its highlighted here!
He's talking about recording sound like making brushes. You sometimes create your own, sometimes you use other's;
but they all work in painting each stroke in a broader soundscape, bit by bit shaping the canvas to what you've envisioned.
If you pulled all but one piece away, you'd get just a brush stroke - just one sample, but the layering of them creates a full piece.
Does anybody else notice that the person he’s interviewing has set up his computer to reflect onto his glasses a blue light that is perfectly aligned to give him the blue eyes of the Fremen? Haha awesome!
Beyond merely explaining why/how the soundscape in Dune is so great, your editing in this video truly helps to clarify and communicate HOW the soundscape brings things to life. It's like you painstakingly isolated the individual sound effects from the movie and spliced them over Mark's commentary and corresponding clips from the film so that we, the viewers, could directly hear the examples and impact of his commentary in real-time. Like you literally cut-together a custom "designer commentary" version of the film for those clips. I'm quite new to your channel, but as someone interested in cinematic studies (albeit for gamedev), the high quality of your content sets a high bar to aspire to and opens my mind to just how effective I could eventually become at my craft. Seriously, thank you so very much for the effort and passion you put into your work. We all deeply appreciate it. Liked and subscribed good sir.
Thomas Flight putting out extremely high quality, informative, youtube videos as usual.
Thank you for defining city sound difference. I hope that helps people appreciate the little details that can make or break a scene.
"It sounds like it should" is really spot on for how I felt about it.
So mini story. I got a ticket for Dune on opening day. And as it happens, my brother was off work. He was looking to move soon, so it was a nice opportunity to see a film. As it also happens, people must have been under the impression that it'd be packed, because nobody else showed up for that early showing.
We had the entire auditorium to ourselves. It was *glorious*. The sound was half of what made me fall in love with the Thopters.
Fantastic video Thomas!! Always love your explorations into sound! Thanks for continuing to inspire us with these videos!
The depth and richness of exploration of your videos is so refreshingly satisfying... it makes me think of a chef who shows up to your table with pride and gives you the best of their kitchen. Thank you for carrying this medium to such fullness.
Great video, thanks Thomas!!!
the sheer collective effort that goes into a film never fails to amaze me. what mangini and the rest of the crew were able to make is a ridiculous technical achievement, alone. not once did ever question the world of Arrakis or doubt that what I was witnessing was actually a movie and not an existing planet
one thing that struck me was that mark has the same attention to sound reverb as say a vfx artist pays attention to light. it never hit me that sound design ever had that layer of detail, how inricate and almost more crucial to the film, as great cgi would have. thanks for bringing your love of filmmaking to the internet
Mark Mangini talks about sound design the way that fantasy and sci-fi authors talk about worldbuilding and it absolutely rules.
It's wonderful to hear these professionals speak so highly of Denis in regard to how much creative freedom and respect he gives them. Their work is essential and it's good to know that there's opportunity being given to them to truly excel.
10:50 So sound designers strive to record as much new sound as possible, yet just about every film made in the last 70 years uses the Wilhelm Scream at some point. The urge to meme (in the Dawkinian sense) overrides even strongest creative urges eventually lol.
I think the Wilhelm Scream is a meme in a more colloquial sense than Dawkinian; it's a silly stock that they keep passing around as joke, not a piece of information that changes as it is passed on.
sound designers don't have a favorite band or singer. they have a favorite ASMR
Sound is so under appreciated in movies. People take for granted that for decades movies didn't have sound. Sound is the second most used scent our brain uses so its very important to get it right when making a movie.
I think it's cool that Mark Mangini's glasses make his eyes look blue, like he's been on spice listening to cats purr for days.
Hey Thomas do you think you'll ever do some livestreams in the future? Saw Shawn from The Canvas do one recently and thought it was a good place for discussion and was pretty fun too. Also interviews or conversations with other guys interpreting art on youtube would be great too. Better Than Food, Leaf by Leaf, The Cinema Cartography I really like. Conversations between people in different artforms/mediums is really interesting
I've been thinking about it!
This video is incredible! You’re very fortunate to have interviewed Mark Mangini
This is so cool! Dune is absolutely one of my favorite movies ever and it's always incredible to see behind the scenes and what went into making it such a masterpiece.
Videos like this really help you appreciate how much hard work it takes to build a great film.
Mark's reaction to how "natural" the ornithopters sound was so adorable!
Just discovered Thomas's channel and I'm loving the analyses and explanations!
0:16 legit thought this was someone trying to make a helicopter noise with their mouth lmfao
Your tone of voice is why I keep coming. There are a lot of bright analysts out there but your voice sounds like how a great cup of joe tastes.
Watched both Dune and 2049 multiple times for the sound design.
Since began in working in audio a few years ago and I can now somethings hear the stock sounds and often pick up lines that were recorded in a booth after.
Breathtaking and a goal to aspire towards in my own work. Thank you for this fantastic video.
14:55 This is really interesting. I know a lot of people have issues with this kind of massive layered sound mixing, but I love it so much. I love the way I can get pushed along like in a big wave in the ocean
17:30 I love this too. I only have a shallow understanding of 3D modelling, but I can look around and see how something could be broken down into geometry. Love to see that happens fro sound designers as well
Very nice and interesting interview. Thanks.
I love the effort, process and the end product of how it turns out, from words to visuals and sounds. Thank you!
This was absolutely fantastic. Thank you for sharing the conversation!
12:17 oh i LOVE when the sound blends right into the score!
I love the way that sound designer thinks which is why his sounds are incredible.
I like how they had a dude translating a conversation about sound in sign language at 1:03
... must be a hard job to do lol
Mark's passion for his work comes out, but hey, his work stands upon it's own merits.
The sound, from Paul and Jessica's perspective during the sandstorm was for me one of the most visceral in the movie. The hammering, not of rain, but thousands of specks of sand was for me aurally claustrophobic.
Am realising that the credit should be given to Mark.
Fantastic interview. I love when he says that sound designers pour emotion into every sound just as writers pour emotion into every word.
I love his blue, within blue eyes. 5:10
He must have had a lot of spice melange while he was recording the sounds for the movie.
Thomas, your love of cinema is so abundantly clear and infectious. Thank you for educating us on so many technical topics.
Thank you for the great interview.
Funny how M. Mangini has Ibad's eyes depending on where he looks.
Sound is possibly the most overlooked art in film, which is super unfortunate since it's one of the most important ones. Mark Mangini is a legend.
Just noticed there's a deaf interpreter translating a sound artist speaking about the sounds he created for a movie
I saw this video and thought this was a sound design channel. That's 100% a compliment. This was a fantastically in-depth interview and analysis. Also, I just want to say that Bladerunner 2049 has maybe the best gun sound (K's pistol) of any movie I've ever seen. Keep up the great work!
Stuff like this is exactly why I need a partner that will get into a scene with me, pause, discuss, rewind, discuss some more, and continue watching. I care about everything from the costume choice, to the placement of certain objects, to the seemingly quiet background noise. My biggest pet peeve is when someone tells me it's not that deep, or something along those lines. Yes. Yes it is. Most everything is intentional and geeking out over those details is fun for me. Thank you for another amazing video. Between you, The Corridor Crew, and Modern Gurlz, I get to fuel up on film analysis.
You'd love film school then 😄