How do you make a short film sound big on a small budget? Recorded live at Aspen Shortsfest 2025, Glenn sits down with filmmakers Lindon Feng & Hannah Palumbo (“A Bear Remembers”), Louis Bhose (“The Cost of Hugging”), and Elham Ehsas (“There Will Come Soft Rains”) to explore the art of creative sound design for short films.

From crafting immersive soundscapes to collaborating with sound designers and mixers under tight deadlines, this panel reveals how powerful sound choices can transform a story — even with limited resources.

Whether you’re a filmmaker, sound designer, film student, or just love behind-the-scenes insights on filmmaking, this conversation is full of practical tips and creative inspiration for making your short film sound unforgettable.

Many thanks to Community College of Aurora (CCA), Department of Cinematic Arts, who filmed and recorded this panel discussion for us:

- Sourthearak Duong - Camera Operator

- KC Bowlan - Gaffer

- Sofia Race - Camera Operator

- Makayla Levy - Production Audio Mixer

- Matt Baxter - Editor

And thank you to the folks at Aspen Film:

- Aaron Koehler - Director

- Morgan Witt - Production Coordinator

Thanks as well to Colorado Mountain College for their production support:

- Bruna Batista Rosa

- Andy Garay

- Madi Rochon

- Theo Corwin

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Emmy Award®-nominated Director Philip Barantini and fellow nominees — including cinematographer Matthew Lewis and the sound team of James Drake, Jules Woods, Rob Entwistle, and Kiff McManus — join us this week to discuss the making of “Adolescence,” Netflix’s hit limited series. Nominated for thirteen Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series, the show’s four episodes were each filmed as single, continuous takes, creating a gripping real-time experience for viewers — and offering some unexpected advantages for the filmmakers.

“For Netflix, it was very different for them because… they're very limited in what notes you can give. You can't say, ‘I think that scene needs to move to a different location’ or whatever. It's literally got to be performance notes… And so, they were fantastic. Netflix were just amazing, really, really amazing partners.”

—Philip Barantini, Director, Executive Producer, “Adolescence”

Joining today’s conversation:

- Philip Barantini, Director, Executive Producer

- Matthew Lewis, Director of Photography, Camera Operator

- James Drake, Supervising Sound Editor, Re-Recording Mixer

- Jules Woods, AMPS, CAS, Re-Recording Mixer

- Rob Entwistle, AMPS, Production Sound Mixer

- Kiff McManus, AMPS, Production Sound Mixer

Be sure to check out “Adolescence,” now streaming on Netflix, in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos®.

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You can also check out the video for this episode on YouTube.

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Academy Award®-winning composer Michael Giacchino returns to Dolby Creator Talks to discuss his bold and emotional score for “The Fantastic Four: First Steps.” In this in-depth conversation with guest host Jon Burlingame, Giacchino shares how he approached scoring one of Marvel’s most iconic franchises, including how he balanced moments of sweeping sincerity with all that pulpy fun.

“All I could think of in my head was like, if I took ‘The Right Stuff’ and if I took the Disneyland Electric Light Parade and smashed them together… that's gonna give us our ‘Fantastic Four’ music. And so I went right to town, over a year ago, on this theme. Which is something you never, ever get to do as a composer. It's so rare that you get to write a piece of music so early on.”

—Michael Giacchino, Composer, “The Fantastic Four: First Steps”

Be sure to check out “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” now playing 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 on YouTube.

Check out Michael Giacchino’s previous appearances on the Dolby podcast:

- War for the Planet of the Apes - https://youtu.be/IMoypCm9pEc

- The Sound and Music of The Batman - https://youtu.be/uZ_3Kdm_ZhE

- The Making of Marvel’s Werewolf by Night - https://youtu.be/vVALDtPJyss

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Composers John Murphy and David Fleming join guest host Jon Burlingame to discuss their original score for “Superman,” directed by James Gunn. In this two-part conversation, Murphy and Fleming share their personal connections to the character, the emotional and thematic goals of the music, and the creative process of scoring an iconic superhero story for a new generation. They also reflect on the legacy of John Williams’s original theme and how it influenced their approach.

“Everyone who works in film music reveres John Williams, and that score is kind of a gem of film music. So to be asked to explore the DNA of that theme was a privilege, but definitely a humbling privilege. You are confronted with this truly iconic theme… But at the same time, there still felt like there was a lot to explore within the confines of that theme… I remember, I was having a meeting with James [Gunn] and I said, the part of the John Williams theme that always really touched me is the end… There's something about it that's hopeful. Really, really hopeful. And I started playing around with it with some different chords, and I could tell James was getting sort of moved by it. It felt like we were discovering something and finding something new that fit his Clark Kent and his Superman, as well.”

—David Fleming, Composer, “Superman”

Be sure to check out “Superman,” now playing 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 on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Director Gareth Edwards returns to Dolby Creator Talks to discuss “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” the latest installment in the iconic dinosaur franchise. He and his sound team share how they crafted the film’s breathtaking sonic landscape — along with the challenges of an accelerated production schedule, and why that constraint ultimately proved creatively liberating.

“Normally, on a movie like this, from the day you first get contacted… to the day you go, ‘OK, we’re finished,’ it’s about two-and-a-half years. And this was a year-and-a-quarter! Jabez [Olssen], who’s our editor, he put a quote on the door of the edit suite… It was [from] Leonard Bernstein, and it said something like, ‘Art is when you have a plan but not quite enough time.’ And there was something about that idea of when there isn’t time to mess around — you can’t experiment like crazy, you gotta go with your first gut instinct — something interesting happens. And I’m half-tempted now, in all future contracts to make another film, to ask, ‘Whatever schedule you’re considering, can you just halve it?’”

—Gareth Edwards, Director, “Jurassic World: Rebirth”

Joining today’s conversation:

- Gareth Edwards - Director

- Tim Nielsen - Sound Designer and Supervising Sound Editor

- Bjørn Ole Schroeder - Supervising Sound Editor

- Pete Horner - Re-recording Mixer

Be sure to check out “Jurassic World: Rebirth,” now playing 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 on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

When director Joe Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer set out to make “F1,” their goal was to create the most authentic Formula One film ever made. Recorded in person at Skywalker Sound, this episode features the sound team behind the film, who share how they brought that vision to life. They discuss the extraordinary lengths they went to in order to craft a visceral, true-to-life experience for racing fans and everyday viewers alike — while also highlighting the invaluable support they received from the production and the film’s director, Joe Kosinski.

“I would say Joe is the grand master at giving us these opportunities [to succeed]. God bless him, because he gets it. He knows you can’t just say, ‘I want this to be an authentic Formula One movie — figure it out.’ He was like, ‘We’re going to start early. We’re going to give you whatever resources you need. And everything is going to be 100% perfect.’ And he’s not like, ‘This has to be perfect.’ It’s just, ‘We’re going to do this together. What do you need? I’m going to help you. Let’s get going.’”

—Al Nelson, Supervising Sound Editor, “F1”

Joining today’s conversation:

- Al Nelson – Supervising sound editor/sound designer

- Juan Peralta – Re-recording mixer

- Gary Rizzo – Re-recording mixer

- Gwendolyn Yates Whittle – Supervising sound editor

Be sure to check out “F1,” 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 on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Composer Rob Simonsen joins guest host Jon Burlingame to discuss his sweeping and emotionally rich score for Pixar’s “Elio.” The composer shares how he approached scoring the story of a young boy making first contact with aliens, weaving together emotional warmth, cosmic wonder, and a sense of fun. He also discusses how Dolby Atmos® helped shape the immersive quality of the soundtrack, after being a bit of a skeptic of the technology at first.

“Scott Michael Smith, who recorded and mixed the score, said early on that we were going to record in Atmos, and that's really the way to do it… I have to admit, I was a little like, ‘eh, do we need to do Atmos? I don't know.’ And then Scott played me some Atmos files… and again, I am not being paid to say this. I was literally blown away… It gave me chills. I mean, I'm not sure what witchcraft is going on to make it as kind of amazing as it is, but I was really sold.”

—Rob Simonsen, Composer, “Elio”

Be sure to check out “Elio,” 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 on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Mix engineer Alex Gamble joins guest host Ben Givarz to discuss the creative and technical process behind mixing FKA twigs' new album Eusexua in Dolby Atmos®. He shares how his immersive mixes in Dolby Atmos enhance the record’s intimacy, rhythm, and vocal playfulness — pushing boundaries while staying true to FKA twigs’s artistic vision.

“At that [early] stage, where I’m assessing the stems versus the master, I’m not trying to go overboard to do an exact match — because things are going to change once I start panning things around. Timbre and transients, and things like that — they change depending on where you choose to pan things in an Atmos environment. Things came in sounding so great. The productions were great: very intimate, very cerebral. Really big scene changes in a lot of these songs… and a lot of glitchy, cool elements too. That’s one of the things I latched onto during my first listen… thinking, this is stuff that’ll really be interesting to pull into three dimensions and see if I can build upon the production.”

—Alex Gamble, Dolby Atmos Mix Engineer, Eusexua by FKA twigs

Stay connected!

- You can listen to FKA twigs - Eusexua as well as many other classic and contemporary artists in Dolby Atmos, on enabled streaming services.

- Follow FKA twigs on Instagram and YouTube

- Learn more about Alex Gamble and his studio

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/

Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks wherever you get your podcasts.

You can also check out the video for this episode on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

NOTE: This interview contains spoilers from both Black Mirror: “USS Callister” episodes.

Join us as we boldly go behind the scenes of Black Mirror: “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” with the creative team behind the episode. In this panel, the director, composer, supervising sound editor, and VFX supervisor share how they brought the nightmarish galaxy of Robert Daly back to life with bold visuals, cinematic music, and immersive sound, as well as the reasons why this became the very first Black Mirror sequel ever.

“It's really tricky when you come back and do a sequel of something. None of us wanted to work on something that was going to be any lesser than the original. And the original is… speaking for myself… the closest thing to a perfect episode. It has such a great beginning, middle and end. And it has such a great conclusion, it feels so wrapped up. Yet it's still a great launching point into a whole new recognizable world. But it's its own IP. And so I always knew that it had the potential to be a series or a sequel. I knew that I wanted to explore these characters in that world even further.”

—Toby Haynes, Director, Black Mirror: “USS Callister: Into Infinity”

Joining today’s conversation:

- Toby Haynes - Director

- Tom Jenkins - Supervising Sound Editor

- James MacLachlan - VFX Supervisor

- Daniel Pemberton - Composer

Be sure to check out Black Mirror: “USS Callister: Into Infinity,” now streaming on Netflix, 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 on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. 

Recorded live at Netflix HQ in Hollywood, this special FYSEE panel brings together the visionary sound teams behind four standout Netflix titles. This conversation explores how these sound artists crafted the unique sonic identities of each project and reveal how they worked with their directors, showrunners, and creators to craft the perfect balance of emotion, tension, and, of course, storytelling.

Panelists include:

 - James Drake — Supervising Sound Editor, “Adolescence”

 - Wylie Stateman — Sound Designer, “American Primeval”

 - Anne Jimkes-Root — Co-Supervising Sound Editor and Music Editor, “American Primeval”

 - Brad North — Supervising Sound Editor, “Love, Death + Robots,” Volume 4

 - Drew Webster — Re-recording Mixer, “Rebel Ridge”

Be sure to check out each of these titles now streaming on Netflix, in Dolby Vision® and Dolby Atmos® —

Adolescence

American Primeval

Love, Death + Robots, Volume 4

Rebel Ridge

Please subscribe to Dolby Creator Talks wherever you get your podcasts.

You can also check out the video for this episode on YouTube.

Learn more about the Dolby Creator Lab and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.