In a special edition of the podcast, remastered audio of our 2014 interview with Howie Weed, long time artist at ILM, who tells us about blowing up the Enterprise, a recipe for fake blood, mass producing Gremlins, an alligator, alien probes, and his turn as the Special Edition Wampa in the Special Edition of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back.

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The Optical 023 - Howie Weed Remastered

A journey back through the annals of Cinefex magazine, talking about the movies and topics they covered 30+ years ago. We'll talk to people involved in the films, people who make movies, and people who love movies, and hopefully have a fun time doing it.

TV & Film

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/026 (coming soon)

We explore the fascinating history of sound in films — the trial and error that led from silent films to the first talkies — with Fritzi Kramer of Movies Silently. Fritzi also suggests some silent VFX films, and we catch up with good news about former Cinefex publisher Don Shay.

Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine.

Subscribe to the Podcast


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Sponsors


Cinefex magazine --- The journal of cinematic illusions.


Features


Movies Silently
The Blue Bird (1918)
The Whispering Chorus (1918)
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1916)
The Burning Crucible (1923)
The Lost World (1925)
The Penalty (1920)
Follow along with our List on Letterboxd, featuring films we've covered, and upcoming films to watch.


Guests


Fritzi Kramer, the founder of Movies Silently, a blog dedicated to making silent films fun and accessible to newcomers.


Music


All tracks by Digital Droo


More Bits


See http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/026 for complete show notes.


As ever


The Optical theme by Digital Droo
The Optical "aperture" logo by Mike Gower


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The Optical 026 - The Advent of Sound

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/025

Star Trek Beyond is currently playing in a new immersive super-widescreen theatrical format called Barco Escape. For details about the presentation format, we chat with Ted Schilowitz, Barco Escape’s Chief Creative Officer and the Resident Futurist at 20th Century Fox.

Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine.

Subscribe to the Podcast


Subscribe in iTunes
Follow on Soundcloud
Enhanced AAC podcast feed
MP3 podcast feed


Sponsors


Cinefex magazine — The journal of cinematic illusions.


Features


Barco Escape
Star Trek Beyond (2016)
Follow along with our List on Letterboxd, featuring films we’ve covered, and upcoming films to watch.


Guests


Ted Schilowitz, Barco Escape’s Chief Creative Officer and the Resident Futurist at 20th Century Fox


Music


All tracks by Digital Droo


More Bits


See http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/025 for complete show notes.


As ever


The Optical theme by Digital Droo
The Optical “aperture” logo by Mike Gower


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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theoptical/message

The Optical 025 - Barco Escape

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/024

We talk with Jenn Bentz, IMAX Projectionist at Pacific Science Center, about the IMAX projection experience, the move from film to DLP to LASER, and her experience running the Hateful Eight 70mm roadshow.

Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine.

Subscribe to the Podcast


Subscribe in iTunes
Follow on Soundcloud
Podcast RSS feed


Sponsors


Cinefex magazine — The journal of cinematic illusions.


Features


IMAX
Pacific Science Center
Follow along with our List on Letterboxd, featuring films we’ve covered, and upcoming films to watch.


Guests

From the Pacific Science Center:


Jenn Bentz, IMAX Projectionist Supervisor & Audio/Visual Technician
David Dukard, IMAX Projectionist
Katelyn Del Buco, Public Relations Manager


Music


All tracks by Digital Droo


More Bits


See http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/024 for complete show notes and photos.


As ever


Dialog Editor, Joseph Ravenson
The Optical theme by Digital Droo
The Optical “aperture” logo by Mike Gower


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The Optical 024 - IMAX Projectionist Jenn Bentz

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/022

We talk about The Right Stuff with Joel Page, where at the height of excellent motion control camera work, the USFX team took the shots of supersonic jets and crashing capsules, and went in an entirely different direction.

Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine.

Subscribe to the Podcast

* Subscribe in iTunes

* Follow on Soundcloud

* Enhanced AAC podcast feed

* MP3 podcast feed

Sponsors

* Cinefex magazine — The journal of cinematic illusions.

Features

* The Right Stuff (1983)

* Follow along with our List on Letterboxd, featuring films we’ve covered, and upcoming films to watch.

Guests

* Joel Page, Local know-it-all

Music

* All tracks by Digital Droo

Research Materials

* Cinefex 14 — October 1993, also available in the Cinefex iPad app

* Revisiting Cinefex (14): The Right Stuff, Brainstorm, Twilight Zone by Graham Edwards

More Bits

* See http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/022 for complete show notes.

As ever

* The Optical theme by Digital Droo

* The Optical “aperture” logo by Mike Gower

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Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theoptical/message

The Optical 023 - Howie Weed Remastered

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