The Optical 003 - Walter Murch, Sound Design, Saul Bass Title Design, Phase IV, Cinefex 3

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/003/

We chat with TV writer and producer Ian Brier about Walter Murch’s early sound design for THX 1138, American Graffiti, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now, as well as Saul Bass’ science fiction film Phase IV, interview Scott Leberecht and Christina Lee Storm about Life After Pi and the current state of the VFX industry, and talk with MK12 partner Ben Radatz about Saul Bass’ career in title design.

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

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Sponsor

* Cinefex magazine — The journal of cinematic illusions.

Features

* Walter Murch’s sound design for THX 1138, American Graffiti, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now

* Life After Pi

* The title design of Saul Bass

* Phase IV

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

Guests

* Ian Brier — Television Writer and Producer, and Walter Murch aficionado.

* Scott Leberecht and Christina Lee Storm — documentary filmmakers

* Ben Radatz — co-founder of MK12, experimental filmmaker, designer, and writer

Music

All tracks by Digital Droo

Research Materials

* Cinefex 3 — December 1980

* Revisiting Cinefex (3): Empire, Walter Murch and Phase IV by Graham Edwards

* In the Blink of an Eye by Walter Murch

* The Conversations: Walter Murch and the Art of Editing Film by Michael Ondaatje

* Saul Bass: A Life in Film and Design by Jennifer Bass and Pat Kirkham

* Art of the Title - Saul Bass

* Art of the Title - MK12, including the Quantum of Solace titles

More bits

* Gravity wins Oscar for Best Visual Effects

* On the Media: Wilhelm — the history of the Wilhelm scream

* Quintaphonic sound, and also a mention on the Quadraphonic sound page on Wikipedia

* Heart of Darkness (the book) by Joseph Conrad, first published in 1899, about a trip up the river in Africa at the turn of the century, and Kurtz is an ivory trader.

* Hearts of Darkness - A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (the documentary) featuring on-location home movies shot in the Philippines by Eleanor Coppola during the production of Apocalypse Now.

* Jim Morrisson at UCLA

* VFX Artists March at Dolby Theater

* Modus VFX firm goes out of business as of March 6, 2014.

* VFX Soldier

* Maurice Binder, Pablo Ferro, Iginio Lardani, and Daniel Kleinman, title designers

* Lissajous curve — “Not to be confused with spirographs, which are generally enclosed by a circular boundary, whereas Lissajous curves are enclosed by rectangular boundaries.”

* The Life of John Whitney, Computer Animation Pioneer

* “Catalog” 1961 — “John Whitney’s demo reel of work created with his analog computer/film camera magic machine he built from a WWII anti-aircraft gun sight.” You can see some lissajous figures around the 5:50 mark that, if slowed down, look much like some of the curves seen in the Vertigo titles.

* Filming the Invisible, showcasing the nature photography of Ken Middleham.

* Saul Bass’ Lost Original Ending for Phase IV Discovered in Los Angeles

Special Thanks

* Eric Alba

* Scot Byrd

* Ian Albinson at Art of the Title

As ever

* The Optical theme by Digital Droo

* The Optical “aperture” logo by Mike Gower

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