Sound Designer Ben Burtt Leaves Lucasfilm

Well can anyone point me to the bad editing in the PT they blame Burtt for, I've never really known what scenes people are referring to in that matter.

Now I suppose you'll tell me that Luke's lightsaber wasn't green, it's really blue and the green is just an illusion - replete with an article supporting how brilliant the digitization process is?

I don't think color timing was his responsibility. That was down to whoever was doing the grading/digital jiggery-pokery and Lucas .

g

 

I'm interested in hearing a comparison also.

 

It you want to lay waste to the sound mixing in the Prequels and the OT and Revenge, then you're wasting you're time going after Ben Burtt. He didn't do either. It was Tom Myers on the OT DVD's and Revenge.

 

Mandalorian has .wav files of the sound comparison.

Often, it is more of a case of moving sound to rear channels, or turning up SFX like beeps and whirrs and even adding some new ones (some for better, some for worse) and drowning the music. But more than once, the music is literally turned down in comparison to the THX and prior mixes.

The sound, mixed for 5.1, does come out more balanced on audiophile systems. Or if you switch to Dolby 2.0, it will help balance out what a less than $20,000 sound system would provide. But it doesn't fix it.

Often he switched audio tracks to left and right channels, when previously they were balanced - giving some very out of place movement across the board. The damage is the worst to the original film (imagine that) than to EMPIRE or RETURN.

I really don't see any need to defend whether or not a change exists. If you know and love the films - and have watched them literally into the hundreds of times - I find it amazing that you wouldn't notice.

If watching A NEW HOPE once a year or so is all you do, then you probably didn't pick it up. But this is a film which is a staple - it's almost like food and water for me - so I definitely hear it. And many other fans have as well -

 

It can't be ignored that Mr. Burtt wanted Nute Gunray to talk like the hosts from ESPN Sportscenter. Thankfully, he lost that battle.

Perhaps losing out on those kinds of things is what finally drove him away.

Having said that, he is a genius, and he will be sorely missed.

 

He was one of the best sound guys in the biz... but now I'm glad he's gone. So he can't screw up the next commentaries.

If it wasn't for him we might have had more anecdotes that were interesting or some solid G-Canon.

Out with thee...

 

Ok, I'm going to make this easy. If you can't at least attempt to get along with the people in this thread, don't post in it. Randy, your self confession of disregard for other people in this forum has been noted, so I am mainly (but not only) talking to you.

 

Perhaps this name "Ben" is where the Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi change came from.

 

One of the most notable changes to the DVD release is the use of the Force theme at dramatic moments.

The original had a rousing score accompanying the Trench Run.

Click Here to Listen


The DVD release has buried the "Force Fanfare" right down and has apparently emphasised the sound effects associated with the Ships.

Click Here to Listen


I think the difference is clear. A THX spokesman has also admitted that the mix was changed.

 

Thanks Mandalorian. I think that provides a good example as to what we mean.

As for the editing in AOTC, the one scene that sticks out like a sore thumb is when Obi-Wan says he's going after Jango. This is intercut with some time on Naboo and then we cut back to Obi-Wan running out to confront Jango. The editing makes it seem Obi-Wan has taken a day to build up the courage to confront Jango. Very poor job there.

An example of awful sound is that sonic device in the asteroid belt. It's just a strumming of a guiter chord! Awful effect that took me right out of the film and is very un-SW.

 

This is intercut with some time on Naboo and then we cut back to Obi-Wan running out to confront Jango. The editing makes it seem Obi-Wan has taken a day to build up the courage to confront Jango.

Yep. It would have been better if, as soon as he finished his message, ran to Jango's room, discovered him missing and then ran to catch him. It might even be like this in the script.
This would bring some continuity and urgency to the scenes.

The intercutting is just odd.



EDIT: Good God! It IS in the script!

INT. TIPOCA CITY, CORRIDOR - DAY
OBI-WAN enters cautiously from outside. Ahead, the corridor is deserted. He moves down it.

INT. TIPOCA CITY, FETT APARTMENT - DAY
OBI-WAN walks in to find the room in complete disorder. The bedroom door is wide open -
clear signs of hurried departure. All of the Fetts' personal belongings are gone.

OBI-WAN goes to an ultra-thin computer screen. He punches up AN ONSCREEN PICTURE of
JANGO FETT and BOBA FETT unhitching the lines securing their ship to the landing platform.
JANGO FETT is wearing his armor and rocket pack. BOBA FETT climbs aboard the small Fighter.

EXT. TIPOCA CITY, KAMINO LANDING PLATFORM (RAINSTORM) - DAY
JANGO FETT picks up a case and swings it up to BOBA FETT, who stows it inside the ship.
JANGO FETT picks up another case and is about to swing it, when:

BOBA FETT
Dad!!

JANGO FETT turns to see OBI-WAN charging out of the tower toward him. As he runs, OBI-WAN
draws his lightsaber from his belt. It flashes on.


That pacing makes a lot more sense. Damn you Burtt!!

 

After comparing the sound clips, I'd say the difference was very noticeable.

 

Indeed it is. Thanks for posting those, Mandalorian.

 

Thx - Mandalorian -

A THX spokesman has also admitted that the mix was changed.

But I guess Strilo and myself are just imagining things, eh?

 

An example of awful sound is that sonic device in the asteroid belt. It's just a strumming of a guiter chord! Awful effect that took me right out of the film and is very un-SW.

That sound effect is sound effect is THE favorite of me and every star wars fan I know in person. Whoa.

Nevertheless, Ben Burtt did not mix the sound on the DVDs, so you are still blaming the wrong guy. But yes, I do notice the difference now .

 

Wonder what his last few "frustrating years" were all about. Maybe he got criticism on his bad editing for AotC, and was frustrated that his editing role was chewed back for RotS.

 

That sound effect is sound effect is THE favorite of me and every star wars fan I know in person. Whoa.

It's a guitar! How can you enjoy a sound effect when it draws so much attention to it? I understand it was original to use such a silly sound but it doesn't fit in with the SW Universe at all.

 

It's a guitar! How can you enjoy a sound effect when it draws so much attention to it? I understand it was original to use such a silly sound but it doesn't fit in with the SW Universe at all.

That's too bad for you






I love it

 

I love it too.
Almost every new sound introduced with each sequel could be argued not to fit in the SW universe.

Well, that's the universe for you. It's a big place, with just every sight, sound, smell and taste you could think of and more.

BRRRANNNNGGG!

Heh. Well...I'm sorry to see Burtt go I guess, he came up with many of the classic sounds of SW that are taken for granted. Lightsabres, Artoo, the 'TIE Fighter flying' noise, and so on.

But I really won't miss him from the DVD commentaries. Kudos to him for being so comitted to his work, but hearing a 5-minute ramble about how he discovered this amazing sound by eating a sandwich underwater one day right over a crucial bit of plot irritated the hell out of me.

 

One of the best Sound Designers in history.

But a terrible lead editor of film, music and sound.


---

On the Guitar: I like it, I admit. What I find striking is that it is one of the only memorable sounds in the PT? We've got that and Podracers? Any others? I mean, there just hasn't been a slew of creativity.

It's a shame. Because he grew out of his strong suit and took over an area of responsibility which he should have never had. And both areas suffers. The editing suffers because he's not the best person for it and sound design suffers because he isn't doing it full time.

This may be really good for him - if he gets to go back to his roots.

 

I think a good sound effect in Star Wars is one that sounds other-worldly. The guiter sound brings me right back home.

 

Good luck to Ben... but good riddance he's gone.

 

" One of the best Sound Designers in history.

But a terrible lead editor of film, music and sound. "

Well only fault him for the film editing, because Burtt doesn't handle music editing or sound editing. Get who you're criticizing right at least.

 

I liked his commentaries, I thought his story about getting sound effects from raccoons in a bathtub was priceless.
My wife and I both laughed our arses off at some of his stories.

(And do we really know that Burtt specifically is responsible for Luke's saber being green, or the other defects on the DVD's? I'm not taking any jabs at users here in particular, but since Burtt isn't here to defend himself, someone has to. We may not approve of everything he does, but I hardly think its fair to blame everything we don't like on him. And keep in mind that his editing in the prequels was approved by Lucas for the final cut of the film)

 

Mandalorian's comparative files prove beyond the shadow of a
doubt that Burtt was determined to diminish John William's score
for A NEW HOPE, a score which - by the way - was just recently given an
extraordinary honor.

The American Film Institute revealed its top 25 Film Scores of the past 100 years on September 23rd at the Hollywood Bowl.

A jury of over 500 film artists, composers, musicians, critics and historians selected John Williams' iconic score from the classic film STAR WARS as the most memorable film score of all time. John Williams is additionally noteworthy as the most represented composer on the list with three scores making the top 25.

Way to go, Ben. Mess with a classic.

There just aren't words for how mad I am about what Burtt did.
It's despicable. Does he actually believe people would rather hear
his sound effects than the music of the greatest film composer EVER?

The movie industry has been famous for outrageous egos
since it's inception...but wow, a sound designer gone nuts.
I think this is a new one.

I wish Lucas's friend Walter Murch had worked on the prequels. He and Lucas
did great work together on THX 1138 and AMERICAN GRAFFITI and he's
one of the greatest American film editors. If he had mixed the OT DVD's
he would have NEVER done something like turn down William's music.
Murch has too much class.

I read a book by Murch about film editing called IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.
Murch has his work, both as a sound man and an editor in proper perspective.
Walter Murch is the winner of multiple Academy Awards for his work as a film editor and a sound designer. Among his many notable credits are The Conversation, American Graffiti, Julia, Apocalypse Now, The Godfather (parts II and III), The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Ghost, Crumb, Romeo Is Bleeding, First Knight, The English Patient, and The Talented Mr. Ripley.

And Ben Burtt's endless self-enchantment on the DVD commentaries is
excruciating. PLEASE SHUT UP BEN.

Thank God Burtt's gone. It gives me hope for future SW releases.