Out of all the folks responsible for the latest popcorn-and-explosion festival, movie sound editors are among the least heralded, just behind the best boy grip and the guy that spreads cream cheese on the bagels. To learn more about their underappreciated craft, we talked to industry veteran Dino DiMuro. Dino has over 200 film and TV credits to his name, including Furious 7, Skyfall, Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, the Bourne movies, and, of course, the universally beloved masterpiece Leprechaun: Origins.
Columbia Pictures
What do you think goes into creating an explosion? You probably assume "equal parts fire and badass," but there's much more to it. An explosion is basically an overload of sound, a solid wall of noise. In a theater that would sound dull, so you combine and manipulate noises to create a dynamic, booming effect. Part of that is finding a shrieking noise to pierce through the "wall" and stand out to viewers. But explosions don't shriek, unless you're blowing up a banshee orphanage. So we'll manipulate the sound of an angry cat, a straining car brake, a blackboard or ice being scraped, a small firework played backwards ... anything with a sharp element to it.
Lionsgate Films
"Yeah, whatever, I'll get paid for two jobs, right?"
329 Comments