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 o

The Optical 025 - Barco Escape

Jul 29th, 2016 33m 18s

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/025Star Trek Beyond is currently playing in a new immersive super-widescreen theatrical format called Barco Escape. For details about the presentation format, we

The Optical 024 - IMAX Projectionist Jenn Bentz

Feb 26th, 2016 53m 35s

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

The Optical 023 - Howie Weed Remastered

Jan 29th, 2016 1h 11m

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, an

The Optical 022 - The Right Stuff

Sep 18th, 2015 47m 16s

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

The Optical 021 - Jurassic: From Park to World

Jun 19th, 2015 1h 2m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/021Cinefex Editor Jody Duncan comes on to discuss the evolution of digital VFX technology from the original Jurassic Park to the new Jurassic World, including her

The Optical 020 - Return of the Jedi

May 23rd, 2015 1h 9m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/020We chat about the effects of Return of the Jedi with Filmumentaries creator Jamie Benning, covering advances in motion tracking, Steadicam, and what life was l

The Optical 019 - Robert Swarthe, One From the Heart, The Outsiders, and Early HD Video

Apr 26th, 2015 1h 14m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/019We chat with animator and VFX artist Robert Swarthe about his work on One From the Heart, The Outsiders, a short film test with an early HD video camera, and h

The Optical 018 - Robert Swarthe, Close Encounters Special Edition, Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Apr 13th, 2015 1h 22m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/018We chat with animator and VFX artist Robert Swarthe about his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind — both the original and Special Edition, Star Trek: Th

The Optical 017 - Matte Painter Jesse Silver

Mar 26th, 2015 1h 35m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/017We chat with matte painter Jesse Silver about his work on Tron, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Labyrinth, moving from real paint to digital for Super Mario B

The Optical 016 - Something Wicked This Way Comes

Mar 13th, 2015 1h 2m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/016We chat with Brian Covey about the making of Something Wicked This Way Comes, and discover that it might be an overlooked CGI first.Listen for your chance to

The Optical 015 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

Feb 27th, 2015 1h 32m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/015Cinefex Associate Editor Joe Fordham joins us to discuss the making of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. — The Extra-Terrestrial, we try to figure out how E.T.’s innards

The Optical 014 - Firefox

Feb 15th, 2015 1h 12m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/014We talk the making of Clint Eastwood’s Firefox with Russian speaker Mike Gower, and we marvel at John Dykstra and Apogee’s technical advances for the effects o

The Optical 013 - Poltergeist

Jan 30th, 2015 1h 32m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/013 Mike Gower chats with us about the making of Poltergeist, and we learn how to make ectoplasmic goo and body-sausage water guns. Listen for your chance to wi

The Optical 012 - Planet of the Apes: The Evolution of the Legend

Jan 13th, 2015 1h 15m

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/012 We talk with Joe Fordham and Jeff Bond, authors of Planet of the Apes: The Evolution of the Legend, covering all incarnations of the Apes! Listen for your c

The Optical 011 - Douglas Trumbull, Part 2: Back to the Future… The Ride to Magi and UFOTOG

Nov 28th, 2014 48m 7s

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/011/ We talk with Douglas Trumbull about his history as a creator and inventor of VFX and immersive film technology, making Back to the Future… The Ride, and his

The Optical 010 - Douglas Trumbull, Part 1: From 2001 A Space Odyssey to Brainstorm

1 Oct 31st, 2014 49m 11s

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/010/We talk with Douglas Trumbull about his history as artist, animator, and VFX legend, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Brainstorm, and hear about what caused him

The Optical 009 - Tron, Harrison Ellenshaw, John Van Vliet, Cinefex 8

Sep 26th, 2014 55m 4s

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/009/We chat with visual effects artists Harrison Ellenshaw and John Van Vliet about their work on the 1982 cult classic Tron, and hear about the hand-drawn animat

The Optical 008 - King Kong, Willis O’Brien, Stop-Motion Animation, Cinefex 7

Aug 26th, 2014 1h 45m

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/008/We chat with creator and publisher of Cinefex, Don Shay, about the life and work of stop motion pioneer Willis O’Brien, including The Lost World, King Kon

The Optical 007 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Mark Mangini, Dragonslayer, Go-Motion, Cinefex 6

Jul 15th, 2014 1h 18m

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/007/We interview sound designer Mark Mangini about his career, including his early work on Raiders of the Lost Ark, and chat with film/TV editor Brian Newell

The Optical 006 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Thaine Morris, Filmumentaries, Joe Fordham, Cinefex 6

Jun 23rd, 2014 1h 38m

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/006/We chat with Cinefex writer Joe Fordham and film/TV editor Brian Newell about Raiders of the Lost Ark, and interview mechanical effects and pyro legend Th

The Optical 005 - Ray Harryhausen, Clash of the Titans, The State of 3D, Roy Arbogast, Caveman, Cinefex 5

May 26th, 2014 1h 55m

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/005/ We chat with Jose Vazquez about Clash of the Titans, Ray Harryhausen’s other stop-motion creature films, Roy Arbogast’s work on the shark for Jaws and ot

The Optical 004 - Outland, Altered States, Open Moco, Sensory Deprivation Tanks, Cinefex 4

Apr 28th, 2014 1h 54m

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/004/ We chat with film fan Brian Covey about the development of the front-screen Introvision technique for Outland – or as I like to call it, Sean Connery: Sp

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

Mar 12th, 2014 1h 59m

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 N

The Optical 002 - The Empire Strikes Back, Howie Weed, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Cinefex 2

Feb 3rd, 2014 2h 4m

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/002 In our second episode, we chat with passionate fan Rob Rhyne about The Empire Strikes Back, interview modelmaker, creature creator, and digital artist How