Soundstage Access

What an honor to share this conversation with legendary sound design legend Gary Rydstrom, who has been collaborating to create the soundscape of Steven Spielberg films for over 25 years and whose credits include JURASSIC PARK, TOY STORY and STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS among many others. In our conversation, we discuss Gary's creative relationship with Steven Spielberg, working in animation on ma...

UPDATE: John won the Academy Award for Best Editing shortly after this conversation! Congratulations! It was a treat to share this conversation with Oscar-winning editor and composer John Ottman, whose credits include films like THE USUAL SUSPECTS, SUPERMAN RETURNS and BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, for which John received his first Oscar for Best Editing. In our conversation we talk about John's creative pro...

What an honor to sit down and chat with award-winning editor Eddie Hamilton, whose credits include KINGSMAN, every MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE film (from 2015's 'Rogue Nation' to 2023's eight episode), and the upcoming TOP GUN: MAVERICK, to be released November 2021. In our conversation we talk about Eddie's passion and understanding for the art of editing, what he learned from collaborating with editor L...

It was amazing to sit down and chat with Writer/Director/Producer James Vanderbilt, whose credits include Sony's THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, WHITE HOUSE DOWN and David Fincher's masterpiece ZODIAC. In our conversation we talk about James' early success selling his first script just days away from graduating at USC, his relationship with pitching films to studios, what he learned from becoming a first-...

We are honored to get on the phone and chat with legendary Disney artist Floyd Norman, whose credits as an animator and story artist include TOY STORY 2 and original Disney classics like 101 DALMATIANS and THE JUNGLE BOOK. In our conversation, we discuss a wide range of topics - from Floyd's early beginnings at the Walt Disney studio in 1956, his work on SLEEPING BEAUTY and 101 DALMATIANS, and his...

What a treat it was to sit down with Academy-award nominated Sound Designer/Mixer Julian Slater, who has created the soundscape for all of director Edgar Wright’s movies - including SHAUN OF THE DEAD, BABY DRIVER and the upcoming LAST NIGHT IN SOHO. In our conversation, Julian lays out the elements of what makes for great Sound Design, what was it like working on George Miller’s MAD MAX: FURY ROAD...

We were so lucky to sit down with award-winning composer Joe Kraemer, whose credits include JACK REACHER, COMRADE DETECTIVE and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION. In our conversation, we cover a wide range of topics - from Joe's early experience scoring his first feature film at age 15, the creative influence that the work of John Williams had on his life and cinema in general, and an in-depth di...

With the highly-anticipated release of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT, here's Part 2 of our conversation with the film's Stunt Coordinator and 2nd Unit Director, Wade Eastwood. In our conversation, we discuss earlier projects in his career (like doubling for James Bond himself in THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH), his view on the stunt industry today, as well as his process working with Tom Cruise to create...

A conversation years in the making, we sit down to chat with the sweet and talented Elísabet Ronaldsdóttir whose credits include JOHN WICK, DEADPOOL 2 and Marvel's newest SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS. In our conversation, we cover a wide range of projects - including assembling long action takes for JOHN WICK and ATOMIC BLONDE, Elísabet's view of the art of editing today and how it pl...

It was a treat to sit down with Oscar-nominated set decorator Alessandra Querzola, whose credits include GANGS OF NEW YORK, SKYFALL and BLADE RUNNER 2049. In our conversation, we cover a wide range of topics - among them: how her early times as a student in Venice shaped her artistic sensibility, her introduction into the Bond franchise, and the challenges of bringing the world of BLADE RUNNER to...

It was a treat to sit down with Academy-award winning sound mixer Kevin O'Connell, whose incredible record story brought him his first Oscar in 2017 after 20 nominations. In our conversation, Kevin shares wonderful anecdotes from productions and discusses his creative process mixing films like TOP GUN, PEARL HARBOUR and SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING among others. Fair warning: Michael Bay stories are inc...

We sit down to chat with screenwriter and director Adam Rifkin about his latest film THE LAST MOVIE STAR. In our conversation we discuss Adam's early success in Los Angeles during his late teens, how getting fired off a job led to writing (and selling!) his spec script for 1997's MOUSE HUNT, and the emotional experience of directing his childhood hero Burt Reynolds in his final performance for THE...

We welcome to the show Oscar-nominated film composer David Newman, whose credits include THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, ANASTASIA and SCOOBY-DOO In our conversation, we discuss classic film scores like CHINATOWN and KING KONG, David's experience growing up playing in orchestras, and his creative process working on films like JINGLE ALL THE WAY and BOWFINGER. Make sure to subscribe to Soundstage Access on yo...

We caught up with stunt coordinator Wade Eastwood on the phone from London while shooting MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT. In our conversation, we discuss his creative process working with Tom Cruise and writer/director Chris McQuarrie, how Tom Cruise breaking his ankle on the set of MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT impacted the production what it means to manage risk as a stunt coordinator. All of thi...

We sit down with Oscar-nominated cinematographer Dan Laustsen to discuss his imaginative creative process on films like THE SHAPE OF WATER and the JOHN WICK franchise - and to celebrate his collaboration with director Guillermo Del Toro. THE SHAPE OF WATER won 4 Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Picture, and Dan is currently working on Del Toro's upcoming film NIGHTMARE ALLEY. Make s...

We sit down to talk with Oscar-nominated cinematographer John Schwartzman, ASC. In our conversation, we discuss his early days as a film student at USC's School of Cinematic Arts, growing up with a very young Michael Bay and transitioning together into features with projects such as THE ROCK and ARMAGEDDON, and discussing his creative process on later studio projects like THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN an...