Episode 003 March 2014
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.
About The Optical
Host Mark Boszko takes you on a journey back through the annals of Cinefex magazine, talking about the movies and topics they covered 30+ years ago. We talk to people involved in the films, people who make movies, and people who love movies, and have a fun time doing it.
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Revisiting:
Cinefex 3
Special thanks to Cinefex for access to these out-of-print back issues.
Even though these are out of print, you can now download and read along with Issue 3 — and every other back issue of Cinefex — in the Cinefex iPad App. Download the free iPad app now!
Sponsor:
Cinefex
Cinefex — The journal of cinematic illusions.
Guests:
Ian Brier,
Scott Leberecht,
and Christina Lee Storm
Ian Brier, TV writer and producer
Scott Leberecht, Director, and Christina Lee Storm, Producer of the VFX industry documentary short, Life after Pi; also on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube
Follow Along
Apocalypse Now (1979)
| Apocalypse (iTunes) |
| Apocalypse Now (Blu-ray) |
| Apocalypse Now: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack |
|
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, upon which Apocalypse Now is based. First published in 1899, about a trip up the river in Africa at the turn of the century, with Kurtz as an ivory trader. |
|
Hearts of Darkness - A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (DVD) — a documentary looking back at the production of Francis Ford Coppola’s chaotic, catastrophe-plagued Vietnam film, featuring on-location home movies shot in the Philippines by Eleanor Coppola during the production of Apocalypse Now. |
|
Notes by Eleanor Coppola — an account of the making of Apocalypse Now |
|
The Apocalypse Now Book by Peter Cowie |
Show Notes
Research Materials
- American Graffiti
- The Conversation
- Revisiting Cinefex (3): Empire, Walter Murch and Phase IV by Graham Edwards
- Life After Pi
- Art of the Title — Saul Bass
- Art of the Title — MK12
- Art of the Title — Quantum of Solace
- 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
- Cinefex number 3 — December 1980
- Revisiting Cinefex (3): Empire, Walter Murch and Phase IV by Graham Edwards
- American Graffiti (1973)
- The Conversation (1974)
- 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
- Life After Pi
- Art of the Title - Saul Bass
- Art of the Title - MK12, including the Quantum of Solace titles
More Bits
- Hearts of Darkness - A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (DVD) — a documentary looking back at the production of Francis Ford Coppola’s chaotic, catastrophe-plagued Vietnam film, featuring on-location home movies shot in the Philippines by Eleanor Coppola during the production of Apocalypse Now.
- 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](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadraphonic_sound#QS_.28Quadraphonic_Sound.29.2F_RM_.28Regular_Matrix.29) page on Wikipedia
- Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, upon which Apocalypse Now is based. First published in 1899, about a trip up the river in Africa at the turn of the century, with Kurtz as an ivory trader.
- 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
- Fentimans Curiosity Cola and Dandelion & Burdock
Special Thanks
- Eric Alba
- Scot Byrd
- Ian Albinson at Art of the Title
Musical Guest:
Digital Droo
As Ever
- The Optical Theme Music by Digital Droo
- The Optical Aperture Logo by Mike Gower
