Danny Elfman's origin story is as fascinating as his music. We discuss his incredible success with Oingo Boingo, as well as his long-time collaboration with director Tim Burton. We explore the origin of his European "Doom-pah" sound, his humor, and his very first films with Burton: Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, and Beetlejuice.
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Mar 2026
The Phantom Menace - A Musical Introduction
In 1999, Star Wars and its music were about to change forever. In this introductory episode to the Phantom Menace and prequel trilogy, we discuss how George Lucas and composer John Williams had changed the entertainment industry with their genius, and how their work between trilo ... Show More
1h 1m
Jan 2026
Middle-Earth Sound Design: an Interview with David Farmer (Part II)
Part 2 of our interview with The Lord of the Rings sound designer David Farmer. We discuss the sounds of the Balrog, the Ents, and other various creatures across all three films. David also describes his technical workflow, and speaks with great fondness about the many months he ... Show More
37m 52s
Dec 2018
Sound On with Daniel Lopatin & Mica Levi
<p>Topics covered include: the process of scoring a film, growing up in a house filled with music, cinematic rhythm, cheesy scores, creating the sounds of an urban nightmare, and why electronic music is the best game ever.</p>
42m 59s
Sep 2023
Gremlins, War Rigs, & Star Trek Punks
Mark Mangini is one of the most prolific sound designers of all time. He’s been credited on over 150 films, including Indiana Jones, Star Trek, Aladdin, Space Jam, The Green Mile, Anchorman, Mad Max: Fury Road, Dune, and tons more. In this episode, Mark joins us to count down six ... Show More
23m 46s