Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Faders on stun: Hollywood sound editor Midge Costin’s immersive, educational and hugely enjoyable documentary exploring the power of sound in cinema.

Having honed the sonic impact of blockbusters such as The Rock and Con Air, sound editor Midge Costin has a blast with her hugely informative and entertaining directorial debut, an immersive documentary that explores and explains aural artistry in cinema. The film’s ambitious chronology runs from the silent era through to last year’s Roma, spotlighting the innovations of New Hollywood legend Walter Murch and Star Wars’ sound designer Ben Burtt. There’s also an enlightening interview with Barbra Streisand, whose stereophonic 1976 vehicle A Star is Born made the theatrical experience fit for audiophiles. Other big names include Steven Spielberg, David Lynch, Sofia Coppola and Ryan Coogler, though Costin’s emphasis is on unsung technicians, especially women, whose recording and mixing board skills shape the way we hear movies.