Star Wars: Return of the Jedi sound design explained by Ben Burtt

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The sound design of Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi explained by the father of Skywalker Sound, Ben Burtt!
INDEPTH Sound Design created, researched, and edited by Mike James Gallagher
► www.mikejamesgallagher.com/
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#sounddesign #benburtt #filmsound
Special Thanks to Michael Coleman, Carolyn Croce, Gracie Hartmann, Brett Noborikawa, and Ivan Power-Kronick
00:00 JABBA THE HUTT
04:06 BIB FORTUNA
04:48 PALACE DROIDS
05:31 MAX REBO BAND
06:45 BOUSHH
08:44 JAIL CELL AMBIENCE
09:32 CARBONITE
09:57 RANCOR
10:44 BATTLE OVER THE SARLACC
12:04 SPEEDER BIKES
16:40 EWOKS
26:29 C-3PO
28:11 COLONEL DYER
30:04 ADMIRAL ACKBAR
31:11 NIEN NUNB
32:34 AT-ST WALKERS
33:41 FINAL DUEL
34:57 DARTH VADER
36:31 RECORDING
39:43 PRODUCTION SOUND
41:12 EDITING
42:32 MIXING
44:09 CREDITS

[@davewestner]

I'm sure every audio person that's watched this as well as the summaries of A New Hope and Empire will be marveling at how this was even possible back in the days of analog tape. It makes me tired just thinking of all the effort that would have gone into making a simple sound, let alone something complex like the Millennium Falcon's failed attempts to jump to lightspeed in Empire, with 8 layers of sound lined up correctly to be both effective at explaining the situation as well as being pretty funny. Just the storage of the sounds alone must have been insane....can you imagine keeping track of possibly hundreds of reels of tape so you could quickly find the sound you're looking for? We'd make quick work of it these days with computers, but it may have taken all day to find an obscure sound back then. It would have been incredibly interesting to be a fly on the wall for the mixing sessions. I can't really imagine how they would have done the mix. I would guess by 1982-83 they could have had 48 track DASH machines, but during a New Hope, would they have anything more than a 24 track? Could they sync two machines together? Would they mix the sound effects from one 24 track machine, the music from a 2nd 24 track machine onto several channels of a third 24 track machine for the final mix for whatever they called surround sound in those days? Did they have to do a separate complete mix for stereo (and possibly mono)? Does anyone know what consoles they would have had at any of the facilities they did the mixes at? I know SSL was around then, but not sure if they had made their way into the film world. Could it have been Neve or Harrison? So many questions! Thanks for posting these videos @ INDEPTH Sound Design !!

[@thestooge200]

Can you do the prequels next? those are FULL of great SFX I'd like to hear about! Episodes 1, 2, and 3 all deserve their own video!

[@alexpaumen3937]

7:15 As soon as I saw her face, I screamed, “IT’S E.T.”

[@Dan-ku9mt]

GOD, I LOVE YOU GUYS for doing this!!! This is not only a treasure trove of information but highly educational, EVEN for all us super nerds that knew a good deal of this, but with too many bits scattered all over to remember and in corresponding context! Keep up the amazing work and looking forward to more in-depth sound design docs!

[@kensuke0]

28:23 you could hear him get more and more excited at the idea of him doing a cameo in a Star Wars movie as if he was a fan and not a guy who’s been working on these films since the beginning.

[@TheGrandTurk]

Put on your best headphones for this one Star Wars fans.

[@leoragor]

I want to become a sound designer and these videos are GOLD to me. Thank you very much for this!

[@ViewpointProd]

the rancor i believe is also mixed with elephant roars

[@stoneyboyd]

Yes, there are elephants in there. In the 1983 theatrical cut one of the elephant sounds that was heard after Oola fell into the pit was a low pitched bellowing howl and 10 years later it was recycled as one of the sounds of the T. Rex in Jurassic Park.

[@alexpaumen3937]

10:10 You should hear my Corgi’s sounds. Ruby makes some of the most demonic growls and hisses.

[@jojosbizarresounddesign6639]

I love these videos so much, thank you for putting them together! Huge props to Ben Burtt as well. The guy created a really distinct world of sound that feels absolutely timeless. Is there any chance you're gonna cover his work on the prequels by the way? It feels like those movies were where he really hit his stride with stuff like the Podracers, Republic/Droid vehicles, Grevious's wheel bike, ect. Would love to see it!

[@INDEPTHSoundDesign]

Thanks so much for the feedback! I definitely have The Phantom Menace queued up!

[@starlighter930617]

I'm wondering if Ben Burtt knows about other movies in which they used his sound effects. For example, I remember back in the day, the first Pokémon movie used one of the speeder bike sound effects for Mewtwo's pokéballs chasing Pikachu. Also, I recently rewatched a Jackie Chan movie titled "Who Am I?" I heard at least 3 Star Wars sound effects they used as sounds for automated doors on a military helicopter or a van...

[@joshshelton6510]

I remember the old animated G.I.JOE movie blatantly using a bunch of his Star Wars sfx.

[@DominicSewellMusic]

WOW! This is a sensational channel!

[@joelonsdale]

These videos are brilliantly put together - great work!

[@starlighter930617]

I was looking forward to this. Thank you!

[@INDEPTHSoundDesign]

► Let me know below what you learned from the video! ► Consider supporting INDEPTH on Patreon so I can keep bringing you more videos on the art of sound design! patreon.com/indepthsound 00:00​ JABBA THE HUTT 04:06​ BIB FORTUNA 04:48​ PALACE DROIDS 05:31​ MAX REBO BAND 06:45​ BOUSHH 08:44​ JAIL CELL AMBIENCE 09:32​ CARBONITE 09:57​ RANCOR 10:44​ BATTLE OVER THE SARLACC 12:04​ SPEEDER BIKES 16:40​ EWOKS 26:29​ C-3PO 28:11​ COLONEL DYER 30:04​ ADMIRAL ACKBAR 31:11​ NIEN NUNB 32:34​ AT-ST WALKERS 33:41​ FINAL DUEL 34:57​ DARTH VADER 36:31​ RECORDING 39:43​ PRODUCTION SOUND 41:12​ EDITING 42:32​ MIXING 44:09 CREDITS

[@MarvinFalz]

What I've learned: recordings of sounds in their natural environment sound better than recordings of sounds which are isolated from their usual place. I do a bit of voice and sound recording of my own, and when spring is here, I'll go into the woods to record whatever I find interesting and my voice. I want to experience the depth of the woods Ben Burtt speaks of.

[@apocryphal_man]

damn that special edition

[@thisisfyne]

Amazing video, as always! Keep em coming :D

[@ChrisGeden]

Thanks again for another great video. On my second watch.

[@DUSKOsound]

This channel is amazing

[@jajboi]

I love these videos! Thank you

[@AccurateCrabLegs]

Help me, Bib Fortuna. You're my only hope.

[@JeikobuNippon]

I would like to know how and why the effect on Vader’s voice sounds distinctly different in this film. Compare how he sounds when he talks in this one to the first movie especially, and you’ll notice a stark contrast. I’m interested in the difference in how they made those voice effects, and why they decided to change it.

[@brianlaneherder3666]

I always thought the biggest difference was between Episode IV and the other two. In the ESB version of this video it said that Kerschner apparently dictated Vader's voice to James Earl Jones in ESB. That might be the difference.

[@fluffytoaster427]

I’d definitely say they put more reverb on JEJ this time round as opposed to Empire where it’s just some bass and a little reverb. I imagine Kershners dictation may have changed his performance a bit too.

[@markbarrett4440]

I think it's just pitched slightly lower to perhaps indicate Vader's failing health or the voice apparatus malfunctioning due to the age of the suit.

[@_d_h_]

Nutch Vader! :O

[@janardanpatowary6072]

This is so In Depth ❤️

[@Atlas226]

So that's where the wilhelm scream came from

[@StephanS]

This video makes me wanna take my recorder and go outside....

[@sympolzion]

Grandma Vodka 😂

[@miamicool666]

Where has all this magic gone today?

[@richardhewer335]

Awesome series. What more can one say?

[@LearnTrainPlay]

I'm struggling to figure out how to do the lightsaber iginition sound, and someone help me?

[@SkintSNIPER262]

Is there any media of Ben Burtt on sound design for the prequels?

[@standb3592]

At 31:23 the language is Kikuyu not Hayah. There is no Hayah language in Kenya.

[@keithfulkerson]

The rancor was a weiner dog?!

[@ChrisGeden]

From now on, whenever I see that scene, I’ll always think of a screaming sausage

[@nettlecarrier8259]

Main outtake - there's no problem a bottle of vodka cannot solve

[@hundredcaws]

I prefer original 1977 dancer scene music. Seems cooler to me. Not easy to watch in goos quality these days.

[@richardhewer335]

If you want to entertain kids with storytelling just copy C3PO and incorporate some sound effects!

[@shaggycan]

I still can't believe they changed the Max Rebo music...Jedi Rocks is awful. I always skip it. You don't replace John Williams and son.