Over its long history, the Star Wars franchise has pushed the boundaries of what is possible with film. Because of this, many different companies have been involved in the franchise and its development. And, to celebrate Star Wars Day, Apple has released a video about how the Mac platform has been used to make many of the famous sounds that define Star Wars.
Behind the Mac: Skywalker Sound is a twenty-minute documentary Apple released on their YouTube channel. The official Star Wars website describes this documentary by saying:
Behind the Mac: Skywalker Sound, a new documentary short film from Apple (co-produced by Imagine Entertainment and Delirio Films), shines a light on the legendary studio that turned sound design into an art form, creating sounds for the Star Wars saga and near-countless other films for over 40 years.
The film takes viewers into Skywalker Ranch, located in Nicasio, California, and shows several of the audio team at work, including those involved in sound design, foley, and audio mixing. This includes Randy Thom, the current director of sound design at Skywalker Sound.
During the documentary, viewers are treated to behind-the-scenes footage of the original Star Wars movies and the recordings that created their most iconic sounds. Viewers are also given a glimpse into the massive audio library stored at Skywalker Sound, and the astounding amount of technology that makes the studio function efficiently and effectively.
One of the documentary’s highlights sees Academy Award-winning Foley Artist Shelley Roden showing viewers how unexpected everyday objects are used to create some of cinema’s most iconic and unimaginable sound effects.
The film’s director, Josh Greenbaum, told the Star Wars website that:
“My intent for the film was to take viewers inside Skywalker Sound and go on a deep dive into the genius behind the ever-expanding Star Wars universe, showcasing the art and craft of sound design at an intimate level. Apple was the perfect partner to make this film with. I can’t think of another brand that has been so supportive of and integral to the world of sound design, filmmaking, and the creative arts as whole.”
Apple has confirmed that this documentary will be accompanied by a special virtual workshop. On May 9, Leff Lefferts from Skywalker Sound will host “Today At Apple: Virtual Studio: Create Creature Vocals with Skywalker Sound,” during which viewers will be taught how to create creature audio using Apple’s Garage Band software.
Apple describes this workshop by saying:
“Guided by an Apple Creative Pro, you’ll learn how to make vocal effects for a character using your voice, everyday objects, and GarageBand on Mac.”
Signups for this event are now open on Apple’s website.