On the latest episode of the Filmumentaries Podcast host Jamie Benning chats with one of the architects of Skywalker Sound, the Director of Sound at Skywalker Sound Randy Thom.

In this episode, I chat with Academy Award-winning sound designer Randy Thom about his journey from college radio to shaping the soundscapes of some of cinema’s most iconic films.We discuss:

• Growing up loving movies and discovering sound via college radio in Ohio
• Making a cold call to Walter Murch and landing a job on Apocalypse Now
• Early sound experiments at Skywalker Ranch
• Recording effects for The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark
• Collaborating with Robert Zemeckis and David Lynch
• Why sound should be involved in pre-production
• The evolution from analog to digital workflows
• The creative and economic impact of AI on film sound
• The philosophy behind “inventing” sonic space
• Winning an Oscar for The Right Stuff
• Winning a BAFTA for The RevenantRandy also reflects on mentorship, collaboration at Skywalker Ranch, and why storytelling always matters more than authenticity.Listen now and take a deep dive into the craft of cinematic sound.

For more from Randy, check out the latest article over at Skywalker Sound written by myself, Clayton Sandell and Jamie Benning, where I chat with Randy about his time at Skywalker Ranch.