Bonnie Wild and Matthew Wood, sound designers behind Obi-Wan Kenobi, spoke to Variety concerning the battle between Obi-Wan and Darth Vader on the finish of the collection and what it was like creating the audio for that momentous scene. Some of the highlights from the dialogue embody how the staff created Darth Vader’s voice when his helmet shattered and the way they wished to honor the legacy of the Star Wars soundscape.
In the Obi-Wan Kenobi behind-the-scenes video produced by Variety (offered above), Matthew Wood describes how they made Vader’s voice when a part of his face is uncovered by the cracked helmet. When describing the objective of that scene, Wood emphasised the humanity of the second and the problem of blending Hayden’s voice with the robotic sounds of Darth Vader:
“We did go away an additional set of time simply to work on this one scene. It’s a second the place you’re seeing the face of Hayden Christensen by the masks for the primary time apart from when it was placed on him in Revenge of the Sith …
We actually wished to ensure Hayden Christensen’s efficiency got here by from the day. So we had that very fragile, intimate scene there. But then, within the meantime, we additionally had the voice of James Earl Jones come by. So we tried a very nice mix of these two moments and we discovered elements the place we may begin the sentence off with Hayden, however finish it with James.”
Wood additionally emphasised how the staff labored on ensuring Darth Vader’s respiration noise sounds fragile and damaged on the finish of the battle. While Darth Vader’s damaged respiration sounds had been created beforehand for Return of the Jedi, additionally they wanted to be up to date for newer expertise:
“We at all times must replace [the sounds] for the soundstage of immediately. Disney Plus has an Atmos observe, and Bonnie [Wild] and the combo crews [updated] that collectively.
You’ll have an occasion the place one thing we would have touched on earlier than, like Vader having bother respiration, we did that in Return of the Jedi, however definitely, this specific present has an entire totally different set of colours to fill in for that individual second …
We actually tried to make the cracked masks sound scary, prefer it was beginning to malfunction to the purpose the place his physique shouldn’t be going to operate anymore. So Obi-Wan is successfully leaving him for useless once more.”
Bonnie Wild additionally elaborated on the distinctive alternative and challenges of making sounds for Star Wars. Wild describes it as requiring a fragile sense of “steadiness:”
“The thrilling factor concerning the sounds of Star Wars is that it’s at all times concerning the mix and the steadiness. It’s virtually like with each motion sequence, we’ve got to contemplate who has the higher hand in every second.”
Matthew Wood additionally echoed comparable sentiments about how the audio staff wished to protect and uphold the work accomplished by these from the previous:
“We need to make certain we honor what’s come earlier than us and the legacy of Ben Burtt and what he’s created. And everybody may be very respectful of that materials. When you hear these items — the sound and the music — it’s type of just like the unconscious glue that holds Star Wars collectively.”
Both Bonnie Wild and Matthew Wood are nominated for Emmys for his or her work not solely on Obi-Wan Kenobi, but in addition for season 3 of The Mandalorian. They have now additionally completed work on Ahsoka.
Jay Goodearl’s earliest reminiscence is of his father studying out to him the opening crawl to The Phantom Menace when he was simply two years outdated. He has been a Star Wars fan ever since.
