{"id":37163,"date":"2024-05-27T21:46:38","date_gmt":"2024-05-28T04:46:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/behindthelensonline.net\/site\/?p=37163"},"modified":"2024-06-11T02:32:28","modified_gmt":"2024-06-11T09:32:28","slug":"jack-whittaker-michael-minkler-discuss-crafting-the-emotional-soundscape-of-masters-of-the-air-exclusive-interview","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/behindthelensonline.net\/site\/interviews\/interview-exclusives\/jack-whittaker-michael-minkler-discuss-crafting-the-emotional-soundscape-of-masters-of-the-air-exclusive-interview\/","title":{"rendered":"JACK WHITTAKER & MICHAEL MINKLER discuss crafting the emotional soundscape of MASTERS OF THE AIR – Exclusive Interview"},"content":{"rendered":"

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An exclusive in-depth interview with Formosa Group sound gurus, Supervising Sound Editor JACK WHITTAKER and Re-Recording Mixer and Supervising Sound Editor MICHAEL MINKLER, discussing the soundscape and sonic experience of MASTERS OF THE AIR.<\/p>\n

SYNOPSIS:\u00a0 Based on Donald L. Miller\u2019s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, \u201cMasters of the Air\u201d follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the \u201cBloody Hundredth\u201d) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. Portraying the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler\u2019s Third Reich, is at the heart of \u201cMasters of the Air.\u201d Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.<\/em><\/p>\n

Always exciting to speak with any of the sound artisans at Formosa Group, it’s particularly engaging and interesting when speaking with legends like Emmy-winner JACK WHITTAKER and three-time Oscar-winner MICHAEL MINKLER about a production like MASTERS OF THE AIR.<\/p>\n

MASTERS OF THE AIR is a production that for a large part of the series, falls to the sound design, mixing, and editing to capture the emotionality of the story and each of the men we meet and bring that to life. Much of the events take place within the confines of the B17.\u00a0 We rely on the sound to convey the feelings of each man on the plane, be it the pilot or co-pilot, or any of the other eight manned positions in the bomber; to wit, bombadier, radio operator\/gunner, navigator, top turret gunner\/engineer, ball turret gunner, right waist gunner, left waist gunner, and tail gunner.\u00a0 They communicate through radio headsets within the bomber and unlike modern aircraft, also combat the sound of winds and windshear, as well as the sounds of the German fighter planes, the Messerschmidt and FW190 and more.\u00a0 So exacting is the sound on MASTERS OF THE AIR that we even hear the click of mics, switches, radios, and intercoms as they are turned on or off.\u00a0 Adding to the sonic cacophony is the communication with other aircraft in the sky, also with multiple individuals manning the planes.<\/p>\n

The raw adrenaline-fueled emotion of each man entering into aerial battles or bombing missions must be conveyed with breath, yelling, crying, etc., so that we feel the urgency, the tension, and the fear that the real-life heroes felt during WWII.\u00a0 And not just while in the air, but on the ground as well. Bearing in mind the technology back in the day, the Formosa sound team had to capture and create the sound with authenticity and with clarity.\u00a0 And this is all just in the air.\u00a0 \u00a0Then there are the moments on the ground with everything from the joys of camaraderie in hoisting a few drinks after a successful mission to sounds in the heat of ground battle and bombing or during a solemn death march or a single man walking in silence into a burned-out concentration camp.\u00a0 These are all sonic elements that require exemplary skills and collaboration.\u00a0 Jack and Michael and their team deliver award-worthy work on every level.<\/p>\n

In this exclusive interview with JACK WHITTAKER and MICHAEL MINKLER, the gentlemen discussed the overall sound design and mixing process for a historical drama series, focusing on capturing the authenticity of the era through period-specific sound elements. Sharing their strategies for creating an immersive audio experience, Jack and Michael went deep into multiple sonic elements, among them:<\/p>\n