Skywalker Sound

**Skywalker Sound** is the sound effects, sound editing, sound design, sound mixing and music recording division of George Lucas' Lucasfilm motion picture group. Its main facilities are located at Skywalker Ranch in Lucas Valley, near Nicasio, California.

## History

Skywalker Sound began as **Sprocket Systems** in San Anselmo, California and its name officially changed to Skywalker Sound in 1987 after the company moved to Skywalker Ranch.

While located in San Anselmo, Sprocket Systems came into contact with the local residents from time to time. For instance, Kentfield resident Pat Welsh was "discovered" while shopping at a camera store and went on to provide the voice for E.T.. During the sound recording of *Raiders of the Lost Ark*, Harrison Ford could be spotted practicing his bullwhip technique in the parking lot.

Sprocket Systems moved from San Anselmo following a disastrous flood in January 1982.

Its staff of sound designers and re-recording mixers have either won or been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Sound and Best Sound Editing every year since *Star Wars* in 1977 (in that year Ben Burtt was given a Special Achievement Award, since the category for Sound Editing had not yet been established).

Mixing stages, editorial services, and scoring stages are all located in a central 'Tech Building', with dining areas and living quarters in the vicinity but separate from the main work area.

Skywalker Sound has won 15 Academy Awards and received 62 nominations.

## Staff

* Richard Beggs
* Tom Bellfort
* Steve Bissinger
* Steve Boeddeker
* Jeremy Bowker
* Christopher Barnett
* Christopher Boyes
* Ben Burtt
* Bob Edwards
* Frank Eulner
* Andre Fenley
* Ryan J. Frias
* Richard Hymns
* Leslie Ann Jones
* J.R. Grubbs
* Scott Guitteau
* Lora Hirschberg
* Pete Horner
* Ren Klyce
* Casey Langfelder
* Dennis Leonard
* Michael A. Levine
* Scott Levine
* Tom Myers
* Al Nelson
* Tim Nielsen
* Steve Orlando
* David Peifer
* Juan Peralta
* Gary A. Rizzo
* Gary Rydstrom
* Chris Scarabosio
* Michael Semanick
* Michael Silvers
* Mac Smith
* Gary Summers, M.P.S.E.
* Randy Thom
* Ethan Van der Ryn
* Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* Bonnie Wild
* Dug Winningham
* Matthew Wood

## Fox filmography

Any film with an asterisk means that though Skywalker Sound did not provide the sound, a creative worked on it.

* *Mice Tales* (2001)
* *Jose Maldonaldo: Bigger, Longer & Uncut* (2003)
* *Star Wars T.I.E* (2004)
* *The Alaina Gleen Movie* (2004)\*
* *Ice Age: The Meltdown* (2006)
* *Puppet Pals* (2006)
* *Kate & Chris* (2007)
* *The Simpsons Movie* (2007)
* *Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!* (2008)
* *Wild Forest* (2008)
* *Crystal* (2009)
* *Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs* (2009)
* *Puppet Pals 2* (2010)
* *Alaina Gleen* (2010)
* *Rio* (2011)
* *S.M.A.R.T: Family of Spies* (2011)
* *Little Lily* (2012)
* *Ice Age: Continental Drift* (2012)
* *Puppet Pals the Third* (2012)
* *Epic* (2013)
* *Alaina Gleen 2* (2013)
* *Rio 2* (2014)
* *The Book of Life* (2014)
* *The Peanuts Movie* (2015)
* *Smileys: A Puppet Pals Story* (2016)
* *Ice Age: Collision Course* (2016)
* *Crystal: Coming of Darkness* (2016)
* *Toon Party* (2016)
* *Alaina Gleen: Imaginary Vacation* (2017)
* *Ferdinand* (2017)
* *Kate & Chris: Back in Action* (2018)
* *Cool Spot* (2018)
* *Puppet Pals: Forever After* (2018)
* *Havoc on the Planet of the Apes* (2019)
* *Crystal: The Rise of Darkness* (2019)

### Upcoming

* *Spies in Disguise* (2019)
* *Toon Party: Spaced Out* (2020)
* *The Lost Realms: A Puppet Pals Story* (2020)