Burtt and Barron: Revolutionary FX

Oscar-winning effects wizards Craig Barron and Ben Burtt have contributed to some of the most beloved films of our time. Sound effects specialist Burtt is the voice of Pixar’s WALL•E and Star Wars’ R2-D2 and the source of both Darth Vader’s heavy breathing and the iconic lightsaber sound. Perhaps the foremost expert on traditional matte painting—through which fantastic environments were painstakingly realized by hand on glass backdrops—visual effects specialist Barron has worked on The Empire Strikes Back and E.T. for George Lucas’s Industrial Light & Magic, the X-Men and Star Trek franchises, and Zodiac and Hugo with his own company Matte World Digital. Join us for this weekend of programs that celebrate their contribution to the field, including their innovative work on the 1981 blockbuster Raiders of the Lost Ark, screening March 1.

Image: Raiders of the Lost Ark, image courtesy of Paramount Pictures.