Ben Burtt
Sound · 77 years old
Jamesville, New York, USA
Benjamin "Ben" Burtt, Jr. is a sound designer, film editor, director, screenwriter, and voice actor. He has worked as sound designer on various films, including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film series, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, WALL-E, and Star Trek. He is responsible for creating many of the iconic sound effects heard in the Star Wars film franchise, including the binary speech of R2-D2, the lightsaber hum, the sound of the blaster guns, and the heavy-breathing sound of Darth Vader, which he made by breathing into a scuba regulator. Burtt has a reputation for popularizing a sound effect dubbed the "Wilhelm scream", which was taken from a character named Wilhelm in the 1953 film The Charge at Feather River.
Known For
The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Self
When Star Wars Ruled the World
Self
The Force of Sound
Self
Fog City Mavericks
Self
WALL·E
WALL·E / M-O (voice)
Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up
The Making of The Empire Strikes Back
Self
Return of the Jedi
'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunker / Tortured Power Droid (voice)
LIGHT & MAGIC
Self - Sound Designer and Editor
LIGHT & MAGIC
Self - Editor
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
Self - Sound Designer
BURN·E
WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial'
Self
Star Wars: Music by John Williams
Self
From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga
Self
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
Self
Wings: Grandeur in the Sky
Self
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
Self
Star Wars: Within a Minute - The Making of Episode III
Self
And the Oscar Goes To...
Self - Interviewee
Behind the Scenes
The American Gangster
Director
Destiny in Space
Director
Star Wars: Droids - The Great Heep
Writer
Blue Planet
Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
Director
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Attack of the Hawkmen
Writer
The True Story of Glory Continues
Director
Manassas: End of Innocence
Director
Special Effects: Anything Can Happen
Director
Behind the Scenes with King Kong in Special Effects
Director