106 - Guillermo del Toro: A Masterclass on Sound and Film

We recently sat down with legendary filmmaker Guillermo del Toro ahead of the premiere of his latest film, the slick and stylish noir thriller, "Nightmare Alley." Our conversation was so inspiring that we decided to release this podcast in two parts. Today, enjoy this inspiring, one-on-one conversation for a unique glimpse into the creative process of one of the greatest directors working today. 

If you are at all interesting in filmmaking, consider this podcast episode a must-listen. This is especially true for anyone interested in what a film director does:

"One of the functions of the director is to make sure that there are no departments that are independent in the visual realization of the film. Meaning... you create a series of parameters that are narrative, and that can be broken [down] into color, light, shape, form. That those disciplines are understood by all those departments. When you say, 'what great cinematography,' you're saying, 'what great production design.' When you say, 'what great production design,' you're saying, 'what great wardrobe.' And when you're saying, 'what a great image,' you're saying, 'what great set decorating.' And that's when the director does the job of the director — which is to make sure that these efforts are symphonic, to story and to character. So one of the mandates I give is: We're not creating eye candy, we're creating eye protein. And it should be nutritious. It should tell you something about the character. It should immerse you in a motif."

— Guillermo del Toro, Director, Co-Writer, Producer, "Nightmare Alley"

Part two of this discussion, with the "Nightmare Alley" sound team, will be released later this week, so make sure you are subscribed to Sound + Image Lab: The Dolby Institute Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

In the meantime, be sure to check out "Nightmare Alley" in a Dolby Cinema near you!

You can also check out the video for this episode.

Learn more about the Dolby Institute and check out Dolby.com. Connect with Dolby on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn.