Skywalker Sound

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

History
It 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 Walsh, "discovered" while shopping at a camera store, provided the voice for E.T.. During the sound recording of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford could be spied 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.

Staff

 * Christopher Boyes - Re-recording mixer/Sound Designer - Titanic, Pearl Harbor, King Kong
 * Richard Hymns - Supervising Sound Editor - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Hulk
 * Leslie Ann Jones - Director of Scoring and Music Recording
 * Tom Myers - Sound Designer - Toy Story 2, The Dust Factory, Cars, Toy Story 3, Cars 2; Re-recording mixer/Supervising Sound Editor, Up, Toy Story 3, Cars 2
 * Michael Semanick - Re-recording mixer - The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, King Kong, Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, Toy Story 3, Cars 2
 * Randy Thom - Re-recording mixer/Sound Designer - Forrest Gump, The Incredibles, The Polar Express, Ratatouille
 * Matthew Wood - Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer - Titan A.E., Mission: Impossible, Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Revenge of the Sith