Ben Burtt
Biography
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.
Personal Details
Also Known As
Movies (48)
Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett
as Self
2021
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound
as Self
2019
The Force of Sound
as Self
2018
Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Sound Designer (Sound)
2015
I Am Your Father
as Himself
2015
The Signal
Sound Designer (Sound)
2014
And the Oscar Goes To...
as Self - Interviewee
2014
EditDroid: Rise and Fall
as Self
2014
The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz
as Self
2013
Star Trek Into Darkness
Sound Designer (Sound)
2013
Escape from Planet Earth
Sound Designer (Sound)
2013
Lincoln: An American Journey
as Self
2013
Lincoln
Sound Designer (Sound)
2012
009 Re:Cyborg
Sound Designer (Sound)
2012
John Carter
Sound Designer (Sound)
2012
Wings: Grandeur in the Sky
as Self
2012
Red Tails
Sound Designer (Sound)
2012
Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of
as Self
2012
Super 8
Sound Designer (Sound)
2011
Star Trek
Special Sound Effects (Crew)
2009
WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets
as WALL·E / M-O (voice)
2008
Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up
2008
BURN·E
as WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredited)
2008
RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”
as Self
2008
WALL·E
as WALL·E / M-O (voice)
2008
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Sound Designer (Sound)
2008
Fog City Mavericks
as Self
2007
The Dawn of Sound: How Movies Learned to Talk
as Self
2007
Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon
as Self
2006
Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet
as Self
2006
Munich
Sound Designer (Sound)
2005
Star Wars: Within a Minute - The Making of Episode III
as Self
2005
Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema
as Self
2005
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Editor (Editing)
2005
George Lucas: Creating an Empire
as Self
2005
Star Wars: Droids - Treasure of the Hidden Planet
Story (Writing)
2004
Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy
as Self - Sound Designer
2004
When Star Wars Ruled the World
as Self
2004
The Sound of 'Indiana Jones'
as Self
2003
Films Are Not Released, They Escape
as Self
2002
State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II'
as Self
2002
From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in 'Episode II'
as Self
2002
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Editor (Editing)
2002
Manassas: End of Innocence
Director (Directing)
2002
R2-D2: Beneath the Dome
as Self
2001
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Espionage Escapades
Sound Designer (Sound)
2000
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Demons of Deception
Editor (Editing)
1999
The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones: Oganga, the Giver and Taker of Life
Editor (Editing)
1999
