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.

Known for

HD

Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett

2021 ⭐ 6.9

HD

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

2019 ⭐ 6.9

HD

The Force of Sound

2018 ⭐ 8.3

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I Am Your Father

2015 ⭐ 6.6

Career timeline

2021

Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett

Self · 2021

⭐ 6.9

2019

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Self · 2019

⭐ 6.9

2018

The Force of Sound Notable

Self · 2018

⭐ 8.3

2015

I Am Your Father

Himself · 2015

⭐ 6.6

2014

And the Oscar Goes To...

Self - Interviewee · 2014

⭐ 6.8

EditDroid: Rise and Fall

Self · 2014

2013

The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz Notable

Self · 2013

⭐ 10.0

Lincoln: An American Journey

Self · 2013

⭐ 5.5

2012

Wings: Grandeur in the Sky Notable

Self · 2012

⭐ 7.0

Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of

Self · 2012

⭐ 6.7

2008

WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets

WALL·E / M-O (voice) · 2008

⭐ 6.4

Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up Notable

2008

⭐ 8.0

BURN·E Notable

WALL·E / M-O (voice) (uncredit · 2008

⭐ 7.5

2007

Fog City Mavericks Notable

Self · 2007

⭐ 8.5

Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001

Self · 2007

⭐ 6.2

2006

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon Notable

Self · 2006

⭐ 7.0

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet

Self · 2006

⭐ 4.5

2005

Star Wars: Within a Minute - The Making of Episode III Notable

Self · 2005

⭐ 7.2

Ben-Hur: The Epic That Changed Cinema

Self · 2005

⭐ 6.6

George Lucas: Creating an Empire

Self · 2005

⭐ 5.0

2004

Empire of Dreams: The Story of the Star Wars Trilogy Notable

Self - Sound Designer · 2004

⭐ 7.8

When Star Wars Ruled the World Notable

Self · 2004

⭐ 8.8

2003

The Sound of 'Indiana Jones'

Self · 2003

⭐ 6.0

2002

Films Are Not Released, They Escape

Self · 2002

⭐ 6.0

State of the Art: The Pre-Visualization of 'Episode II'

Self · 2002

⭐ 6.0

From Puppets to Pixels: Digital Characters in 'Episode II'

Self · 2002

⭐ 6.8

2001

R2-D2: Beneath the Dome

Self · 2001

⭐ 6.7

1999

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace Notable

Naboo Courier (uncredited) · 1999

⭐ 6.6

1997

Star Wars: The Magic & the Mystery Notable

Self · 1997

⭐ 8.0

1996

The Making of 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' Notable

Self · 1996

⭐ 7.4

1983

From Star Wars to Jedi: The Making of a Saga Notable

Self · 1983

⭐ 7.4

Return of the Jedi Notable

'Freeze' Officer in Endor Bunk · 1983

⭐ 7.9

1980

The Making of The Empire Strikes Back Notable

Self · 1980

⭐ 8.0

SP FX: The Empire Strikes Back Notable

Self · 1980

⭐ 8.3

Star Wars: Music by John Williams Notable

Self · 1980

⭐ 7.3

Frequently appears with

Reba Buhr

Narrator (voice)

Joe Johnston

Self

George Lucas

Self

Pete Vilmur

Self

Walter Murch

Self

Gary Rydstrom

Self

Sofia Coppola

Self

Christopher Nolan

Self

Full filmography

HD

Under the Helmet: The Legacy of Boba Fett

2021 ⭐ 6.9

HD

Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

2019 ⭐ 6.9

HD

The Force of Sound

2018 ⭐ 8.3

HD

I Am Your Father

2015 ⭐ 6.6

HD

And the Oscar Goes To...

2014 ⭐ 6.8

HD

EditDroid: Rise and Fall

2014

HD

The Making of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz

2013 ⭐ 10.0

HD

Lincoln: An American Journey

2013 ⭐ 5.5

HD

Wings: Grandeur in the Sky

2012 ⭐ 7.0

HD

Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of

2012 ⭐ 6.7

HD

WALL·E's Treasures & Trinkets

2008 ⭐ 6.4

HD

Animation Sound Design: Building Worlds from the Sound Up

2008 ⭐ 8.0

HD

BURN·E

2008 ⭐ 7.5

HD

RKO Production 601: The Making of “Kong, the Eighth Wonder of the World”

2008 ⭐ 8.0

HD

WALL·E

2008 ⭐ 8.1

HD

Fog City Mavericks

2007 ⭐ 8.5

HD

Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001

2007 ⭐ 6.2

HD

Robby the Robot: Engineering a Sci-Fi Icon

2006 ⭐ 7.0

HD

Amazing! Exploring the Far Reaches of Forbidden Planet

2006 ⭐ 4.5

HD

Star Wars: Within a Minute - The Making of Episode III

2005 ⭐ 7.2