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My Squirrel Recording is in a MOVIE! 📽 DUNE: Mark Mangini, Oscar Winning Sound Designer

Dani Connor Wild1 HN recommender · recommended in 1 month, 2021–2026
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Wildlife videographer Dani Connor Wild talks with Oscar-winning sound designer Mark Mangini about how her red squirrel recording became the desert mouse sound in Dune.

Linked in threads about Dune's sound design as a first-hand interview about the squirrel recording.

4 comments from Hacker News

@throw0101a2022-03 · in “The secret sounds of Dune: Rice Krispies and Marianne Faithfull”

Two good videos on the topic of sound in Dune . The first from Vanity Fair , "How 'Dune' Composer Hans Zimmer Created the Oscar-Nominated Score": * link Interesting tidbit: a good number of the "bagpipe" sounds were not created with bagpipes. The second is from wild life photograph Dani Connor, "My Squirrel Recording is in a movie: Interview with Mark Mangini, Oscar Winning Sound Designer": * ▶ this video A squirrel recording of hers was used to make the sound in the desert mouse ( muad'dib ) scene.

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@throw0101d2026-03 · in “My Astrophotography in the Movie Project Hail Mary”

Somewhat related, nature photographer/youtuber Danni Connor had her recording of a red squirrel used in the movie Dune (Part 1) for the sound of the desert mouse ( muad'dib ). Her interviewing with (Oscar-winning) sound designer Mark Mangini on it: * ▶ this video * transcript: link * link * link Story of her 'adopting' the squirrels: * link The name of the squirrel is "Baby Pear"; her viral tweet: * link

@throw0101c2024-04 · in “Dune ornithopters flap their blades in the wrong plane for vertical takeoff”

The scene in the movie where they're first shown: * link Somewhat related, the sound design team (who won an Oscar for their work) used cats purring, beetles fluttering, and the canvas strap of a tent in a 100mph wind for the sound of the ornithopters (at 2m40s) * link Also, for the desert mouse (muad'dib) they used a Swedish baby red squirrel (named Baby Pear); interview with the person who originally recorded the squirrel (Dani Connor): * ▶ this video

@throw0101a2021-10 · in ““Dune” (The Movie), Annotated”

> The sound editor could have done that more tastefully. An interview with Mark Mangini, the sound designer, with someone whose sound was used in Dune (for the desert mouse, muad'dib ): * ▶ this video