Best Mark Boszko Podcasts (2025)

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The Optical 026 - The Advent of Sound 1:06:59

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8y ago1:06:59

1:06:59

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/026 (coming soon) We explore the fascinating history of sound in films — the trial and error that led from silent films to the first talkies — with Fritzi Kramer of Movies Silently. Fritzi also suggests some silent VFX films, and we catch up with good news about former …

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The Optical 025 - Barco Escape 33:18

9y ago33:18

33:18

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/025 Star Trek Beyond is currently playing in a new immersive super-widescreen theatrical format called Barco Escape. For details about the presentation format, we chat with Ted Schilowitz, Barco Escape’s Chief Creative Officer and the Resident Futurist at 20th Century F…

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The Optical 024 - IMAX Projectionist Jenn Bentz 53:35

9+ y ago53:35

53:35

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/024 We talk with Jenn Bentz, IMAX Projectionist at Pacific Science Center, about the IMAX projection experience, the move from film to DLP to LASER, and her experience running the Hateful Eight 70mm roadshow. Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscriptio…

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The Optical 023 - Howie Weed Remastered 1:11:39

9+ y ago1:11:39

1:11:39

In a special edition of the podcast, remastered audio of our 2014 interview with Howie Weed, long time artist at ILM, who tells us about blowing up the Enterprise, a recipe for fake blood, mass producing Gremlins, an alligator, alien probes, and his turn as the Special Edition Wampa in the Special Edition of Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes …

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The Optical 022 - The Right Stuff 47:16

10y ago47:16

47:16

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/022We talk about The Right Stuff with Joel Page, where at the height of excellent motion control camera work, the USFX team took the shots of supersonic jets and crashing capsules, and went in an entirely different direction.Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year p…

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The Optical 021 - Jurassic: From Park to World 1:02:34

10y ago1:02:34

1:02:34

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/021Cinefex Editor Jody Duncan comes on to discuss the evolution of digital VFX technology from the original Jurassic Park to the new Jurassic World, including her time on the set of The Lost World: Jurassic Park.Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscrip…

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The Optical 020 - Return of the Jedi 1:09:29

10y ago1:09:29

1:09:29

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/020We chat about the effects of Return of the Jedi with Filmumentaries creator Jamie Benning, covering advances in motion tracking, Steadicam, and what life was like inside Jabba the Hutt.Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine…

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The Optical 019 - Robert Swarthe, One From the Heart, The Outsiders, and Early HD Video 1:14:10

10y ago1:14:10

1:14:10

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/019We chat with animator and VFX artist Robert Swarthe about his work on One From the Heart, The Outsiders, a short film test with an early HD video camera, and his unproduced adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s The Fountains of Paradise.Listen for your chance to win a fre…

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The Optical 018 - Robert Swarthe, Close Encounters Special Edition, Star Trek: The Motion Picture 1:22:49

10y ago1:22:49

1:22:49

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/018We chat with animator and VFX artist Robert Swarthe about his work on Close Encounters of the Third Kind — both the original and Special Edition, Star Trek: The Motion Picture, and more!Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazin…

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The Optical 017 - Matte Painter Jesse Silver 1:35:52

10+ y ago1:35:52

1:35:52

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/017We chat with matte painter Jesse Silver about his work on Tron, Something Wicked This Way Comes, Labyrinth, moving from real paint to digital for Super Mario Bros., and one high-pressure effects house that had phones in the toilet stalls.Listen for your chance to win…

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The Optical 016 - Something Wicked This Way Comes 1:02:50

10+ y ago1:02:50

1:02:50

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/016We chat with Brian Covey about the making of Something Wicked This Way Comes, and discover that it might be an overlooked CGI first.Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine.Improve your 2015 with a 10-day free trial of traini…

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The Optical 015 - E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial 1:32:03

10+ y ago1:32:03

1:32:03

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/015Cinefex Associate Editor Joe Fordham joins us to discuss the making of Steven Spielberg’s E.T. — The Extra-Terrestrial, we try to figure out how E.T.’s innards worked, and discuss Spielberg’s unproduced Night Skies.Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print su…

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The Optical 014 - Firefox 1:12:48

10+ y ago1:12:48

1:12:48

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/014We talk the making of Clint Eastwood’s Firefox with Russian speaker Mike Gower, and we marvel at John Dykstra and Apogee’s technical advances for the effects of the super-stealth fighter. до свидания!Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to C…

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The Optical 013 - Poltergeist 1:32:22

10+ y ago1:32:22

1:32:22

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/013 Mike Gower chats with us about the making of Poltergeist, and we learn how to make ectoplasmic goo and body-sausage water guns. Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine. Improve your 2015 with a 10-day free trial of training…

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The Optical 012 - Planet of the Apes: The Evolution of the Legend 1:15:47

10+ y ago1:15:47

1:15:47

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/012 We talk with Joe Fordham and Jeff Bond, authors of Planet of the Apes: The Evolution of the Legend, covering all incarnations of the Apes! Listen for your chance to win a free 1-year print subscription to Cinefex magazine. Improve your 2015 with a 10-day free trial …

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The Optical 011 - Douglas Trumbull, Part 2: Back to the Future… The Ride to Magi and UFOTOG 48:07

10+ y ago48:07

48:07

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/011/ We talk with Douglas Trumbull about his history as a creator and inventor of VFX and immersive film technology, making Back to the Future… The Ride, and his latest project: the 120 fps, 4K, 3D short film UFOTOG that shows off his new film process, Magi. This episod…

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The Optical 010 - Douglas Trumbull, Part 1: From 2001 A Space Odyssey to Brainstorm 49:11

10+ y ago49:11

49:11

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/010/We talk with Douglas Trumbull about his history as artist, animator, and VFX legend, from 2001: A Space Odyssey to Brainstorm, and hear about what caused him to become a champion of immersive cinema.This episode includes the first half of our interview, leading up t…

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The Optical 009 - Tron, Harrison Ellenshaw, John Van Vliet, Cinefex 8 55:04

11y ago55:04

55:04

Complete show notes (with links) available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/009/We chat with visual effects artists Harrison Ellenshaw and John Van Vliet about their work on the 1982 cult classic Tron, and hear about the hand-drawn animation that people think was CGI, and just how crazy it was to work on the film!Listen for your chance to win a…

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The Optical 008 - King Kong, Willis O’Brien, Stop-Motion Animation, Cinefex 7 1:45:42

11y ago1:45:42

1:45:42

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/008/We chat with creator and publisher of Cinefex, Don Shay, about the life and work of stop motion pioneer Willis O’Brien, including The Lost World, King Kong, Mighty Joe Young, and more. We also interview animation director Rob Shaw about his films and experience …

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The Optical 007 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Mark Mangini, Dragonslayer, Go-Motion, Cinefex 6 1:18:25

11y ago1:18:25

1:18:25

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/007/We interview sound designer Mark Mangini about his career, including his early work on Raiders of the Lost Ark, and chat with film/TV editor Brian Newell about Dragonslayer, and the invention of Go-Motion. This is continuing coverage of Cinefex 6 — see episode 0…

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The Optical 006 - Raiders of the Lost Ark, Thaine Morris, Filmumentaries, Joe Fordham, Cinefex 6 1:38:15

11y ago1:38:15

1:38:15

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/006/We chat with Cinefex writer Joe Fordham and film/TV editor Brian Newell about Raiders of the Lost Ark, and interview mechanical effects and pyro legend Thaine Morris about his career and his work on Raiders and Dragonslayer. We also chat with Jamie Benning about…

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The Optical 005 - Ray Harryhausen, Clash of the Titans, The State of 3D, Roy Arbogast, Caveman, Cinefex 5 1:55:35

11y ago1:55:35

1:55:35

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/005/ We chat with Jose Vazquez about Clash of the Titans, Ray Harryhausen’s other stop-motion creature films, Roy Arbogast’s work on the shark for Jaws and other physical effects, and experience the prehistoric comedy, Caveman. We also interview special guest Ed Mar…

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The Optical 004 - Outland, Altered States, Open Moco, Sensory Deprivation Tanks, Cinefex 4 1:54:05

11y ago1:54:05

1:54:05

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/004/ We chat with film fan Brian Covey about the development of the front-screen Introvision technique for Outland – or as I like to call it, Sean Connery: Space Cop! – and the early computer effects and makeup for Altered States, interview Brad Justinen and Shane M…

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The Optical 003 - Walter Murch, Sound Design, Saul Bass Title Design, Phase IV, Cinefex 3 1:59:48

11+ y ago1:59:48

1:59:48

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/003/ We chat with TV writer and producer Ian Brier about Walter Murch’s early sound design for THX 1138, American Graffiti, The Conversation, and Apocalypse Now, as well as Saul Bass’ science fiction film Phase IV, interview Scott Leberecht and Christina Lee Storm a…

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The Optical 002 - The Empire Strikes Back, Howie Weed, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1941, Cinefex 2 2:04:18

11+ y ago2:04:18

2:04:18

Complete show notes (with links) are available at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/002 In our second episode, we chat with passionate fan Rob Rhyne about The Empire Strikes Back, interview modelmaker, creature creator, and digital artist Howie Weed about his career and work on The Empire Strikes Back: Special Edition, and we quickly chat with Dunc…

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The Optical 001 - Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Alien, Daren Dochterman, Cinefex 1 2:05:58

11+ y ago2:05:58

2:05:58

Complete show notes (with links) at http://opticalpodcast.com/episode/001In our premiere episode, we talk about Star Trek: The Motion Picture and Alien, chat with Daren Dochterman, VFX Supervisor on Star Trek: The Motion Picture — Director’s Edition, I admit my 2001 shame, and we ask: just what is an “optical,” anyway? Sponsor* Cinefex magazine — T…