Wylie Stateman Research Papers

The career and work of a sound designer I chose to investigate was Wylie Stateman. An accomplished talent that has co-founded a post-production company and sound designed within the various visual media throughout his career. As an sound designer , he is well known for working with Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino, prominent directors in the film industry. Having worked extensively with Tarantino, Stateman is well known for sound editing the majority of Tarantino 's acclaimed films such the Kill Bill trilogy, Inglorious Basterds, and Django Unchained. Wylie Stateman initial brush with sound design came about when he was given the chance to work in the rental department of J&R Film Company. Before that he lived in Long Island, New York in …show more content…
There is one scene in particular that truly goes beyond the point of believable clarity in terms of sound, and that is the scene in which we first encounter the villainous plantation owner, Monsieur Calvin J. Candie. The sounds played to us during his introduction perfectly portray the kind of cruel, heartless character that is Monsieur Candie. Played by Leonardo DiCaprio, the character is draped over a luxurious lounge suite with his back facing the camera as our protagonists walk into the room. The sound of a bloodthirsty fist-fight fills the space, with grunts and growls and thuds coming from a pair of Mandingo fighters brawling on the floor at Candie’s feet. It is loud, impossible to ignore, and yet Candie, without even caring to take his eyes off the excitement for a polite nod to his guests, speaks strong and clear above the racket: “Why do you wanna get into the Mandingo business?” There is a brief test of character through Candie’s rude and abrupt questioning, when one of the guests finally answers, “it looks like just a bit of fun”. The following shot is a very revealing moment for Candie’s character, as he turns around to show an approving grin. Not only do we see his face, but we learn from his expression just what makes him tick. The significance of this shot is accentuated by a corny sound effect to accompany the camera’s speedy zoom in as it frames the face. It is one of the film’s many comical salutes to the cartoonish sound effects of the Italian Western era. Then comes the truly magical part of the scene, the eerie, hyper-real sounds of minor actions that would realistically struggle to compete with the yelling of fighting men. We hear paper burning on each drag of Candie’s cigarette, each drip of water falling from the bottom of a champagne bottle as it’s carried across the floor (Mentorless, 2013). All the while the bloody fight