Sound effects editor Damian Candusso has an innate ability to recognise a blockbuster movie before it is made.
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Fifteen years ago, he heard about a possible Mad Max remake or sequel being made and knew he wanted to be a part of it.
Cut to a little more than a decade later and Dr Candusso was asked to contribute in the early stages of Mad Max: Fury Road in sound effects conceptualisation.
Dr Candusso, a senior lecturer in the School of Communication and Creative Industries at Charles Sturt University (CSU) in Wagga, live-streamed the Academy Awards online in his office last week.
He tuned in just before the sound category was announced and felt pure excitement when Mad Max: Fury Road was awarded the Oscar for Best Sound Editing.
His named flashed across the screen during the acceptance speech along with others who worked in the department.
The win was a culmination of years of hard work by a dedicated team since as early as 2013.
Dr Candusso was responsible for conceptual sounds during truck chases, general explosions and the big War Rig fight scene.
He became involved in Mad Max: Fury Road through connections he made while working on The Lego Movie.
Dr Candusso saw the film in its entirety a few years ago and knew right away it would be a success but said he could not have predicted six Oscar wins.
An Australian team with a strong presence as Oscar winners is a much bigger feat in Dr Candusso’s opinion.
Dr Candusso has worked on other films including The Great Gatsby, Australia, Happy Feet, Backyard Ashes, Sanctum and Daybreakers.
While a film’s sound is not something that is usually considered by movie-goers, Dr Candusso refers to George Lucas’s famous quote – “the sound and music are 50 per cent of the entertainment in a movie.”
“If it’s done really well, it’s almost unnoticed,” Dr Candusso said.
“I want to educate up-and-coming filmmakers about the power of sound and how it can be used to tell a story.”
