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.
Why Hacker News points people here: Linked in threads about Dune's sound design as a first-hand interview about the squirrel recording.
“interview with the person who originally recorded the squirrel (Dani Connor)”HN comment, 2024
“Two good videos on the topic of sound in Dune”
Interview about a squirrel recording used for the desert mouse in Dune.
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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.
Cites itthrow0101aOct 2021
“An interview with Mark Mangini, the sound designer”
Interview with Dune sound designer about the desert mouse sound.
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> 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
Cites itthrow0101cApr 2024
“interview with the person who originally recorded the squirrel (Dani Connor)”
Interview with the recordist whose squirrel became the desert mouse.
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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
Cites itthrow0101dMar 2026
“Her interviewing with (Oscar-winning) sound designer Mark Mangini on it”
Interview with Dune's Oscar-winning sound designer about a squirrel recording.
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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
