By Luke Harper

Even the snobbiest of film snobs has had a hard time shooting down Top Gun: Maverick, one of the biggest success stories in recent movie history. Nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects, Top Gun: Maverick has been credited with helping to bring audiences back to theaters after the pandemic.

The original Top Gun (1986) established a mood and aesthetic, and it set a bar. Maverick director Joseph Kosinski understood exactly what Tony Scott’s vision was on the original, and the way forward was clear — lots of action, sound and heart.

Speaking of sound, we recently spoke with Skywalker Sound sound supervisor Al Nelson, part of the Oscar-nominated sound team that also includes Mark Weingarten, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor.

Nelson has been working on the highest end dubbing stages since 1995, contributing to blockbuster films, including the Jurassic Park and Star Wars franchises.

Were you on the carrier at the same time as the camera crew?
I was. We got to piggy-back with the camera crew while shooting the opening sequence. The whole opening sequence is basically a recreation of the original Kenny Loggins scenes.

The cool thing about this go-round was that the Navy had F-35s and F-18s launching. This was new for the Navy and a significant moment for them. The presence of the F-35s necessitated a great deal of extremely controlled access for DP Claudio Miranda (ASC).

Aircraft carriers tend to be sonically unsubtle. What were some of the location-specific challenges?
There are a couple of parts to this. For one, the planes are loud enough that if you point a microphone at an F-35, you are going to get the F-35. We got amazing proximity and access, so we were able to get exactly where and what we needed. Also, as a result of modernization, the constant buzz of propellers, which was a major noise factor in the early ‘80s, is gone.

What was your aesthetic plan going into this project?
It was an evolving process, but fundamentally, it was, “It’s got to be as good as Top Gun.” The first film has sharp edges; great, tight cuts; and great dynamics. It’s an ‘80s movie, so they didn’t have subs, they didn’t have the channel counts we have today and they didn’t have the location access that we did.

My goal was Top Gun… but with more punch, more low end and more material that imparted a signature tonality. We had more proximal recordings for specificity and a decent amount of time to achieve this. I wanted to explore and feature the visceral quality that is a jet. You feel it in your gut.

There are also these hits on the cuts that they did on the first film, and we wanted to expand on those with power and punch — transitional cuts emphasized with a variety of quick, tight and huge sounds.

Anticipating a final mix in IMAX and Atmos formats, contrasting with the no LFE/four-channel mix of the 1986 version, what were your goals for the new channel freedom?
We needed to have the resources to fill those speakers should the story demand, so that translated to making sure we had enough material to fill those channels.

Do you ever show up on-location during production?
Not usually, unless there’s something specific. In those cases, we try to arrange a kind of side opportunity. Since we had a week booked on the carrier, we were independent from the production team. From time to time, I’d go more to meet with the filmmakers or for planning/research purposes.

On the huge productions, like the Jurassic Park movies, I tried to get one visit to set to either get all the big vehicles or unique equipment that were only going to be on-location. Or if they’re in an odd or exotic location, there’s also a need for me to get some research done — for example, if they are in Hawaii or something. Access is the name of the game, so this was extra-special. Luckily, the producers and directors were fully supportive of audio in general, so I was there for F-35s and F-18s, which is extremely rare.

What kind of other machinery did you capture for this film?
We were in touch with Skunk Works [an official pseudonym for Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs] and got some great material from them. We also went to GE and Pratt & Whitney and recorded a lot of jets of all sizes and specs. We also got a lot of APUs (auxiliary power units) because of the great screaming and whining that their operation entails. We recorded the GE9X (which is the size of a building), helicopter components, all kinds of things to help round out the sonic sphere.

Ben Burt, my right-hand man, recorded many, many things, including rockets.

How literal was the sound design for Maverick?
We were much more literal in the sound sources, but there’s the occasional action that necessitates a little creativity to really sell it. Credit to Gary Rydstrom and Ben Burt for additional use of distortion and for their availability for consultation. There were sounds that were ripping and tearing the air, as jets do — harsh, aggressive and dangerous. Sounds that wouldn’t work on some projects had a home on this film.

Can you speak to the dynamics choices on the final mix?
You can’t get to 11 without starting at 0. Tom Cruise was very invested in the projects and sound, and something he articulated was that in those moments when we could go to 0, we absolutely should go to 0. Silence exists in life, and we should be cognizant in leveraging that.

The story and sound are very much in parallel. Dynamics is drama. For instance, when we are focused on Rooster in the cockpit, when he thinks Maverick has died, it’s just breathing. There are a few moments like that. A lot of filmmakers are anxious about silence, but our producers and Joe were bold enough to advocate for the silence so that the ensuing jet thrust would just wallop the audience.

Can we talk about expectation management?
We put our best foot forward and really invested ourselves. But that was the expectation, to be clear. It was never about “serviceable” or “fine.” It was going to be pushing and working and digging until the results were exactly right. We had the luxury of so many invested people, but there was a tangible tenacity for perfection from the top.

Could you discuss your priority/balance philosophies regarding mix dynamics in general?
The thing that needs to drive a film like this is: “Where is the story?” When we are trying to create tension or trying to focus on a character, the tools at hand should deliver that. We had huge faith in the film, and that story was key. When we would participate and bring the sonic goods, we did. When we needed to get out of the way, we did. You know, for Hans Zimmer or whatever.

With all of the modern tools and techniques, what is your workflow philosophy?
My post production phrase du jour is, “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” From gear to level to track counts, doing things for the sake of doing them is wrong.

I’ve been mentored with some of the best in the business, and know I’m extremely lucky.]

Surround yourself with people who are successful, who have done this and who understand the art of sound for film. It’s not necessarily how to use Altiverb; it’s how to tell a story with sound. The right recording for the right moment is all you need. What is the right sound for this scene, and how do I get there?

An old chestnut for you – “A picture tells you what to think. Sound tells you how to feel.”
It’s a cliche, but it’s nice because it says that sound has emotion. Sound can give you emotion in cinema just as much as music or picture can. The right sound at the right time can be an emotional contribution.

Can you talk about your favorite gear?
Native instruments. I like to use Kontakt to go hunting through the selects for the “meat” and best perspectives. It’s great for on-the-fly manipulations. I use GRM Tools and iZotope tools to get to the personality.

What drives your work?
I love to record. I use Zoom’s H4n, F6 and F8 recorders; Sound Devices; and a nice Schoeps MS mic. Anywhere I go, I will have something.

What is your philosophy of sound selection, bearing in mind the audiences who may be extremely passionate about the subject matter?
The right sound for the right moment in the scene. If the audience and filmmakers believe it, then it’s right. That said, I’m not going to claim 100% literal representations for every scene. Oh, except for the Ninja. That is absolutely the correct motorcycle, and it is precisely what is heard.

Parting thoughts on Top Gun: Maverick?
It was a lot of work from a lot of people. The expectations were high, both from myself and from the filmmakers. I needed to nail it. We had two Foley teams, a combination of mixers, multiple sound supes and designers, so we were set up for success. I leaned on a lot of people and am grateful for their support. Something like this definitely takes a village.

Luke Harper is an audio engineer and instructor of 25 years. He lives Minneapolis, where he owns an Atmos mix facility, called DeCoded Audio.