[Premiere] Paul Thomas Anderson Supercut Shows Sound Design Can Be Music, Too

Pay attention to the underdog, from the down-and-out porn star to the deadbeat private detective—at least in the films of Paul Thomas Anderson. In the world of filmmaking, sound design is often seen as the underdog, too. Thankfully, editor Jacob T. Swinney is working to change that perception with his rhythmic supercuts, many of which highlight how attention to sound makes—or breaks—many popular movies. His latest effort is Hearing Paul Thomas Anderson, which premieres today on The Creators Project, a highlight reel of the most striking audio in Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, Inherent Vice, and more.

"I started with Tarantino simply because I think he is the most fun to study," Swinney tells The Creators Project. "Besides the fact that PTA is my all-time favorite filmmaker, I wanted to transition to a director that would serve as a nice complement to the Tarantino series. While the two are very different stylistically, there are many tiny similarities. I thought it would be most insightful to pick a filmmaker who uses similar techniques, but in a different fashion, so when you watch 'Hearing Tarantino' and 'Hearing Paul Thomas Anderson,' you will see/hear many similar approaches associated with many different ideas."

Like Swinney's original Tarantino supercut, this video marks the beginning of his four-part "directors" series. His focus on the Pulp Fiction and Django Unchained director culminated last week in his supercut, Tarantino: Blood, and now PTA follows in his bloody footsteps.

Stay tuned to Jacob T. Swinney's Vimeo channel to catch the next installment.

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