Although most people are familiar with the fact that Thomas Edison invented the phonograph, most are also unaware that he was also instrumental in the creation of the motion picture in his quest to visually enhance the phonograph’s auditory experience. Unfortunately, the technology of the first quarter of the 20th century was not able to sync picture and sound, but the fact remains that the visual and auditory components of a film were tied together from the birth of cinema, and sound has always played a huge yet under-appreciated role in one’s movie-going experience. Making Waves, the documentary debut of acclaimed sound editor and USC professor Midge Costin, is a simultaneously entertaining as well as highly educational film that highlights the often-overlooked work of sound design, and attempts to place sound back in its proper place as the equal counterpart of picture.
