What Star Wars Taught Us About the Future of Sound

It started in a galaxy far, far away…

When George Lucas and his team at Skywalker Sound were shaping the cinematic universe ofStar Wars, they didn’t just pioneer visual effects. They revolutionised how stories were heard. The iconic swoop of a TIE Fighter or the hum of a lightsabre didn’t just play across a screen. They moved around you.

That’s when the 5.1 surround system was born.

A ground breaking moment in cinematic sound, giving creators control over how audiences felt space — front, back, left, right, and deep below.

But technology, like storytelling, evolves.

🚀 Enter Dolby Atmos: Sound With Dimension

If 5.1 was about direction, Dolby Atmos is about dimension.

No longer limited to fixed channels, Atmos uses object-based audio, letting sound move freely in 3D space — above, behind, and around you — creating total immersion. Whether it’s a starship overhead or a whispered brand message in your ear, Atmos creates presence.

Built in collaboration with Lucasfilm and tested at Skywalker Ranch, Atmos is the system that brought Star Wars: The Force Awakens to life in a whole new way. And now, it’s reshaping how we think about advertising.

🎞️ The Origins of 5.1 Surround

The 5.1 system (five speakers plus a subwoofer) was officially introduced to commercial cinemas in the early 1990s, but its roots go back further:

• In 1983, Lucasfilm - through its THX division - began testing new audio standards to ensure films would sound consistent across theatres

• In 1992,Batman Returns became the first commercial release in Dolby Digital 5.1

The 5.1 setup distributes sound through:

• Three front channels (left, centre, right)

• Two rear surround channels (left and right)

• One low-frequency effects channel (the “.1” for rumbles, explosions, and impact)

For action and sci-fi films — including the Star Wars franchise — this allowed sound to move directionally across the room, delivering:

• Ships flying from front to back

• Dialog centred with clarity

• Rich, immersive soundscapes

🚀 Dolby Atmos Arrived Next — As the Evolution

While 5.1 was limited to fixed channels, Dolby Atmos introduced sound objects that could move freely in 3D space. Instead of assigning a sound to a speaker, Atmos lets you place it in space — above, behind, near or far — and the system renders it dynamically for each listening environment.

Atmos is backward compatible with 5.1, but goes far beyond. Though born for cinema, it now powers experiences across music, games, advertising, VR, and branded content.

🎥 It’s Not Just for Hollywood Anymore

Today, Dolby Atmos is used in:

• Music releases from artists like The Beatles and Billie Eilish

• Streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Disney Plus

• Live concerts and remote broadcast events

• Immersive gaming and VR worlds

• Branded content and short-form commercial spots

In a world of 15-second ads, brands don’t have time to fight for attention.

They need to win it immediately — and sound is how you do it.

⭐ The Cinematic Legacy Behind Dolby Atmos

Dolby Atmos was designed for cinema and made its theatrical debut with Pixar’s Brave(2012). But its development was deeply influenced by Lucasfilm and Skywalker Sound.

Skywalker Sound — the team behind the sonic universes of Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park— was critical in testing and validating the Atmos format. They helped prove that sound could move fluidly through cinematic space, acting as an emotional and narrative force.

For Star Wars, sound isn’t just part of the mix. It’s a character of its own.

🛰️ Star Wars, Lucasfilm, and the Immersive Shift

• Lucasfilm and Dolby worked closely to recreate full 360-degree environments using Atmos, with ships flying overhead, voices echoing in the distance, and music enveloping the listener

•Star Wars: The Force Awakens(2015) was one of the first major blockbusters released globally with an Atmos mix

• Skywalker Sound continues to be one of Dolby’s key reference studios for immersive mixing and sound innovation

🔊 Why Brands Should Care

Here’s the truth: In a distracted world, sound connects before visuals even register.

Atmos gives brands the ability to:

• Build a recognisable sonic identity

• Create immersive, emotionally accurate experiences

• Improve recall and brand association - even in short content

• Tell deeper stories with spatial precision

• Stand out across platforms - TV, streaming, mobile, in-store media, and headphones

If you’re investing in 4K video, why let your audio stay flat?

🏛️ We Bring Atmos to Advertising Right Here in Toronto

At 793 Studios, located in the iconic Pharmacy Studios complex — once home to CTV, Freddie Mercury, Johnny Cash, and Francis Ford Coppola — we’ve built a 12.2 Dolby Atmos-certified suite designed specifically for immersive brand storytelling.

We don’t just offer Atmos.

We design with it.

Our services include:

• Custom music composition

• Voice casting and direction

• 3D Atmos mixing and spatial design

• Sync licensing and score development in partnership with Inside Music Publishing, Kobalt, and ONERPM

• Full audio post-production for commercial and cinematic content

Whether your message is 15 seconds or 15 minutes, we’ll help you make it resonate — in all directions.

🎤 Want Your Brand to Sound Unforgettable?

Whether you’re building a commercial, series, short film, or immersive experience, we’ll help you move people through sound.

Let’s make your message fly like a TIE Fighter.