Resonate showreel

Here's a really nice project I recently finished work on with Simon Waterhouse at Resonate.  

I've worked on quite a few of their projects over the last couple of years so it was a real treat to have a selection of the best bits together in one video and the chance to create and mix sound for them.

My hand in the project started with voice selection.  I've worked with George Henare in the past, and when Simon mentioned what he was after George immediately popped into my mind.  Being based in Auckland we connected via Source Connect for the recording session so that we could produce and give direction from here in The Garage.  What can you say about that voice?!! Magic.

After selecting takes, editing and placing the voice parts in the timeline I set about creating the sound design for the piece.  With so many different scenes and a lot of fast edits it was a pretty complex job -a challenge for both creativity and attention to detail.  In the end we were all very happy indeed with how it turned out!

Thanks again Simon from Resonate.  

Monitoring System Upgrade

I recently upgraded my monitoring system to Genelec 8240 Smart Active Monitors, and wow am I happy that I did.  

For people reading this that aren't familiar with studio loudspeakers, Genelec make some of the finest available, and they can be found in most top recording studios and audio post facilities around the world.

Recently they also introduced the SAM series (Smart Active Monitors), which have the ability to adjust the sound they reproduce depending on the room they are in.  Very cool.  Basically you pair them up with the GLM kit, which includes an interface and microphone.  The speakers perform a filter sweep from low to high frequencies and the room's frequency response is captured by the microphone.  The the speakers can then compensate for any room resonances or abnormalities so that what you are listening to is not coloured by the room you are in.  

What all this means is that you are hearing a flat response - and that allows you to make good decisions when mixing.  Ultimately the goal is for your mix to sound great in any room, under any circumstances, and these monitors help get that result.

Studio Upgrade

To start the new year off on the right foot I've invested in a very nice new toy!  aahh... I mean piece of studio equipment... ahem...

The Universal Audio Apollo Twin is a very high quality audio interface - which is basically the central hub that everything plugs into:   Microphones, speakers, computer etc.  So improving this part of the studio makes a big difference to the whole system.

The unit also incorporates internal DSP to run UA's own plugins, which are effects and processors I use when mixing. These are considered to be some of the best plugins available.

All in all I'm very excited :) not only because gear is what people like me LOVE, but because I'll be able to improve the quality of sound I can bring to my clients.

For more info on the Apollo Twin and other Universal Audio products you can go to their website to feed your own inner audio geek.

New Work – New Year!

Well, a new year has begun! Last year was my best yet and it's looking like things will be even better in 2015.  A big thanks to all my clients for the support.   

Above is one of the videos I worked on with Tim Chesney at Make Collectve late last year.  Dan Watson created some beautiful motion graphics which were just begging for sound design, so it was a bit of a dream job for me :)  As well as the sound effects I also organised the voice talent and recorded and produced them here at The Garage.  Both Toby Ricketts and Kathryn Shaw both did fantastic jobs.

Looking ahead at 2015 there are some really exciting jobs on the horizon.  One in particular will be taking care of all aspects of sound including audio post, sound design and music production for a pretty well known TV fishing show.  I'll drop another update as that job comes together, and in the mean time will be out on a boat collecting sound effects and atmospheres for the show.

Happy new year to you all and all the best for 2015.

New Website and Recent Good News

With an absolute lack of news postings on this news page I chastise myself!  

Yikes, I can't believe that last post was so long ago.  In my defense I've been very busy working on lots of great projects.

Along with the studio being busy we've also had a second Baby BOOM, so now we have 2 boys causing general havoc in the house :) (I told you I'd been busy)

My new website is a much more streamlined version of the old one and really reflects the direction and intention of the studio.  Sound design and mixing for video is the majority of what I do and I absolutely love it - especially when I get to work with beautiful projects like this one...

Always a pleasure to work with Tim and Toby from Two Bearded Men - and in this video Tim Pierce has had some great success - Staff Picked on Vimeo and almost 60,00 views in the first 48 hours.  

I created a lot of sound design for this vid but the goal was not to dazzle but to be realistic.  Pretty much all of the snowboard carves and moves are done in post plus all the heli sounds and logo fx.  The main point of the video is to get across Will's interpretation of life so any sound that stuck out as unreal or over the top just had to be tamed down so it didn't distract from the story and pictures.  
The trailer, which you can see HERE has more of the sound design pushed higher in the mix.

Also key to the sound mix was to clean up the voice and make it nice and intimate plus get all the music levels right.  Always a delicate balance!

I hope you enjoy.

Visit To Park Rd Post

Last year I recorded some ADR with Gaylene Preston for her upcoming television series 'Hope and Wire'. The series is a drama revolving around the events of the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010/11. The show looks absolutely amazing, with very high production standards and attention to detail.

Right now the show is in audio post production mode and to my luck Gaylene dropped me a line saying that I could pop in to check it out with her - PS it's being mixed at Park Road Post in Wellington...

This was an offer I could not refuse!  So I grabbed some flights and headed up for the day.  Now sometimes luck throws you a weird curveball and so, when I arrived my first phone call happened to be from Gaylene saying that a sincerely apologetic Mike Hedges was out with a nasty bug and they weren't mixing that day... sheesh... Bummer!  Mike is one of the best mixers in the world, so one of the real highlights was going to be meeting him and watching him work for a while.

Luckily in the meantime I had done some research and realised that my old mate Toby Lloyd now works full time as Sound Recordist there, and was able to show me around.  I graduated in the same year as Toby from MAINZ in 2006, and it was awesome to see him in a position like that. What a job! (jealous?  me?)  With Mike Hedges away, the up side was that it actually took a bit of heat off the team who were working on the project.  So I had the real privilege of being able to listen to the mix and talk with Gaylene and the team about what they had done, ask heaps of questions and get a full tour of the whole place!  Rest assured I acted like a total tourist.

The website describes the facility as post production heaven, and man, does it back that up - big time.

From the 2 full size theatre mix rooms, to the smaller mix rooms, foley room, ADR room and a multitude of sound design and sound editing suites, it's basically total heaven for a sound geek.  For me, although the technical/gear side of things was really interesting and awe inspiring, a big part of what impressed me were the systems in place and how the whole facility works together as a team on a project.  People working exclusively on ambience, foley, sound design, music or sound effects for a scene.  Having people dedicated to each particular role, and then all those aspects coming together in the final mix.  In most cases for me I take care of all the roles myself, so it would be pretty luxurious - but for a major feature like The Hobbit, it's truly a necessity for each person to take care of their part for the good of the team.

Sometimes when you watch the credits at the end of a film like The Hobbit it's hard to fathom how so many people can be involved in one movie.  Seeing a place like Park Road Post gives you a bit of an insight into the magnitude of projects and level of professionalism that makes those films some of the best in the world.  Pretty darn impressive.

Thanks Gaylene, Toby and the rest of the team that shared their time with me.