Responding to the growing popularity of home theater systems with immersive sound, Sony Pictures Post Production Services has added a new mix stage dedicated to next-generation home theater audio formats. Located on the Sony Pictures lot in Culver City, the new stage is designed to simulate a home theater environment and equipped to master feature film and television projects in Dolby Atmos®, Auro-3D and other immersive sound formats. This new room has been used to prepare several feature titles for Blu-ray Disc, 4K Ultra HD Disc, and digital delivery.
“This new stage keeps us at the forefront in immersive sound, providing an ideal workflow and environment for mastering for home theaters,” said Sony Pictures Post Production Services Executive Vice President Tom McCarthy. “We are empowering mixers to maximize the creative potential of these new sound formats and deliver rich, enveloping soundtracks that consumers can enjoy in the home.”
“The Sony Pictures Post Production mix stage adds to the growing footprint of Dolby Atmos enabled post production facilities and gives the Hollywood creative community the tools they need to deliver an immersive experience to consumers, adding additional depth, detail and clarity to the soundtracks,” said Curt Behlmer, sr. VP, Content Solutions and Industry Relations, Dolby Laboratories.
“The hope of film buffs and makers alike is an experience that fully transports the audience into the world of the characters,” said Auro Technologies CEO Wilfried Van Baelen. “Having major releases from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment incorporating Auro-3D helps provide this immersive experience, with sound design unlike anything audiences have heard before, to ensure they are able to enjoy films how the creator intended—with full impact.”
“As their home theaters grow in sophistication, consumers are demanding high-quality home viewing experiences, with immersive sound, ultra HD resolution, and high-dynamic range. This new stage allows our technicians the ability to more closely replicate a home theater set-up, so they can continue to deliver the best experience for consumers,” said Rich Berger, sr. VP, Digital Strategy, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
The new mix stage features an Avid Pro Tools S6 mixing console with 24 faders and two Pro Tools HDX systems. In addition to a wide array of plug-ins, the stage offers ancillary gear from Black Magic, Pegasus, Brainstorm and other manufacturers.
At 600 square feet, the stage is designed to replicate the dimensions and acoustics of a typical home theater environment. It employs a custom-built Delicate Audio truss system for mounting nearfield speakers. That allows the speaker array to be quickly reconfigured to conform to the specifications of individual sound formats.
“Flexibility is essential,” explained Sony Pictures Digital chief engineer Nathan Oishi. “We designed the room to seamlessly and fully support both Dolby Atmos and Auro formats, while building in enough routing, monitoring, and speaker flexibility to accommodate future immersive formats. Streaming and VR deliverables are upon us, and we will need to stay nimble enough quickly adapt to new specifications.”
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More