Mixer/sound designer Mike Franklin has returned to Eleven where he began his career back in 2002. The hire continues an expansion which began last summer for Eleven when owner/mixer Jeff Payne and his team added two new state-of-the-art audio post mixing suites. Next key artisans were promoted in 2015 from within to become staff mixers. And now Franklin comes over from Beacon Street Studios to further bolster Eleven’s ensemble of talent.
Payne said he was “thrilled” to have Franklin back in the fold, noting that “it has been wonderful to see his career come full circle. Mike got his industry start here, rose through the ranks and was my assistant mixer for five years. It has been amazing to watch him develop his craft as a mixer and sound designer, to see his career really take off over the past few years. Returning to Eleven, joining me and fellow mixers Ben Freer and AJ Murillo is very rewarding for me as a mixer and also as a mentor. At Eleven, we believe in growing talent from within. Having Mike re-join our team, so that he can go to the next level with his projects and clients, is an exciting opportunity for the whole team.”
Franklin’s career in sound began back in ‘02 at Eleven. In ’09, after Franklin served as Payne’s assistant mixer for five years, he then broke out to freelance as a full-time mixer on his own. While continuing to work on commercials, Franklin also expanded his skillset, working on television and feature films as both a mixer and sound designer. After landing a gig as a lead mixer in 2012, he worked on major campaigns, including several Super Bowl spots, for companies like Microsoft, Apple Music, Samsung, Taco Bell, Absolut, EA, Beats, NASCAR and Coke.
Franklin noted that he trained fellow mixers Freer and Murillo some years ago. “We have grown up with very similar work methodologies and we’re all tech geeks, which is an important aspect to what we do – we stay up on the latest gear and technology and implement it into our craft. It’s great to be back where it all started, working with clients in what I consider to be some of the best sounding rooms in Los Angeles.”
As part of Eleven’s expansion last year, Freer was promoted to staff mixer and has made Studio B his new home. Since that promotion in June 2015, Freer has worked with established and new clients on projects ranging from commercial advertising for TV, radio and web, to music videos, to longer-format, including short films and web content. Recently he mixed major campaigns for Toyota Rav4 via Saatchi & Saatchi, Dodge’s “Wolf Pack” spots for Doner, several Publicis T-Mobile spots, Mattel’s Spring TV for Barbie and various others. Freer also provided sound design and mixed a Herbert Bail Orchestra music video directed by Bjorn Ruhmann of Furlined, as well as a VICE-iD piece featuring Lucky Blue Smith edited by Arcade’s Nick Rondeau.
Also promoted to staff mixer last summer was Murillo, who spent last fall working on the feature film “Bad Night,” directed by The Riedell Brothers and produced by GRB Entertainment. Murillo also assisted Payne in mixing a series of Super Bowl 50 spots in January 2016. Eleven had nine Super Bowl commercials this year, including spots for Heinz, Hyundai, Buick, T-Mobile, Sofi, Marmot, SoCal Honda, and Coke/Marvel.
Last year’s expansion of the Eleven facility saw the transformation of the entire 2nd Floor into a giant new mixing suite for Payne (three times the size of his previous room), an additional mixing suite, two large voiceover recording booths, and an upstairs client lounge. Also included in the expansion/renovation was an upstairs gallery space for revolving art exhibits.
Suzanne Hollingshead is Eleven’s executive producer.
