Providing stereo and Dolby Digital audio for HD programming has prompted Soho-based Factory Studios to open a new audio suite.
Designed by acoustic consultancy White Mark, the Dolby Suite is equipped with an Avid D-Control mixing console and a Focal Professional monitoring system, making it the first Dolby Approved studio in the UK to use this technology. It is licensed for commercials and trailers, and will improve Factory’s range of services as well as being likely to attract new clients.
‘The new suite has been constructed on the third floor of our building, in a space that we created by moving and expanding our Production Suite to the fourth floor,’ says Sound Engineer and Technical Support Manager Ben Firth. ‘We chose White Mark for the project on the basis of our ongoing relationship with the company, which extends over a number of years. White Mark was instrumental in designing our existing studios, which have proved to be a great success. When the idea of a Dolby room arose, we had no hesitation in calling upon David Bell, Derek Buckingham and the White Mark team with the brief we had set out. Their knowledge of designing world class studios is invaluable.’
Factory’s Dolby Suite is on-line and is already handing projects for some of London’s leading Advertising agencies. ‘There is undoubtedly increased demand from the industry for this type of facility,’ Firth adds. ‘We have always been able to offer stereo mixing facilities for commercials but with more customers asking for Dolby Digital as standard, we recognised the need to meet that demand.’
‘It is always rewarding when long term clients return to us when they are considering further expansion and this is our third project with Factory,’ David Bell, White Mark MD, adds, ‘The new studio includes all of our current thinking on bass frequency design and has turned out very well indeed. The space within the building has also allowed us to pull the client seating forward into a position where excellent surround monitoring is possible from all areas of the room.’
Established in 1997, the company comprises two divisions: Factory Studios and Factory Production. The Factory Studios division offers a full audio production service including sound design, audio post, music composition, mixing and mastering. Based in Margaret Street, the company has three Pro Tools HD studios, as well as the new Dolby suite. Factory Production, which operates from the same premises, offers a range of audio and visual services including voice casting, music composition and music searches, Final Cut Pro editing, 2D/3D graphics, sleeve design, clearances and trafficking.
More: www.whitemark.com
