Nordisk Film Shortcut has met Dolby’s strict requirements for 7.1.4 Atmos audio by upgrading its Oslo site with a new Genelec Smart Active Monitoring System.

Founded in 1991 and with locations across Scandinavia, the leading postproduction house has a rich legacy in the film and production industry, and consistently strives to combine high-end services with cutting-edge technology and extensive expertise. This commitment to client needs addresses everything from minor touch-ups to full postproduction oversight, plus just about anything in between.

‘We were in dire need of a proper-sized Atmos HE room to produce mixes for Netflix, HBO Max and so on,’ explains Shortcut CTO, Pål Svennevig. ‘We called on the team at Tofastrud Romakustikk to design a 7.1.4 Atmos room, plus five smaller rooms, which they did to perfection.’

After the decision was taken to upgrade the space to Atmos HE specifications, the first stage was to decide on the monitors.

‘The first challenge we faced was finding, specifying and pricing up the right monitors for the room,’ Svennevig explains. ‘We could not have amps in a machine room for this project, so active monitors with Class D technology were a definite requirement. Getting the right SPL, and a long throw for the LCR, was also very important. And of course, we needed a supplementary subwoofer that actually integrates with the rest of the system and gives enough bass.’

Shortcut turned to local distributor Benum Norway, and selected Genelec for its primary monitoring. ‘We had already decided to go for Genelec in this Atmos room before the acoustic design, so it was possible to integrate the monitors very nicely into the room,’ Svennevig says.

Three S360 monitors were chosen for the left, centre and right channels, with four 8350 monitors for the surrounds, while four of the smaller 8340 models were selected for height channels. A 7382 subwoofer was chosen to create a cohesive experience within the 7.1.4 space.

Shortcut worked closely with Tofastrud Romakustikk on the acoustic design. ‘Lars Tofastrud designed and calculated the room acoustics for us,’ says Svennevig. ‘He also helped with the tuning, adjustment of EQ curves, and time delays.’

The combined team of Shortcut, Benum Norway and Tofastrud Romakustikk then worked on the installation for the project, which needed to consider everything from the projection system to the monitors.

With the room complete and open for business, Svennevig is satisfied in the monitoring decision that has been made: ‘Genelec’s monitors are rock-solid and perform exceptionally well,’ he says. ‘What truly sealed the deal was how seamlessly they integrated into the studio design. And with GLM [Genelec Loudspeaker Manager] software, we’ve gained precise control over the entire system – which makes life so much easier. Thanks to Genelec, this studio sounds absolutely incredible.’