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COMPANY FOCUS: THE AUDIO SUITE
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The Audio Suite has amassed an impressive credits list for their award-winning work in audio post production. Currently working on prime-time programmes such as Fifth Gear and The Gadget Show, The Audio Suite’s facilities are particularly well tailored to deal with multi-episode TV productions. The company can also cater to client briefs remotely, worldwide, using their Virtual Dubbing Theatre™.
What is the nature of your business?
We are an audio post production facility offering a Dolby Digital and a Dolby Surround theatre, two further Dolby Digital/Dolby Surround studios and a voice studio. We also have an in-house, networked, Avid DS Nitris on-line suite and two off-line rooms.
How long has your company been in operation and how many people are employed there?
The Audio Suite has been running for six years. We have three staff mixers and two support and admin staff.
What has been your biggest job so far?
Twice in the last twelve months we’ve delivered two 13-part, one-hour series; The Gadget Show and 5th Gear, for back-to-back transmission on the same night for five. Right now we have another Gadget Show series transmitting and we supply a 20-part series for The National Geographic Channel called I Didn’t Know That.
We’re renowned for multi-episode TV productions and it’s what we do best. Our system of progressing a programme in stages across three studios allows us to accept late changes and turn around episodes to very tight deadlines. It also means that our time-saving systemisation offers significant cost saving for series producers and production managers. Also, our secure web-based Virtual Dubbing Theatre™ allows directors and producers to access, review and request changes to their works-in-progress from their laptop 24/7. All they need is a broadband connection - they themselves can be anywhere in the world.
What have you most enjoyed working on?
We’re just plain enthusiastic for editing and mixing sound – pathetically so, really - but load up our server with OMFs and QuickTimes and we’re happy! We live on a healthy diet of broadcast series, animation, commercials and what I would best describe as business-to-business communications - not just standard ‘corporate video’ work, but mixing for various viewing platforms. A current drink-drive ‘viral’ project involves mixing for cinema, TV, DVD, web-streaming, vmail, podcasting and even memory-stick distribution.
How has the nature of your business changed over the years?
The traditional borders have become blurred between broadcast and non-broadcast. We know that many of our broadcast clients are now supplying programmes and content on a 360-degree basis so we now deliver with this very much in mind.
Also, production staff have less and less time to spend sitting in a dubbing theatre - quite often in a series’ run, directors will be shooting elsewhere while we mix their episode, so we need to be easily accessible to them wherever they are.
The Audio Suite’s Virtual Dubbing Theatre™ has been designed expressly for this way of working. The joy of the system is that, while it is secure, it is still quick and easy to access works-in-progress and then monitor, review, critique and add time-and-date stamped comments for any changes alongside the file.
What makes your company different from the competition? How do you maintain your edge?
We’d like to think that we’re different by virtue of our focus and commitment to our clients, our commitments to quality and affordability and our combined industry experience. We attempt to keep our edge by being mindful that our clients always have a choice to take their work elsewhere if we return anything that gives them less than total satisfaction.
We face the same challenges as any of our peers in Soho but we’ve made the business decision to offer a more convenient and cost-effective way to access the high standards and functionality of a cutting-edge facility, one that truly allows you to work wherever you are if it’s not convenient to travel to our delightful mixing studios.
In your time trading, what have been the most significant industry changes you have witnessed?
The death of quality and now, thank goodness, a hint at its rebirth. Producers and directors are becoming savvy once again about what is acceptable to a viewer or a broadcaster and what isn’t. It has taken time but I believe the message has started to filter through. If the viewer struggles to hear it they’ll simply switch over. I also believe that audio post shouldn’t be viewed or priced as a luxury item, although of course in my opinion it’s greater than 50% of the product! Our challenge at The Audio Suite, as with all audio post facilities, is to demonstrate tremendous on-screen value for the rates we charge.
What potential industry developments of the next 12-24 months are of most concern to you, in terms of the company?
I think we’re in good shape to move quickly where necessary in order to accommodate a client’s particular needs. Flexibility is a key part of our offering to production companies and we have to keep listening to what is being asked of us as the production model subtly changes and evolves.
On a five-year plan for the company, what would be the most important headings?
Emerging markets and trends: We have to consider how we continue to adapt the best bits of the traditional audio post production model to new markets and products.
Pricing and Value: How can we improve our high-quality service and lower our price point while returning sustainable growth for the company?
What does technology mean to the business?
Accessibility to one of the UK’s best audio post production facilities and some of the most skilful and passionate practitioners you could ever wish to meet, without either location or customs limiting your options or draining your budget.
Describe your relationship with The Custard Factory and what the Factory stands for?
The Custard Factory is a community and at its heart are café bars, galleries and restaurants; it epitomises the confidence of the new ‘can-do, will-do’ bohemian Birmingham. At last count there were something like 380 screen-based and creative companies centred here at The Custard Factory. It’s not Salford Quays granted, but regional production can and does exist very well here. If only commissioning editors stopped off here more often en-route North on the M6!
What is the single most important piece of advice you would offer to someone starting up in your line of business today?
Keep the faith; people will always want to listen to good sound. It’s a basic human need.
www.theaudiosuite.com
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