Spectrum Films has completed a full interior rebuild of their large Dolby accredited ATMOS mix theatre at Fox Studios Australia, with studio picture Mortal Kombat being the first film to final mix in the room.
The theatre upgrade was led by Spectrum’s Head of Sound Angus Robertson, the company engaged highly regarded US based acoustic consultants Salter to ensure the highest level of quality for both local and international filmmakers.
Angus Robertson said “Having worked with Salter previously, it was an easy decision to engage with them as consultants on improving the overall acoustic quality of our large ATMOS mix theatre. Salter consult on sound mixing theatres for the major studios and sound facilities in the US and globally, so their involvement not only validates the build but also gives a level of confidence for our clients.
“The process involved performing thorough test recordings inside the theatre, with the results being sent to Felipe Tavera and Jason Duty at Salter. After analysing the recordings, they recommended a design which involved a complete deconstruction of the interior, then a rebuild incorporating new inner walls, infinite baffle, and a matrix of high-end acoustic insulation and fabrics for diffusion and absorption. Every surface inside the theatre was addressed erasing any historic acoustic issues that had existed. The theatre is now an incredible sounding mix stage and the result has exceeded our expectations,” he continued.
Mortal Kombat Supervising Sound Editor/Sound Designer/Re-Recording Mixer Robert Mackenzie comments “Working with the Spectrum team in their newly renovated Dolby Atmos Mixing theatre for the final mix of Mortal Kombat was great. The stage sounds fantastic and the translation from premixing at our studio at RMS through to the cinema and Home Entertainment was a flawless victory.”
Spectrum Films’ Managing Director, Josh Pomeranz, adds “Working with such highly regarded acoustic consultants has ensured that the mix theatre is world class. The theatre not only boasts Hollywood tent pole mixing capability and technologies, but also a 4k Christie laser projector, so the picture quality is also of the highest standard. Having Mortal Kombat be the first film to final mix in the finished room only validates the work. We couldn’t be more excited and prouder about managing this fantastic film and television industry asset in NSW and being able to offer it to both our Australian and international clients moving forward.”
Felipe Tavera, from Salter, says of their involvement “Jason and I were excited to have the opportunity to be involved in the project. The help of Angus and the Spectrum crew was fundamental to the success of our remote engagement and the implementation of our acoustical design input. Overall, we were lucky to be part of an outstanding team. We couldn’t be happier with the result.”