The only full-service postproduction complex in Mexico that is exclusively focused on episodic TV and film, Cinematic Media recently unveiled new Dolby Atmos-certified mix stages and sound editorial rooms. All have identical setiups featuring Focusrite RedNet Dante networked audio converters and interfaces.
Cinematic Media’s six new stages are set up for sound design, sound editorial, pre-dubbing and mixing, each featuring a pair of RedNet HD32R 32-channel HD Dante network bridges and Red 4Pre 58-in/64-out Thunderbolt 2 and Pro Tools HD compatible audio interfaces (one per room). RedNet AM2 stereo audio monitoring units and RedNet X2P 2x2 Dante audio interfaces are also available on the stages.
The Malvicino Design Group handled the design of the new rooms: ‘We tried to replicate the same rooms on all three floors of the building,’ says company Principal, Horacio Malvicino. ‘The only difference is the ceiling height, but as far as the gear, it’s all the same. Every floor has its own machine room, which is shared between the two control rooms.’
Referred to as Tlalnewood, the entire Estudios GGM facility employs the same postproduction workflows, infrastructure, and equipment as its counterparts in Hollywood. Two rooms have Avid S6 control surfaces, while the other four offer S3s. In addition, every room in the facility includes a JBL speaker system comprising C211 for LCR, 708i for surround and height, JBL465C Subs (two per room) – four rooms with a full Dolby Atmos 7.2.4 configuration and the remaining two in a 7.2 surround set-up.
Focusrite was Malvicino’s number one choice, he says. ‘All the rooms are connected through Dante, which is the key for this project. The clarity of the sound is unbelievable. The ease of installation and the cost savings are mind- boggling. I’ve been working with Focusrite for such a long time and have done numerous studios over the years with them, so for me it’s a no-brainer.’
The RedNet interfaces also offer advantages with their integration: ‘The units take up very little space,’ says Malvicino. ‘That’s something that people tend to overlook, especially when you do an installation where you have four computers for each room – which already take a lot of space – and you need to leave a space in between them. But Focusrite units are 1U high and they don’t produce any heat, so you stack them one on top of the other and that’s it – done.’
The new sound facilities are designed to meet the technical requirements of the major streaming services, which are driving the current growth in production in Mexico. ‘If you’re mixing for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu or Apple, you can monitor how it would sound on the platform,’ Malvicino says.
Malvicino ran the numbers through Dolby’s DARDT (Dolby Audio Room Design Tool) software to ensure that the rooms met the Atmos certification specifications. He worked with his regular contractor, TADI (Taller de Arquitectura + Diseño Interior), based in Mexico City, on room construction.
‘The two architects that run the company are great. They know the way I design and the way I want stuff to get built. We imported a bunch of installation materials from a company called AMC in Spain. We raised the ceiling on the third floor. Having a general contractor that has built studios for me before – they’ve built more than 15 studios around the world with me over the years – makes the process a lot easier.’
Malvicino handled the acoustic and technical design of the six new rooms (four with a full Dolby Atmos set-up), also consulting with the equipment integrator 3BH (3BlueHouse), a professional A/V specialist company also based in Mexico City. Two-time Oscar-nominated supervising sound editor and mixer Martin Hernandez heads up sound services at Cinematic Media, which is led by Managing Director Arturo Sedano. Hernández, who regularly works with director Alejandro G Iñarritu, was Oscar-nominated for his work on The Revenant (for which he also earned a BAFTA) and Birdman.
