Glasgow-based games, postproduction, film and TV production facility Blazing Griffin has installed an Alcons pro ribbon system for its high-end film mixing room – the first Alcons mix room in Scotland and also the first installation of an Alcons CRMSC Compact Cinema Reference Monitor System in the UK.
Established in 2015, Blazing Griffin recently added a 5.1 / 7.1.4 (Dolby Atmos) film mixing room, built to Dolby Features specification, and sought a suitable speaker system to support it. ‘The room was designed to accommodate theatrical film mixing as well as HETV drama and feature doc work, and sonically had to translate well to both commercial cinemas and home systems,’ says Blazing Griffin Technical Operations Manager, Paul Martin. ‘Working closely with Dolby throughout the process, the installation had to hit specific requirements in terms of loudness and intelligibility, and naturally we wanted the best sounding system available to us.
‘We were aware that Alcons pro-ribbon systems are a go-to for higher end facilities and had known Laurence Claydon of consultancy and design service Mill Road Technology for many years. We trust his ears and were happy to listen to his vast experience and recommendations on the subject.’
Having assessed its options, the facility decided on Alcons, installing three CRMSCompact three-way, 12-inch compact cinema reference monitor system, 16 CRMSC-SRHV/90 two-way, 6.5-inch compact horizontal/vertical reference surround and two CB211slFV 21-inch larger-format shallow subwoofer system, powered and controlled by three Sentinel3 amplified loudspeaker controllers.
The CRMSCompact Cinema Reference Monitor System is intendedfor high-end mix/screening rooms, postproduction facilities and dubbing stages with a room depth less than 10m/30ft. It is complemented by the CRMSC-SRHV, which is designed as a matching (height layer) surround system, using identical mid/high frequency components to match the voicing between screen and surround systems. One challenge facing the installation was the tight timescale for the project, there being three months between the start of construction of the new room and the deadline for its completion.
‘We hadn’t installed Alcons products before, but it was a very straightforward, seamless process,’ says Martin. ‘Laurence commissioned the system and it was ready just in time for the handover date.’
‘At Mill Road Technology we’re delighted that Blazing Griffin have chosen to join an increasing number of mixing facilities whose talent and clients are discovering the benefits of working on Alcons Pro Ribbon against traditional monitoring solutions,’ says Claydon. ‘We receive consistent feedback that Alcons allows you to hear further into the mix and work more efficiently in making creative decisions’
The reaction to the new facility has been positive, with the room, solidly booked since opening. ‘The reaction has been brilliant and the room sounds fantastic, Claydon says. ‘We’re now working on the biggest shows we’ve ever done in that room, like The Tattooist of Auschwitz for Sky. After a period of bedding in, we’re now confident that the system can take on any project, no matter how technically or creatively challenging.’
