Studio B and its staff from his days at Cinar and had long appreciated the boutique approach to their work . “ It was just a matter of being closer to the people and the product ,” he says of his decision . “ Technicolor is a great company ,” he adds – and in fact , SPR remains a semi-regular client of Technicolor to this day .
As Bissonnette noted , SPR ’ s current facility is comprised of eight studio spaces – six larger recording and mixing studios and a pair of Pro Tools suites – in addition to its central media room , collaborative meeting spaces , and administrative offices .
SPR ’ s service portfolio virtually runs the gamut of what one would expect from a fullservice audio post facility , and then some . Under the “ original sound ” umbrella are services like recording , mixing , sound editing and design , remastering and restoration , foley recording , technical consulting , and everything from conversions to copying , transfers , and laybacks .
As for ADR , SPR is equipped with platforms like Source Connect and Zephyr Xstream – for which they were very early adopters – to enable seamless , real-time collaborations with studios around the world .
And then there ’ s the dubbing , which has become SPR ’ s informal specialty in recent years . The studio maintains close relationships with broadcasters around the world , particularly in French-speaking markets , which is a major selling point for potential clients . While much of their dubbing work comes in television – particularly animation – SPR has also done versioning for major blockbusters like Star Wars : The Force Awakens , Avengers : Age of Ultron , and Big Hero 6 , to name only a few .
The 30 x 25-ft . Studio 99 is the main mixing stage , certified by Dolby for Dolby Digital 7.1 . That ’ s where the majority of the company ’ s feature films and long-format projects get their treatment . It features a new Avid S6 console with Genelec 1033A surround monitoring and processing equipment from Dolby , TC Electronic , Waves , Audio Ease , McDSP , Nugen , iZotope , and more .
The visuals are relayed onto a 10 x 8-ft . screen . As with all of SPR ’ s spaces , the DAW of choice is Pro Tools HD .
Studio X is a mixing , recording , ADR , and dubbing space that can also handle 5.1 mixing . It features a 22 x 14-ft . sound booth and a 22 x 17-ft . control room anchored by a Digidesign ProControl console and featuring Genelec 1033A surround monitoring . A complement of mics featuring models from AKG ( C414B ), Neumann ( U87 , KM 100 , KM 140 , KMR 81 ), Audio-Technica ( 114 ), and Schoeps ( CMiT5U ) is available for Studio X and the other recording-oriented rooms .
“ By keeping everything crystal clear , we ’ re saving [ our clients ] time and saving them money – keeping it simple for us , for them , and keeping the money onscreen .”
In addition to recording , ADR , and dubbing , the 14 x 12-ft . Studio B also boasts a 27 x 17-ft . foley recording booth . The control room features an Avid S3 console and Genelec 1022 B monitoring .
Its 20 x 12-ft . control room of Studio F features a Yamaha DM 2000 console with Genelec 1031A monitoring and , with its 14 x 14-ft . sound booth , is used for mixing , recording , sound editing , and sound design .
Studio D25 , with a 15 x 12-ft control room and 17x 23-ft . sound booth , is used for mixing , recording , ADR , and dubbing , with a newer Avid S3 console relaying sound to Dynaudio 6 and Adam A7 monitors .
Finally , the most recent addition to the facility , Studio N , features a Digidesign ICON D-Command 24-fader console and monitoring from Neumann , featuring front KH 310 A boxes and KH 120 A boxes to round out the surround channels .
Then there ’ s the pair of Pro Tools suites , used for sound design and editing in 5.1 . Both feature Euphonix Artist Series controllers and monitoring from M & K ( for surround ) and Focal , plus a humble complement of instruments and samplers . Also unique is the fact that Studio N , Studio B , and the second Pro Tools suite have their controllers atop desks with electronically adjustable heights .
Bissonnette notes that SPR is very thorough when bringing in new products , implementing new platforms , or even just deciding which software upgrades to jump on . “ Because we have so many studios , we need to make sure that any update or new technology is rock-solid before we make a switch across the board ,” he says . “ That lets us – the staff – be more confident in our work , knowing and trusting these systems .”
SPR ’ s current staff is about 25 strong , give or take a few depending on the time of year , and Bissonnette says that approximately half are technicians . What ’ s particularly unique about SPR relative to the post industry is its low staff turnover .
“ Very few of the people working here are parttime ,” Bissonnette says with a slight air of pride . In this business , continuity and consistency breed confidence , and Bissonnette reports that clients appreciate being able to get instant answers to their questions , or simply knowing that the same person is working on their project over a longterm period . “ It also lets us react quickly to any changes that clients might want ,” the VP adds .
Of course , on the flip side , the security gives staffers a vested interest in the quality of their work and , subsequently , the success of the business . “ When we hire someone , we like to start with them right at the beginning in the media suite , and then as they gain experience , they start editing and recording and it gives us a good idea of people ’ s particular skills ,” Bissonnette explains . While the studio has hired experienced technicians in the past , the majority of their staff first joined the team virtually fresh out of school . “ When they start , they want to jump right into the mixing , but over the years , we ’ ve been able to get a good idea of people ’ s capabilities and skills and helped to develop their strengths . And they become part of the family .”
The idea of coworkers as family is something
40 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND