MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

We'd like to wish all our colleagues (old and new),  friends and clients, all the very best for the festive Season!

What a year it's been: some fantastic creative work and collaborations; a new building/home (in Melbourne), and some exciting developments in both our Sydney and Melbourne offices/facilities!

While the creative industries continue to face many challenges, both here in Australia and overseas, we remain committed to bringing film-makers the best talent and technology to help bring their creative visions to life! 2014 will be no different, so we look forward to seeing you all in January.

WE WISH YOU ALL A VERY RESTFUL BREAK, AND THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT.

 


Stew - Tropfest Finalist 2013

Soundfirm have completed the sound post production on the Tropfest finalist, “Stew” which made the top 16 short screening at this years event in Sydney’s Centennial Parklands.

Alex Francis and Diego Ruiz at Soundfirm Sydney where instrumental in the design, mix, foley and edit of the soundtrack  They worked closely alongside Director, Steven Woodburn & Producer, Sam Smith to create a beautifully imagined short about repressed childhood memories.

Soundfirm have a long and rich pedigree in supporting emerging film-makers and shorts: often providing resources and in-house creative talent to get ideas from script to screen.

Sound Design & Foley – Alex Francis, Soundfirm Sydney
Dialogue & Mix – Diego Ruiz, Soundfirm Sydney


Around the Block

Soundfirm were extensively involved with the post-production of Sarah Spillane's AROUND THE BLOCK, one of  six Australian films that were selected for the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival line up.

Set around the riots in Redfern during 2004 AROUND THE BLOCK is about breaking family and cultural cycles for a hopeful future. Up-and-comer Hunter Page-Lochard and Christina Ricci star in this contemporary story of love, revenge and triumph, as a young Aboriginal boy becomes torn between his unexpected love of acting and the disintegration of his family.

The film is set for wide-spread Australian release in early 2014.

 

 


Hidden Universe 3D

Soundfirm have completed the full sound post production track on  Russell Scott’s landmark IMAX release, "Hidden Universe 3D".

Mixed in our Melbourne facility, Head Mixer and Sound Editor, Chris Goodes was charged with creating an immersive and compelling sound track, often to mute CG images.

Soundfirm also led voice over records, foley production and editing; seamlessly  deploying our facility in Sydney, alongside Melbourne resources.

The giant-screen documentary adventure “Hidden Universe 3D” takes audiences on an extraordinary journey deep into space in the cinematic medium that transports audiences like no other.  With the full power of IMAX 3D cinematography, the deepest reaches of our universe are brought to life with unprecedented clarity through real images captured by the world’s most powerful telescopes—seen on-screen and in 3D for the first time.

Stunning, high-resolution 3D images of space allow moviegoers to explore the earliest galaxies, watch stars being born in vivid clouds of gas and dust, tour the surface of Mars, and witness images of distant celestial structures including stunning views of the Sun.   Seen for the first time in IMAX 3D, these dramatic new images offer fresh insight into the origins and evolution of the universe.

Narrated by Golden Globe winner Miranda Richardson, “Hidden Universe 3D” is a December Cinema Productions film produced in association with Film Victoria, Swinburne University of Technology, and the European Southern Observatory (ESO).  Executive produced by Emmy®-award-winning producer Tony Wright.  Produced in association with MacGillivray Freeman Films. Produced by Stephen Amezdroz and written and directed by Russell Scott.  The musical score is by Dale Cornelius.

“History has taught us that no matter how well we understand a system – whether it is a biological system like a human being, or a physical system like a galaxy – when we look at it in a new or more in-depth way, we see and learn new things,” said Greg Poole, one of the two astronomers featured in the film. “It’s hard to say exactly what form these new insights will take, for that is the nature of scientific discovery.  It’s impossible to predict.”

What is possible to predict is that starting in September, Hidden Universe 3D will take us all deeper into space than ever before.

For Soundfirm:

Chris Goodes – Mixer & Sound Editor (Melbourne)

James Ashton – Voice Over Recordist (Melbourne)

Adam Connelly & Mario Vaccaro – Foley (Sydney)

 


Gayby Baby

Following the successful completion of the 'opening shot' short for the ABC, Director Maya Newell returned to Soundfirm for the post production on her feature film, "Gaybe Baby." 

Soundfirm's Andy Wright once again took the lead, with intelligent sound design and mixing, building on the great work he had done with Charlotte and Maya prior.  We are delighted to be involved and, further, would encourage audiences to not only engage with this smart film, but also to back the campaign for equal rights in Australia at:

http://www.australianmarriageequality.org/ 

#sayyestolove  - 'Gaybe Baby' will be in cinemas from the 3rd September 2015.

https://www.facebook.com/GaybyBaby 

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/growing-up-gayby-opening-shot-2/

Soundfirm have completed the full picture and sound post production on Maya Newell’s documentary, ‘Growing Up Gayby,’ for Screen Australia and the ABC.

Newell’s film is part of the ABC’s ‘OPENING SHOT’ series: a collection of documentaries made by Australia’s next generation of filmmakers.  ‘GROWING UP GAYBY’ opens the season, and follows director Maya Newell, herself raised by two mums, as she explores the impact of gay parenting.

Soundfirm completed the entire project out of their Sydney facility, including accommodating Rochelle and the offline in their cutting rooms (on Fox Studios), through to the Full Grade (Da Vinci’s Resolve via the Dolby PRM Monitor) and online edit, with the narration record, sound design and final mix also completed under the one roof.  Soundfirm even managed the transfer and treatment of very old VHS archive material which became crucial to the story-telling in the edit.

“Maya’s film is a really smart piece of journalism: intelligently made, and well crafted.  It’s been a pleasure working with her, Charlotte and Rochelle,” said Paul Willey, Soundfirm General Manager.

“Soundfirm have a genuine passion for factual story-telling, and we love collaborating with young film-makers to help get these wonderful narratives on screen and into the public consciousness,” he added.

The film is available on ABC's catch-up service, ABC iview, and via the Opening Shot Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/ABC2

 

Director, Maya Newell.

Producer, Charlotte Mars

Offline Editor, Rochelle Oshlack

Colourist, Angela Cerasi

Online/Deliverables/Media Management, Bruce Emery & Shane Goddard

Senior Sound Editor/Mixer, Andy Wright

V/O Recordist, Diego Ruiz

General Manager, Paul Willey

Facility Co-ordinator, Jasmin Cornford

 


Dolby® Atmos™ arrives in Australia @ Soundfirm

Soundfirm installs Dolby® Atmos™ into their new flag-ship theatre: the first and only Atmos mixing theatre in Australia!

We’re proud to announce the installation of Dolby Atmos into our Melbourne Facility: the first and only post production theatre in Australia to deploy this ground-breaking technology.

Dolby Atmos unleashes the potential of sound in storytelling by giving film-makers and mixers the creative freedom to easily place or move specific sounds anywhere in the movie theatre, not just wherever there happens to be speakers.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/69918255[/vimeo]

The result is what moviegoers have described as the most engaging and immersive cinema sound experience ever, propelling cinema sound to the level that image has achieved with its 4K, 3D and 48FPS technologies. At the same time, Dolby Atmos promises to revolutionise movie distribution by eliminating the need for multiple print masters: a single delivery file will now play faithfully in any theatre.

Soundfirm joins an elite list of just 30 facilities globally that are able to offer this ground-breaking technology.  Our beautiful Theatre 1, at our Port Melbourne facility, is set-up for Atmos mixes (plus 7.1/5.1 down-mixes), and has been built to provide  the Feature Film and Cinema Commercials markets with the finest mixing and delivery environment in the country.

Since launching just over a year ago, over 40 films around the world have been announced or released with Dolby Atmos sound, with more  than 100 screens enabled globally.

For more information, please contact Helen, Mel, Chris or Roger @ Soundfirm, Melbourne.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/40699179[/vimeo]

 


Underbelly Squizzy

Soundfirm were totally squizzy about being involved with the latest installment of Nine Network's Underbelly.

Our Melbourne and Sydney facilities delivered a complete sound package, adding essential elements to an enthralling tale following the life and career of notorious Melbourne gangster, Squizzy Taylor.


Colour Grading Monitors from Dolby @ Soundfirm

Soundfirm continues to ramp up its investment in picture post production technology, with the purchase of additional Dolby PRM-4200’s monitors.

Soundfirm were the first facility in Australia to invest in the Dolby PRM, and have now added further units to their suites in Sydney, Melbourne and Beijing.

The Emmy® Award–winning Dolby monitor is the first monitor to accurately display the full latitude of today's high-end digital cameras. It facilitates the creative process for colourists, cinematographers, and video professionals by ensuring that the final image will reflect exactly what they see on the monitor. Dolby’s patented dual-modulation display technology produces images of the highest quality possible on a flat-panel monitor, delivering true blacks, exceptional dark detail, high contrast, wide dynamic range, and reliable performance over a long lifetime.

"We have always had an ‘open door’ policy in terms of grading talent, but when matched with industry-leading kit, such as the Dolby PRM’s, we find ourselves with a very potent offering to help film-makers realise their creative vision," said Paul Willey, Soundfirm’s General Manager, Sydney.  “It’s a real boon to be able to offer the full suite of post production services under one roof, all managed centrally by our experienced team,” he added.

Soundfirm have recently provided the complete ‘full post package of sound and picture’ for Sarah Spillane’s “Around The Block” and Warwick Ross’s “Red Obsession.”


Australian Directors Guild Awards 2013

Congratulations to all the winners and runners up of the 2013 Australian Directors Guild Awards held last Friday in Sydney.
Huge congrats to Cate Shortland for "Lore" and Grace Mackenzie for "Audrey of the Alps" for winning in their categories of best feature and best documentary direction respectively. Soundfirm is very proud to have worked on such great projects with such talented directors.
You can read more here


Dance Academy wins at the 2013 logies

"Dance Academy" wins the Logie for the most outstanding children's program 2013! Big congrats to Jo Werner and her talented team! We are so proud to have been a part of such a wonderful series and can't wait for series 3 to hit the ABC in July this year! Dance Academy 2013 logies