HOLLYWOOD & SANTA MONICA — Margarita Mix (www.margmix.com), a FotoKem company specializing in audio and video post services, has expanded into the virtual reality (VR) arena with the addition of 360-degree sound rooms at their facilities in Santa Monica and Hollywood. Whether it’s creating sound design, mix and final printmasters for VR video, or remixing current spots for a full-surround environment, Margarita Mix now offers producers and content owners high-quality sound solutions for the professional VR market.
Currently, the facility is collaborating with director/producer Art Haynie of Big Monkey Films on a VR concert film with the band Eagles of Death Metal, utilizing the Dolby Atmos system. The full-length film was recorded to commemorate the last show of the band’s 2015 tour, which was derailed mid-tour by the tragedy in Paris. It is expected to be available online and via apps next month.
“It’s the wild west out there when it comes to VR filming and audio because it’s so new,” says Haynie. “Margarita Mix is enabling me to create truly cinematic, 360-degree head tracking sound for a concert film that is going to be exceptional and unlike anything you’ve heard or seen yet.”
Rand Gladden, senior VP at FotoKem, says, “While audio technicians and artists in gaming have been working with interactive 360-degree sound for years, the requirements for that format in the cinematic and advertising realm differ. We are bringing sound design, editorial and mixing expertise to the next level based on our long history of industry-recognized work on short and long form projects. Much of the technology and equipment that is required for seamless VR is just now becoming available, giving us the opportunity to support manufacturers creating those tools and to develop our own solutions. It’s exciting to be creating new workflows and guiding technology companies into a new frontier.”
With nearly 40 years of award-winning sound expertise, the facility has the talent to get the job done. At the console are Margarita Mix’s multi-award winning re-recording mixers Paul Hurtubise and Nathan Dubin in the Santa Monica facility, and Konrad Piñon and Michael Greenberg in Hollywood.
All four of Margarita Mix’s mixers — Paul Hurtubise and Nathan Dubin in Santa Monica facility, and Konrad Piñon and Michael Greenberg in Hollywood — have VR sound experience. They are backed by senior technical engineer Pat Stoltz, who brings more than 15 years of immersive audio experience to bear.