Media systems integrator, Jigsaw24 Media has provided and installed Europe’s first dual-op Avid S4 / Pro Tools mixing rig for independent audio post house, Point1Post. The new setup provides a solution for mixing film, feature documentary and streaming media.
Established in 2005, Point1Post is based in the film-making hub of Elstree & Borehamwood and provides both full-service and dry-hire audio mix facilities from their cinema-sized studio with fully calibrated picture and sound. As one of the first studios of its size to fully commit to mixing within Pro Tools, for almost 17 years the main mixing stage at Point1Post has been dominated by a pair of ICON D-Command control surfaces – allowing two mixers to work side-by-side, with one focusing on dialogue and music while the other takes care of the effects, foley and atmospheres. The decision to upgrade these mixing consoles was motivated by a desire to provide a more contemporary setup for external mixers using the facility, and to provide the same mix experience that larger studios achieve using S6 consoles.
The Point1Post team identified the Avid S4 as a potential fit for their demanding audio workflows, but the console was originally designed for use by a single operator in smaller studios and had never been deployed in a dual-op configuration in Europe before. Jigsaw24 Media provided advice, technical provision and integration. “This generation of console is very different to the last – the customisable design of ethernet connected modules can be quite daunting at first. You need to trust the people that you are asking for advice – you don’t want to be working it out yourself, especially when you are planning something that you have never seen before,” says Point1Post founder and re-recording mixer, Adam Daniel. “Working alongside Jigsaw24 Media and Avid we have come up with a solution that absolutely meets our brief – when the lights go down, we’re offering the same core experience as larger facilities.”
The Avid S4 consoles satisfy both Point1Post’s functional and ergonomic requirements. The producer desks are set up in the centre of the studio to provide access to a stem recorder attached to an Avid MTRX, through which their playoff machines and Dolby Atmos RMU are routed. Spacious wings on the sides of the consoles allow sound editors direct access to their Pro Tools sessions. The updated technology has already driven an increase in demand from both independent film producers that want to maximise their budgets and younger mixers who are more familiar with the newer EUCON desks than the older ICON generation. The Point1Post team are now planning to build their own Dolby Atmos Renderer for cinema – with Jigsaw24 Media’s help.
“This project is a perfect illustration of the difference between simply supplying technology and providing technical solutions,” says Jigsaw24 Media account manager, Nikki Pascoe. “While certain products are designed with a specific use-case in mind, Avid consoles have a reputation for handling almost anything thrown at them, and part of our role as a media systems integrator is to help clients use technology in innovative ways to solve their specific needs – that’s exactly what we’ve achieved for Point1Post.”
Pippa Considine
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