Nurturing New Talent

Harman Professional has announced that it will supply technology for this season’s Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program that takes place from June through September at the Sundance Institute in Provo, Utah.  Reservoir Dogs, Boys Don’t Cry and Requiem For A Dream are just a few of the now-classic movies that had their starts at the Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program, which every year nurtures a select group of aspiring filmmakers in a workshop environment where they are mentored by some of the best minds in the film industry.

This year — the program’s 12th season — Harman Professional will provide seven pairs of JBL LSR2300 monitors, three Soundcraft M12 mixers and three Soundcraft M8 mixers for use in the program’s film editing and scoring projects.  HP Marketing, of Centennial, Colorado, the Harman Professional regional manufacturer’s representative and a long-time supporter of Sundance, facilitated the equipment’s delivery to Sundance.
 


The Feature Film Program, which also includes the Film Composers Lab in which young music scoring talent is cultivated, takes place in the hills of Utah, far from the high-tech sound stages of Hollywood. However, thanks to Harman Professional’s commitment to the advancement of film sound, the work at Sundance Institute Labs Feature Film Program benefits from the same technology platforms these students will be using when they begin their careers in Hollywood.  

The JBL LSR2300 Series Studio Monitors features the same stringent Linear Spatial Reference criteria used in the design of the acclaimed LSR6300 and LSR4300 Series for absolute accuracy at the mix position in any environment. The Soundcraft M Series mixers deliver a great-sounding, reliable performance in any environment, offering a familiar user interface with advanced design and construction, including high-quality 100mm faders combined with signal and peak LEDs on every channel and high resolution output metering.
 

“The Sundance Institute Feature Film and Composers Programs are extraordinary undertakings,” says Ian Calderon, director of digital initiatives.  “Our visiting filmmakers, composers and creative advisors expect to use the best technology resources while at Sundance.  JBL and Soundcraft have consistently met those expectations and we are grateful for their continued support.”

Scott Johnson, technical director for the Sundance Institute Film Composers Lab Program, says that the JBL and Soundcraft equipment are used throughout the summer, for all the editing work and for the Film Composers Labs working first on documentaries and then on narrative features later in the summer.  

Now in his 11th year with the program, Johnson says JBL and Soundcraft have been an integral part of the initiative for as long as he can remember. “The equipment is great – it really helps raise the technical and creative bar at the Labs,” he says. “Working with this kind of quality equipment in this remote environment gives the students an incredible advantage, one that I’m sure will stay with them for the rest of their careers.”
 

Michael MacDonald, Harman Professional executive vice president of marketing and sales says, “Innovation comes in many shapes and forms. Organizationally, Harman is deeply committed to creative and technological innovation in our culture and in the community.  The Sundance Institute shares this commitment to innovation and education, which is why support for the Institute labs is a natural step for Harman.”
  

Harman International www.harman.com