Re-recording mixer James Wichall fell into the audio business almost by chance while he was working in the legal department at UK-based Ragdoll production company, the team behind the popular Teletubbies children’s television program. It was there that he was first introduced to the possibilities of sound design.
A rising star in the industry, Soya Soo has worked on many high-profile films as an audio engineer at Remote Control Productions, Hans Zimmer’s Santa Monica-based studio, including projects like The Lion King and Dark Phoenix. Today, as an assistant studio engineer, Soo is busy recording and mixing for various film scores including the Apple+ series See.
As Dolby Atmos continues to become a dominant force in the audio industry, studios like Melbourne-based Red Road Immersive are pushing the boundaries with sound design, bringing unparalleled audio experiences to listeners. Red Road owner Angus Davidson has been in the music business for four decades. He recently handled the sound on Little Tornadoes, a feature film that premiered at the 2021 Melbourne International Film Festival.
Scoring mixer Rich Aitken, founder and owner of Nimrod Studios, has been one of the industry’s most respected sound production professionals for nearly 25 years. Today, whether at home or on the road at studios like Abbey Road and The Empire, Aitken manages a wide array of recordings, works with composers, and provides sonically engaging mixes to bring out the best in a musical piece for film, television, or gaming.
While it begins as a “dull, dark and soundless day,” the famous Edgar Allen Poe short story, The Fall of the House of Usher, is anything but boring or quiet. In fact, the chilling tale of Roderick Usher, a man living alone, seemingly descending into madness, comes to life in the upcoming horror/thriller film 3 Days Rising. As the film’s gruesome story unravels, sound plays a pivotal role in telling the tale. But that was not without its challenges.
A 15-year veteran of the film and TV business, freelance re-recording mixer Alexandra Fehrman loves to get creative with her projects. Nominated for a 2021 Sound Mixing Emmy for her work on Amazon’s drama The Boys, Fehrman works with Formosa Group, a post-production facility in Los Angeles, as well as from her home studio. Fehrman, like many audio pros, started her career in music as a teenager and has been pursuing sound mixing ever since. Her specialties include streaming and TV series, as well as feature and independent films.
“We are a little team of three here, so, we all wear many hats,” says Mirza Tahirovic, co-owner of Studio Chelia, a professional audio post-production facility in Sarajevo, Bosnia. “I’m a composer, sound editor and recording mixer, but I also do ADR recordings and other corrections when necessary.”
Sound and mastering engineer Fernando Richard, mixing engineer Ivan Markovic and sound designer Francisco Bissone recently teamed up to launch Immersive Audio Solutions in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The studio is designed to offer immersive sound solutions for a wide array of platforms. A Dolby Atmos-approved studio, IAS also has the capabilities of mixing for Sony 360 and Ambisonic formats.
Re-recording mixer Frank Morrone has earned himself an extensive resume through his work with Todd AO and Technicolor, which includes projects from high-profile directors like Ron Howard and Tim Burton. In addition to his residency at the acclaimed post house, Morrone also works independently from his home studio for a wide array of film projects.
Allison Casey is the owner and senior mixer of Gramercy Post in New York City. She first began working there as an intern in 2008, when she was just 22. While she later switched to freelancing, she continued to keep a close relationship with the company and its founder, Joe Mendelson. Toward the end of 2012, Mendelson decided to retire from sound and sell Gramercy to her. She says that since he’d been able to train her from the ground up and knew they had similarly intense work ethics, she thinks he knew his studio would be in good hands. In the wake of this week’s celebration of International Women’s Day, I spoke with Casey about her career, about how far women and other minority groups have advanced in production and post-production, and how far they have to go to reach full equality in the industry.
