Mark DeVos
Mark DeVos (pictured), in association with Comma Music and Sound Design, has launched Particle, a studio in Chicago providing audio post and sound design services for commercials, long-form projects, short films and TV shows in a state-of-the-art facility. Alissa Jansen, formerly of Earhole and Protoculture, joins the company as producer. Particle is located in the same building as parent company Comma Music and will collaborate on projects when appropriate, but will mainly function as a separate entity.
DeVos has completed TV commercials for Buick, PetSmart, and Midwest Airlines, and provided sound design for a radio spot for Finlandia. Ongoing work includes episodic projects for network TV and Web films.
“I’ve known [Comma creative directors/composers] Larry Pecorella and Bryan Rheude for many years,” says DeVos. “The timing was right for me to open my own business and Comma was there to jump-start the process with infrastructure and marketing expertise. With Particle, the goal is to create a critical listening environment that is bright and spacious as opposed to the typical dark and laboratory-like audio room. We are taking a different approach to the design of the room from the look and feel of the materials to my workstation’s orientation, which places me in face-to-face contact with clients instead of having my back to them. I think this will facilitate our interaction and creative process.”
“We have admired Mark’s work for a long time and have also had the pleasure of working with him on past projects,” comments Pecorella. “When he approached us about opening an audio room, it made sense because we’re well positioned in the commercial industry and know how to develop and brand a business. Mark liked our approach and atmosphere; Bryan [Rheude] and I wanted to help him ramp up his company.
“We are currently completing construction on a new, world-class 5.1 surround post room,” Pecorella continues. “That format will now be considered a normal part of our operating environment and included in our flat fee. This same philosophy will extend to ISDN and other typical add-ons, meaning less headaches for producers and a streamlined budgeting process for everyone.”
“The state of technology now allows us great flexibility in terms of where and how we can operate,” concludes DeVos. “We’re taking advantage of this with Particle in offering clients a modern, design-oriented mixing environment that feels more like a really high-end media room in someone’s house instead of a laboratory at a semi-conductor facility.”
For more information, visit www.particleaudio.com.
