The Film Foundry, a premier facility in Charlotte, N.C., has finished post-production on Running the Sahara, a documentary chronicling an extraordinary expedition across the Sahara desert. The project was narrated by Academy Award winner Matt Damon and directed by Academy Award winner James Moll. The score was provided by Hans Zimmer.
Senior Audio Designer Paul Maraio (pictured) mixed and mastered the documentary in 5.1 using two CC-1 powered Fairlight Constellation systems. “With locations that sometimes included sandstorms, you could imagine the challenges as far as audio clean-up. Considering we had a deadline to make the Toronto Film Festival, we were under the gun. I can’t say enough about our Fairlight systems. They delivered in spades!”
The Film Foundry’s two Fairlight Constellations are both 3-bay frames equipped with 24 faders. The track capacity of the Fairlight DAW software eliminated the need for any additional playback devices. With Fairlight’s binnacle editing system, the Film Foundry states, the entire process went smoothly and efficiently.
The film audio was challenging at times due to diverse locations across Northern Africa. Support for VST plug-ins let the team use noise-reduction and reverb tools without resorting to outboard gear. Working on a tight deadline, and with multiple picture changes, the ability to easily import OMF files and QuickTime videos also proved essential.
For more information, visit www.fairlightau.com and www.thefilmfoundry.com.
