Dublin, Ireland (April 18, 2024)—Windmill Lane Pictures in Ireland has upgraded Studio One for immersive mixing with a Genelec 7.1.4 monitoring system.
At the forefront of Windmill Lane’s audio department is Mick Creedon, whose 25 years of experience in recording and mixing has been instrumental to Windmill’s success and has been showcased in the recent Amazon Prime show Last One Laughing and the Sky Documentary Right Here, Right Now (Fatboy Slim’s Big Beach Boutique II). “We began fielding inquiries about immersive audio capabilities,” Creedon notes. “Previously, when clients inquired about mixing audio in Atmos, we had to reluctantly decline. Now, with this setup, we’re fully equipped to meet all the needs of clients and streamers alike.”
Windmill Lane Pictures moved to its current building in 2009, engaging the services of White Mark to design and build three Genelec-equipped 5.1 audio post-production studios, with local Genelec distributor Big Bear Sound supplying, installing and commissioning the monitoring systems. Studios One and Two were similar in size, both with VO booths, complemented by the slightly smaller Studio Three. Since then, the facility has expanded to include five post studios, five edit suites, two presentation rooms and a grading room, deploying a grand total of over 55 Genelec monitors.
Recording a Pub Singalong with Bono and the Edge
Studio One’s newly upgraded immersive system comprises the original 1038B three-way monitors in the LCR positions, with an additional two 8050A two-way models supplementing the original pair of 8050As in the side and rear positions. Four new 8030C compact two-way models have been deployed for the overhead channels, with low frequencies handled by the room’s original 7073A subwoofer. This fusion of older and newer Genelec models has resulted in a streamlined workflow, allowing more time for creativity in the mix and expediting file exporting for remote approval.
“If there are noises, clicks, or background sounds, we can easily clean them up with our plug-ins and tools. Genelec’s like having a built-in perfectionist, always nudging us to make things sound just right and when the final product leaves the room, you know it’s going to sound spot on,” Creedon says.
The company also took the opportunity to standardize the facilities in all five audio post studios. Studio One’s transformation involved significant changes, including a complete re-wire of the AV cable infrastructure, modification to the existing studio furniture and the replacement of the acoustic fabric. These efforts were supported by Big Bear which played an integral role in the installation and commissioning of the rooms.
