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Margarita Mix Adds Fourth Fairlight EVO
System |
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Margarita Mix of Santa Monica, a FotoKem company
specializing in audio post services for commercials
and advertising media, has installed a fourth
Fairlight EVO integrated audio production system for
their award-winning team of sound designers, mixers
and composers. With the upgrade, the facility’s
accomplished sound mixers Paul Hurtubise, Jimmy
Hite, Nathan Dubin and Jeff Levy are now working on
identical audio post platforms in their HD mixing
suites.
“The facility was already working extensively on
Fairlight, and after careful evaluation and testing,
I made the transition,” says Hurtubise, who joined
Margarita Mix in late 2012 with over 20 years of
experience in commercial audio post.
Having used a number of platforms over the course of
his career, Hurtubise notes, “I simply think
Fairlight sounds better. It’s less fatiguing on the
ears, and I seem to hear things more clearly and
definitively.
The EVO workstation is also very ergonomic and
easy to operate,” he adds. “I feel like I’m on a
system that’s been developed for humans to work on.
EVO’s binnacle fits my hand, and its keyboard fits
my fingers. I’m running sessions more efficiently
because I’m not as focused on all the clicking.”
Hurtubise also points out that the graphic displays
are less fatiguing. “It’s much easier for me to be
on the Fairlight all day. I noticed immediately that
I wasn’t as physically tired at the end of the day.
The displays are comfortable to work on, too.”
According to the talented mixing team at Margarita
Mix, there are plenty of features to like about the
system. They like that the picture has a home in the
system, versus floating around the screen. “The
picture’s right there when I want it—I love the
Pyxis,” Hurtubise says of the dual-channel HD video
recorder that is integrated into EVO as standard. “I
also like the streaming Pyxis video frames along the
bottom of the timeline display, and being able to
see the picture frames before and after the playhead.
This way, I can see how many frames I have until my
next edit.”
When the mixers need to face the voiceover booth
with a script in front of them rather than face the
EVO surface, they’ve created a macro that puts
“Record” on different sides of the controller so
that it’s ergonomically easier for them. Fairlight’s
one-button record function also helps in VO sessions
when the talent starts to speak. “We don’t want to
interrupt them; if we press our ‘Record’ macro
button, the disk recorder immediately stops one take
and goes right into another one in the span of a
1/10th of a second,” Hurtubise explains.
Custom fader sets are another admired attribute of
the system. “I’ve never been on a system where I can
so easily lay out faders to my liking,” says
Hurtubise. “Sometimes I’m knee deep into a session
and I really wish I had my beeps next to my mic,
right next to my music stem, right next to my sound
effects stem, next to the dialog stem next to my
headphone send—then I can mute and level them very
easily. I can create that quickly with Fairlight.”
There are several features on the Fairlight that the
Margarita Mix team hasn’t had available on previous
DAWs. “For example, I like the way Fairlight solos
tracks: I can solo a set of tracks, un-solo them by
holding control and pressing one button, and then
re-solo that same set by pressing one button,”
Hurtubise reports. “I like being able to memorize
zooms. Say I have 128 tracks with 70 music stems and
40 sound effects stems. I can zoom to the music
tracks and store it in U1; I can go to the sound
effects tracks and store that in U2. If I hear
something in the music I just press U1, and
instantly I’m looking at the music stems. It is
super easy.”
 All
four Fairlight operators at Margarita Mix use
similar console control templates for uniformity.
Nathan Dubin has been at Margarita Mix for over a
decade recording VO, mixing for television, ADR
recording for film and commercial mixing for TV and
radio that has earned several industry accolades.
Working with clients such as Nissan, Activision,
Disney, AT&T, Kaiser Permanente, and UPS, Jimmy Hite
has over 30 years of experience in sound mixing for
the commercial and advertising industries, and has
won numerous awards throughout his career. Paul
Hurtubise focuses on commercial mixing as well as
ADR and commentary recording. His recent credits
include spots for Google, eHarmony, Old Navy,
Hyundai, and Toyota, among others. Jeff Levy has
been part of the team for 20-plus years, also
earning multiple awards for mixing and sound design.
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First Fairlight EVO.Live Mixing Console
Installed and On-Air at The CatholicTV
Network |
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The
CatholicTV Network,
which broadcasts local national and international
religious programming including live coverage of
Pope Francis from production facilities in the
Greater Boston area, is on-air with the first
Fairlight EVO.Live digital audio mixing console.
Based on Fairlight’s Crystal Core technology,
EVO.Live is a powerful console with integrated HD
video and multitrack audio recording designed for
broadcast studio and live production applications
that can be reconfigured to operate as a post
production system at the push of a button.
Stephen Sasso “Fairlight has
hit this one out of the park ..."
Fairlight’s first production mixing console,
EVO.Live can be used in a dual-operator
configuration with each engineer having independent
fader sets. The system delivered to The CatholicTV
Network is a true split configuration with a main
control surface located in the audio production
suite and a second, smaller surface positioned in
the video control room. Both surfaces access the
same I/O and EVO.Live FPGA core processor but
operate independently of each other. Either surface
can control the audio going to air while the other
is being used for a rehearsal or getting set for the
next production.
 According
to Mark Quella, Director of Engineering and
Operations for The CatholicTV Network, “Only
Fairlight could meet the wide range of capabilities
we required from our audio production system in the
timeframe we needed it. EVO.Live meets all of our
needs and then some, from easy integration with the
communications of the newsroom to the beautiful
musical horsepower to do symphonic recordings. Plus,
of course, Fairlight’s world-class post production
mix-to-picture capability is second to none.”
Steve Sasso, CatholicTV’s Assistant Chief Engineer,
adds, “Fairlight has hit this one out of the park.
The design of this desk is really well thought out.
When I'm in front of it, it's ‘in my face.’ That's
what I like, not to have to search for controls,
especially in a live situation. And, I can still
record all my tracks for use in post later on. I
would recommend this console to any broadcaster that
wants ease of operation and full control in any live
situation—as well as in post. Plus, Steve Rance and
the guys at Fairlight are just a text away when it
comes to support, with in-depth knowledge of every
aspect of the desk."
The EVO.Live is being used at the CatholicTV Network
facility to mix live and pre-recorded HD
programming, including This is the Day, a live chat
show that features interviews with Catholic artists,
authors, musicians, organizers and ministers from
around the world; WOW: The CatholicTV Challenge, a
long-running children’s game show; and Catholic
Newsbreak, an update of the most important daily
news for Catholics. The network also broadcasts
coverage of the Pontiff’s world travels, devotional
and educational programs as well as live religious
services, including daily Mass, and events from the
Vatican.
 The
highlights of EVO.Live’s powerful feature set
include 104 inputs into 128 bus elements; one main
and 24 subgroup outputs configurable as mono, stereo
or 5.1; 24 auxiliary outputs; 16 mix-minus buses; a
128-track digital audio disk recorder and a HD video
recorder. The system supports six-band EQ on every
channel, main, sub and aux bus and dynamics
processing on every channel and bus.
EVO.Live also
has an integrated cart machine that may be
controlled from the console surface or from a PC or
tablet anywhere on the facility network.
CatholicTV began broadcasting from Boston on January
1, 1955 and currently operates out of HD production
studios in Watertown, MA. Known as "America's
Catholic Television Network®," The CatholicTV
Network is available in nearly fourteen million
homes via various broadcast stations and cable
systems, including Comcast and Verizon FiOS, and to
countless others over the Internet at
CatholicTV.com.
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"Best of Show" Award Winner at NAB 2014 |
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 The
editorial team of Pro Audio
Review and Pro Sound
News magazines have granted EVO.Live –
Fairlight’s new broadcast and live production system
with a Best of Show Award at NAB 2014 in Las Vegas.
ProSoundNetwork’s announcement
states, “During each of the major conventions
and trade shows, the editors of PAR and PSN comb the
exhibit halls for new and noteworthy products. Gear
and software that show particular merit are singled
out for the ProSoundNetwork Best of Show Awards. All
products debuting at a given event will be
eligible”.
We are delighted about this reputable industry
award and the extraordinary buzz EVO.Live has
created at the NAB Show. It is a recognition of
Fairlight’s innovative approach to live production
with leading-edge audio processing and control
surface technologies, delivering incredible audio
mixing performance at an unprecedented price.
EVO.Live’s unique operational features with
benchmark level of customization, live multi-track
recording, advanced surround sound capabilities and
ability to switch between live and post modes make
this product a very strong contender in the OB
truck, performing arts venues, houses of worship and
broadcast market.
NAB 2014 was a great show for Fairlight and the team
wanted to thank the many customers who visited our
booth and showed enthusiasm for our Audio Live and
Post Production systems, Universal Media Production
Controllers and 4K Video Recorder.
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3H Sound Studios Installs Seven Fairlight
Systems |
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3H
Sound Studios’ extensive facility includes Foley and
ADR rooms, and seven post production studios, six of
which are equipped with Fairlight XYNERGI desktop
systems with fader sidecars. HD video is available
in all of the studios, one of which also runs
dual-stream video for 3D work.
Three studios are 7.1 capable for editing and
mixing, while the rest of the rooms offer 5.1.
Fairlight’s integrated immersive 3D surround
 sound
technology plays a major role in the mixing
capabilities of 3H’s main room, which is equipped
with a 36 fader EVO post production console,
fitted with Dolby Atmos and Barco's Auro-3D.
Mr. Duu-Chih Tu, founder of 3H Sound Studios and
winner of multiple Golden Horse Awards for Best
Sound Effects, and Technical Grand Prize winner at
Cannes International Film Festival comments that
Fairlight systems are, “So state-of-the-art that it
would take any other post production facility at
least five years to catch up.”
Agnes Liu, one the main audio engineers at 3H
states: "I've been using Fairlight products for
almost eight years. They’re fully designed for post,
not like others, which are more about music purposes
in many ways. The editing work on Fairlight is just
a lot easier because you have everything you need
right in front of you. I don't think I can do sound
editing with a mouse and keyboard anymore, and why
should I?” Agnes Liu continued “The best
part about choosing Fairlight is their service. They
are always responsive and helpful.”
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CC-2 is The Next Generation Audio
Engine With Over 1000 Channels Providing a
Quantum Jump in Both Speed and Performance |
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CC-2
is the second generation FPGA digital audio engine from
Fairlight delivering unsurpassed track-counts, and
full-time processing power supporting immersive
surround formats beyond 22.2 and all on a single
PCIe card.
Fairlight has raised the bar
again with the release of its next generation audio
engine. CC-2 is based on Fairlight’s Crystal Core
Technology, powering
their entire range of
high-speed digital audio mixing, recording and
editing systems, delivering guaranteed performance
and increased efficiencies in the largest and most
complex productions.
 One Thousand Channels
PLUS
Track counts and surround formats of today’s film and television productions
require a more advanced and more scalable alternative to outdated DSP based
solutions, which is why Fairlight has moved to the more advanced FPGA-based CC-2
technology. Providing 1,000 hard disk playback channels, 100 live inputs and
100+ output buses available, the CC-2 system is the fastest and most powerful
audio engine ever made, perfectly suited to today’s submersive surround sound
formats, including Dolby® Atmos™, DTS® MDA and NHK’s 22.2.
Enhanced Productivity
Tightly integrated with Fairlight’s editing and mixing environment, the new CC-2
enables a range of productivity-enhancing features including an entirely new 64
bit codebase, advanced delay compensation, and faster than real-time bounce to
name just a few. With equalization, dynamics, plug-ins and inserts always on
every input and bus with near zero latency, unlimited headroom and legendary
sound quality, FairlightUSers will now be able to tackle larger projects, with
more tracks, more processing power, and more speed with ease.
Accelerated Workflow
CC-2 is a quantum leap in processing power and when combined with Fairlight’s
intuitive user interface, tactile control surfaces featuring their patented,
self-labeling Picture Key Technology, and tight integration with third-party
storage, media asset management systems or video collaboration environments,
Fairlight delivers the fastest workflows of any system on the market. When faced
with tight deadlines, you can rely on Fairlight to help you deliver a quality
product, on time, every time, at least 20% faster than on competitive systems.
Invest in your future
Continuing a long tradition of seamless upgrade paths, Fairlight has ensured
that CC-2 is also compatible with audio hardware purchased for CC-1. This means
that owners of Fairlight systems don’t need to replace their current audio
interfaces and control surfaces to upgrade to CC-2. Existing investments in
Fairlight’s high-quality hardware continues to be supported, maximizing the
return of investment on existing equipment. “Traditional approaches to audio processing are not enough in today’s
high-track-count, multi-channel immersive surround mixing environments,”
commented Tino Fibaek, Chief Technology Officer of Fairlight. “The new CC-2
guarantees rock-solid performance for our customers, with no limits. Creativity
should never be limited by technology”.
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Fairlight and Quantel® Collaboration Produces
Better Workflow and Faster Throughput with
GATEWAY and QTube® |
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f
 Fairlight
and Quantel, the market leading innovator in news
and sports production systems and high quality post,
today announced the upcoming release of Fairlight's
new audio post Gateway integration module with
Quantel QTube.
Fairlight makes the ultimate in audio post
production tools. Professional tools for editing,
mixing, plug-ins, file transfer and multichannel
recording, all under the fast control of Fairlight’s
tactile control surfaces featuring its patented
Picture Key Technology.
Quantel’s QTube technology provides industry
partners with direct access to audio, video and
metadata held on its Enterprise sQ production
systems. QTube has an API which is available
to companies such as Fairlight, and enables
development of new workflows with minimal
engineering overhead.
The Quantel QTube API gives Fairlight audio editing
systems instant, real-time access to Quantel video
compositions directly within the Fairlight software.
Fairlight’s Gateway accesses the Quantel Enterprise
sQ storage, with no rendering or video file import
required, providing frame accurate playback, jogging
and scrubbing over a local LAN network or even over
the internet. Extensive search functions allow the
operator to quickly find pending work, and import
audio assets from the Quantel server with ease. At
the end of the session, the final audio is laid back
directly to the Quantel server via Fairlight
Gateway.
Tino Fibaek, CTO of Fairlight
commented, “Tight system integration within a
broadcast facility is vital to meeting the
challenges of today’s demanding production
deadlines. The close collaboration between Fairlight
and Quantel and the open design architecture of both
systems was crucial in the development of the
Fairlight GATEWAY module for QTube with the
objective to deliver seamless workflow integration
and faster throughput.”
Steve Owen, Quantel Marketing
Director, said, “The QTube API really does enable
tight integration of systems from different
manufacturers. The Fairlight Gateway is a perfect
example, adding powerful audio post production tools
to complement the unrivalled editing workflow of our
Enterprise sQ systems.”
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Fairlight Delivered Audio for the Opening and
Closing Ceremonies at Sochi 2014 |
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 With
a global audience of billions of people from over
200 countries, it was Fairlight technology that
delivered the audio for the spectacular opening and
closing ceremonies at the Fisht Stadium of the 2014
Winter Olympics and Paralympics at Sochi, Russia.
The full design and direction of audio systems and
services for these events was managed by Auditoria
Pty. Ltd. from Sydney, Australia. Auditoria has
delivered audio and communications systems for some
of the world’s largest live and broadcast
performance events.
An event like Sochi requires reliability, speed and
seamless integration with other production elements
in order to provide an excellent audience
experience. Among the equipment chosen for these
high profile shows were two identical turnkey
Fairlight editing and playback systems, each
consisting of two XSTREAM desktop controllers, two
workstation PC’s, two SX-20 I/O units and XE-6
Faders.
Auditoria director Scott Willsallen commented from
Sochi, “The elegance, simplicity and robustness of
the Fairlight systems in use here in Sochi are
second to none. Whilst our primary usage of the
system is for dual-redundant A/B playback, our
workflow also includes creating QuickTime movies for
technical programmers and choreographers. The
Fairlight platform gives us the buss count and
flexibility to deliver stems for FOH & monitors,
broadcast mixes, sound design content stems and
backup vocal stems as well
 as
the QuickTime movies, all within one session with
complete A/B-roll capability and fully backed up on
a second system. The XSTREAM controller is fully
configurable and offers the fastest, most
user-friendly interface available. I am in the
unique position on these projects where I can
nominate any product the market has to offer - when
it comes to playback, I choose Fairlight.”
The Fairlight systems on-site were fully operated by
veteran head audio editor and playback engineer
Steve Logan.
Steve Logan added, “In any live event, but
especially one of this magnitude and importance,
reliability is paramount. This is why we always
choose Fairlight for our audio requirements –
because we know that, with Fairlight, we simply
won’t have any problems.”
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EVO.Live
A New Paradigm
In Audio Live Production |
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At NAB 2014, Fairlight introduced EVO.Live - a
new generation digital audio mixing system for the
most demanding on-air and live productions. Built on
Fairlight’s leading-edge audio processing and
control surface technologies, this new system comes
with true live credentials, offering the best
possible price/performance value and unique
operational features.
The mixing console’s compact, modular design creates
the perfect mixing environment for OB trucks,
performing arts venues, house of worship and
broadcast facilities. The console is available in
different chassis or table-mount configurations from
12 to 60 faders. The ergonomic control surface
design with touch TFT monitors offer immediate
access to all critical live functions with excellent
visualization. The system maintains full redundancy
with automatic takeover on any component failure.
Fairlight’s interactive control surface includes
unique Picture Keys which self-label instantly for
each task performed, displaying the right commands
and functions at the right time. In addition,
Fairlight’s new iCan (Integrated Control Across
Network) technology provides the operator with an
easy to use editor to design fully customized
layouts.
The console incorporates complete Dual-Operator
functionality allowing each audio engineer to
independently access their own set of faders, solos,
channel selections and monitoring controls.
Audio processing takes place in Fairlight’s
FPGA-based Crystal Core audio engine ensuring very
high channel and bus counts, lowest latency and
purest sound quality. Comprehensive Mix-Minus,
advanced comms, extensive metering and flexible
bussing are meticulously implemented. The compact 2U
Live Audio Processor includes an extensive range of
built-in I/O. Adding a second hot-swappable FPGA
based engine with dual-input power supplies
guarantees the highest system reliability. A wide
choice of modular remote I/O is also available to
meet the demands of any application.
The power of EVO.Live reaches beyond live
production, with full recording facilities, off-line
preparation via laptop, a built-in cart machine for
flying in sound effects, and control extensions to
lighting systems, third party DAW and sound library
databases.
After the live event has completed, EVO.Live can be
entirely reconfigured, turning into Fairlight’s
industry leading post production system featuring
audio editing, full video integration, plug-ins,
automation and sophisticated 3D surround panning.
Jean-Claude Kathriner, CEO of Fairlight commented
“Fairlight, as the brand trusted by high-end audio
professionals for over 30 years, is proud to extend
its state-of-the-art technology to the live
production industry. EVO.Live includes an array of
innovations that will benefit customers in terms of
productivity gains, reliability and especially value
for money. The intuitive level of customization of
the user interface and its unique ability to switch
between live and post modes will change audio
production forever”.
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 At
AES in New York City, Fairlight presented innovative tactile
controllers, targeted at video production facilities
looking for significant productivity gains.
Fairlight’s new XSTREAM and latest generation
XYNERGI, used and acknowledged by many audio post
production heavyweights as being the fastest and
most ergonomic in the industry, will extend its
control capability to non-linear video editors such
as Adobe® Premiere® Pro, Grass Valley® Edius® and
Sony® Xpri® NS.
The interactive control surface consists largely of
Fairlight’s unique picture keys, which self-label
instantly for each task performed, displaying the
right commands and functions at the right time.
 In addition, Fairlight’s new iCan (Integrated
Control Across Network) technology provides the
operator with a versatile layout editor to design
customized keyboard layouts for the video editing
software in use. To further accelerate workflow, the
system can record and playback macros and multiple
applications can be accessed simultaneously. Also
included is an Xplain help function and support of
18 different languages including German, French,
Italian, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, Korean and
Japanese.
“The versatility of Fairlight’s tactile media
controllers will offer video editors the benefits of
incredible speed for complex editing tasks to get
the job done much faster. The user is not restricted
by the limitations of keyboard shortcuts and mouse
based operations, but can easily personalize the
work surface, to make the controller a true workflow
accelerator. The result is fewer keystrokes, more
control and greater productivity”, commented
Jean-Claude Kathriner, CEO of Fairlight.
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The Fairlight SX-36
A Premium All-in-One I/O and SYNC Solution
for Crystal Core Systems |
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With the launch of the SX-36,
Fairlight is adding a new I/O, synchronization and
control interface to their range. the SX-36 is designed
as a high-end solution for audio post production
systems powered by Fairlight’s Crystal Core Media
Engine. It offers an extensive variety of analog and
digital I/O, pure sound, pristine remote controlled
microphone preamps, precise lock to timecode and
ultra low latency, making it the perfect setting for
the most demanding media productions.
The SX-36 is a 1U rack mountable
interface, and comes with a host of features ...
• 12 balanced analog outputs
• 11 stereo digital outputs fully transformer-coupled AES
• 9 stereo digital inputs
• 8 balanced analog inputs
• 2 Remote-controlled Microphone / Instrument preamps
• 1 stereo digital input with sample-rate conversion
• 1 stereo digital output (S/PDIF format)
• Dual independent 9-pin control ports
• MIDI In • MIDI Out |
• Tri-Level sync
• Video sync
• Wordclock
• AES
• Read and generate LTC
• Read and generate MTC
• Metering with 12 assignable 4-LED bar-graphs
• 1 GPI signal
• 1 GPO signal |
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Source Elements
Announces a Major New Release of
Source-Connect |
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Source
Elements announces a major new release of
Source-Connect Standard and Pro 3.7 for Windows,
bringing the power and stability of our Standalone
software to the Microsoft® Windows® operating
system, offering all the power of Source-Connect to
audio professionals working on Windows.
Source-Connect 3.7 runs as a Standalone application,
no longer needing complicated DAW setups, while
still allowing you to work directly in their DAW of
choice and take advantage of the full feature-set of
Source-Connect Standard and Pro.
Source-Connect 3.7 arrives with built-in support for
Pro Tools 10, with Pro Tool 11 support pending. This
new version of Source-Connect Pro finally brings
compatibility with DAWs that exclusively run VST
plug-ins, including Nuendo, Cubase, Fairlight,
Pyramix, and many others.
For more information please
visit the Source Elements WEB Site
HERE
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Fairlight
Scores Highly With Top Sports Post
Production Houses in the US |
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Leading sports broadcast
networks including NFL Films, World Wrestling
Entertainment, Major League Baseball Productions,
NASCAR Media Group and NBA Entertainment have
continued to deploy Fairlight consoles for over 20
years due to their unmatched performance, high
quality sound and flexible tactile editing
capabilities.
NFL Films
•
http://www.nflfilms.com
Overall, NFL Films occupies 16 audio suites for
production work, using a combination of Xynergi and
EVO consoles. “We were already using Xynergi
controllers and knew the software and automation
well, so adding the EVO control surfaces was a very
straightforward process operationally,” explained
Vince Caputo, Supervising Sound Mixer at NFL Films.
“Our audio infrastructure and workflow are built
around the Fairlight, it’s the cornerstone of
everything that we do with sound.“ “Sonically, the
Fairlight products are brilliant, but the main
attraction for us has always been speed,” Caputo
continues. “We regularly have fast turnaround times
and tight deadlines, and the speed and flexibility
of the Fairlight Xynergi is unmatched.” NFL Films
has just decided to install another large custom
built 6 bay EVO system.
World Wrestling Entertainment
•
http://www.wwe.com
Based in Stamford, Connecticut, WWE is home to one
of the largest entertainment companies in the world,
reaching 13 million viewers in the United States as
well as broadcasting shows in over 30 languages to
more than 145 countries.“The editing capability of
the Xynergi is so far beyond anything else,” said
Chris Argento, VP of Post-Production at WWE. “If we
ever had to switch away from Fairlight, it would
greatly affect our workflow and slow us down a great
deal.” WWE continues to utilize Fairlight’s
Constellation as well as six Xynergi consoles to
meet post-production needs. “With many projects
taking place in various rooms Fairlight has allowed
us to access all projects in every room while having
access to all 96 channels and HD Video everywhere,”
Argento continued. “The support from the Fairlight
team as well as the request for future improvements
has been top of the line and helped us to continue
to meet our goals and expand on the work that we are
able to do.”
Major League Baseball Productions
•
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/video/mlb_productions/index.jsp
Major League Baseball Productions, another strong
endorser of Fairlight also continues to use the
Constellation and Xynergi consoles due to their
advanced state of the art digital audio recording,
editing, mixing and delivery technologies. John
Gardner, audio post mixer at MLB Productions,
states, “speed, new features, versatility and
superior sound quality are all key reasons why MLB
has continued to invest in Fairlight. The CC-1
engine provides world-class automation and also
allows me to deliver 5.1 and stereo mixes and also
support multiple A/V file formats so we can import,
export and convert files in a fraction of real
time.”
NASCAR Media Group
•
http://www.nascarmediagroup.com/video-production/post-production
Also NASCAR continues to enjoy the performance of
Fairlight Post Production system and having recently
decided to upgrade their existing Fairlight consoles
to the latest generation of EVO. The entire facility
is changing over to the latest version of
Fairlight’s 4.0 software which will increase the
system capabilities even further.
NBA Entertainment
•
http://www.nba.com/
NBA Entertainment is another Fairlight supporter in
the US having recently made the decision to upgrade
their Fairlight Constellation system to the latest
EVO model. This upgrade ensures highest media
throughput of one of the largest suppliers of sports
television and Internet programming.
Combined, Fairlight has
maintained its very strong presence in the world of
sports and continues to develop products that meet
the needs of post-production studios everywhere.
One of the 7 EVO consoles
installed at NFL Films
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Fairlight Delivers
an Open Post Production Solution to Create
Audio Content in MDA™ and Neo:X™, the Next
Generation Format From DTS
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 Fairlight, a leader in audio and video post
production solutions and DTS, Inc. a pioneer in next
generation ultra high-definition audio solutions and
audio enhancement technologies today collaboratively
announced the release of Fairlight’s new 3DAW, a 3D
audio production platform with native MDA mixing and
format support. Answering the industry’s demand for
an open next-generation audio format, DTS worked
with experts in the content creation community to
create the MDA specification.
In January of this year, DTS publicly announced its
intent to provide MDA to the industry as an open
object-based audio authoring format, as the industry
looks to avoid a format war for next-gen content
creation and cinema delivery. Today, the
standardization work continues to formalize the
specification, while industry leaders such as
Fairlight jump ahead of the curve by working with
DTS to integrate MDA into their new 3DAW solution.
The first of its kind, Fairlight’s 3DAW enables
sound designers to truly mix object-based audio in
unrestricted 3D space, monitor on any configuration,
and output in DTS’ proposed future
specification—MDA. Additionally, Fairlight’s 3DAW
will feature the ability to mix soundtracks for DTS
Neo:X™, a channel-based audio solution designed to
support up to an 11.1 speaker system.
“We are delighted to be working with DTS to equip
our all new 3DAW production station with MDA
authoring capability,” said Tino Fibaek, CTO at
Fairlight. “Together, we can now offer studios a
highly anticipated alternative to the closed
proprietary object-based audio formats being
proposed to date.”
The MDA specification is currently being proposed to
international standardization committees as an
alternative to today’s closed proprietary solutions.
MDA allows every sound element of a soundtrack to be
mapped in 3D space, storing all of the spatial and
behavioral information of each sound element as
metadata. Mixing audio with MDA as opposed to other
surround sound platforms allows a soundtrack to
maintain the exact spatial characteristics of the
audio as intended by the mixer. With overwhelming
interest from the entertainment industry, MDA has
already garnered support from major studios and
networks, while content tool providers have begun
developing new authoring solutions for the MDA
format.
The new Fairlight 3DAW is available to the industry
as a turnkey solution, based on Fairlight’s powerful
Crystal Core Media processor and innovative
software. It offers audio engineers with a
ready-to-go, creative tool to design sound in both
object-based or channel 3D mixing methods. The
system provides on-screen 3D panning via a Plug-In,
as well as extensive monitoring functions. 3DAW is
able to generate a diverse range of mixes ranging
from stereo, 5.1, 7.1, 9.1+2, DTS Neo:X, as well as
an object-based mix (MDA). A separate tablet control
application allows for easy previewing and
demonstration of audio output to verify and display
the results of the creative process.
“We are extremely excited to be working with
Fairlight on enabling their all new 3DAW
workstations with MDA format support,” said Fred
Kitson, CTO at DTS. “The industry has been clamoring
for an open-platform for the creation of
object-based audio to end the format wars, and MDA
was created specifically to address this.”
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Fairlight Launches
an Array of Innovative Post Production
Technologies at NAB 2013
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Fairlight will present at NAB
2013
an impressive line up of product innovations,
re-claiming its leadership position in providing the
post production industry with world-class solutions
for advanced audio with video editing and networking
technology.
"As a result of Fairlight’s
investments and commitment to launching new products
and technologies with tangible benefits for media
content creators, visitors will witness the widest
and most versatile range of Fairlight post
production solutions ever on display", commented
Jean-Claude Kathriner, CEO of Fairlight.
Individual product
demonstrations will showcase production system
options ranging from mouse based, native (SOLO),
tactile desktop (XSTREAM, XYNERGI) to fully featured
and modular consoles (QUANTUM / EVO). Powered by
Fairlight’s award-winning, hardware accelerated
Crystal Core processing engine with new DREAM
software, Fairlight systems deliver benchmark
performance and workflow integration into existing
facilities.
Some highlights at Fairlight’s NAB booth
SU9507 in the Upper
Level of the South Hall are:
New DREAM Software
Version Featuring ASIO®
Bridge
Fairlight media post production
systems now come with a new version of DREAM
software. The software includes countless additional
features, is easy to operate for new users, improves
workflow, and delivers faster output. New features
include mouse based editing, single screen interface
with new mix panel choices and multi client ASIO®
bridge to host third party audio products (e.g. Pro
Tools®, Nuendo®).
iCAN – Ultimate Customization
Tool
iCAN
(Integrated Control Across Network) is the ultimate
customization tool for all common DAW’s or Video
production tools. Fairlight’s Layout Editor empowers
the operator to simply drag-and-drop functions from
a menu onto the Fairlight controller buttons, and
determines when they will appear. iCan is designed
as an open platform and connects a Fairlight
controller to third party content creation
applications such as Pro Tools®,
Nuendo®,
Pyramix®
or Media Composer®
and Edius®.
User-defined key layouts of the Fairlight controller
display the operators ideal set up for third party
applications.
SOLO – Mouse Based Fairlight DAW
SOLO is a
professional mouse-based DAW with integrated video,
offering a high quality yet cost effective solution
for demanding media productions. SOLO provides
editing, video guide, mixing, plug-ins, file
transfer and recording – in one tool. The processing
power of Fairlight’s FPGA based Crystal Core
processor guarantees highest performance, lowest
latency and purest Audio quality.
Fairlight now also offers native, non
hardware-accelerated software versions for
preparation and evaluation purposes or for
students/teachers to record, mix or edit - the
Fairlight way. Find out at the Fairlight booth if
you are eligible to receive a FREE software version
XSTREAM – Ultra Compact Desktop
Controller
XSTREAM is a
powerful and compact desktop controller taking
intuitive, fast tactile operation to the next level.
Smaller than a 17" laptop footprint, XSTREAM’s
picture keys on the control surface self-label
instantly for easy navigation with fewer keystrokes,
providing maximum efficiency. The control surface
literally reinvents itself for each task one
performs, presenting the commands at the right time.
To enhance the mixing capabilities, XSTREAM can be
specified with up to 24 touch sensitive motorized
faders.
QUANTUM and QUANTUM.tm –
Versatile Media Production Center
QUANTUM is a
mid-size 12 or 24 fader media production console
offering a very fast, mixing environment for most
demanding Audio / Video productions using HD picture
with up to 192 Audio tracks. QUANTUM provides the
versatility to be either fitted into a free standing
Fairlight designed chassis or alternatively be
mounted into a high quality table from US
manufacturer TBC or the client’s own table design
(QUANTUM.tm).
PYXIS 4K – Next Generation
Professional Video Recorder
PYXIS 4K is a
standalone or rack-mountable, turn-key video
recorder delivering a cost effective and future-
proof UHD Video recording and playback, with
extensive Audio capabilities and workflow
compatibility. PYXIS 4K records compressed or
uncompressed Video formats from SD up to 4K, and
delivers transparent playback in up to 4K,
dual-channel 2K resolution. For demanding
multi-screen Video wall presentations, multiple
systems can be synchronized for playback in up to 8K
resolution.
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NAB 2013
- Our Largest NAB Yet
We're ready to show off our latest products at NAB
2013
in Las Vegas (April 8th -11th).
Fairlight will
be located in the
South Upper Hall
in Booth number
SU9507.
On display for the first time at NAB will be the
QUANTUM and XSTREAM consoles (The QUANTUM received a
Best of Show Award at AES in October 2012), our
SOLO native solution, and of course our highly
successful flagship EVO and Xynergi Consoles all
running on the ultra-powerful CC-1 Audio/Video engine.
All systems will be showing Version 4 software and being demonstrated by some high profile users of our
systems.
There is one additional new item but you will have
to drop bye to find out what that is! Watch this
space.
See you there!
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Fairlight Releases New Audio Post Production
Software Version
 Fairlight
announced that their Audio Post Production systems
XYNERGI and EVO now come with the new Dream Version
4 Software. The software includes countless new
features and options with the aim to make it easier
to use for new users, improve workflow, and deliver
faster output.
New features of the Dream
Version 4 Software include:
• Mouse based editing enhancements
• Single Screen Interface with comprehensive
per-track controls and new Mix Panel choices
• Improved dynamics, side-chain and MaxLinking
across groups
• Multi-Client ASIO bridge for EVO to host other
audio products (e.g. ProTools, Nuendo)
• Clip Bin and Clip Store functions to store
projects
• Speed increase and new features for the Audiobase
sound FX database
To ensure continued software
improvements, Fairlight also introduces a 12 month
software license subscription scheme. The license
subscription provides access to software releases
and updates during a 12 month subscription period.
Customers who purchased a XYNERGI or EVO in 2012,
will get a 12 month Dream Version 4 software license
subscription for free.
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EVO Upgrades on the Move
 During
the 1st 45 days of 2013
, FairlightUS has secured
orders for seven EVO upgrades from
NASCAR, NBA, Modern Video Film and Independent
Studios.
All of these facilities have taken advantage of the
EVO retrofit to there existing consoles. All systems
should be installed within the next 45 days.
With NFL Films, New Wave Entertainment and RIOT
Atlanta this now brings the total number of EVO
consoles in the USA to 21.
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France Télévisions, one the largest broadcasters
in Europe has selected Fairlight EVO as the system of choice
 Fairlight,
a leading force in digital audio technologies, is
proud to announce that France Télévisions has chosen
Fairlight’s Audio Post Production system EVO to
upgrade 25 of their regional studios. Recent changes
to France Télévisions production and distribution of
regional news and programs required a complete
workflow solution seamlessly integrating audio post
in a news production environment.
Following a detailed technical and operational
evaluation process as part of a European Union
tender, Fairlight EVO was chosen by a France
Télévisions expert review panel out of many
international suppliers as the preferred audio post
solution. Fairlight EVO’s superior tactile control
surface, the high speed processing power of its CC-1
Media Engine and the customization opportunity of
the new iCan technology was recognized by France
Télévisions to deliver faster and higher throughput.
The expertise to handle complex workflows through
innovative management tools such as TTWASS (Total
Tapeless Automation System Suite) together with
strong service support from Broadcast Architech,
Fairlight’s distribution partner in France,
supported the decision to partner with Fairlight.
Jean-Claude Kathriner, CEO of Fairlight says “We are
delighted that France Télévisions is joining the
increasing number of broadcasters around the world
selecting Fairlight technology for their audio post
production requirements. We are looking forward to
working closely with France Télévisions and
Broadcast Architech to ensure smooth implementation
of the systems.” Installation of the first regional
studios is scheduled for January 2013
.
Broadcast Architech is based in Paris-France and the
exclusive distributor of Fairlight products in
France, Belgium and Luxembourg.
www.broadcast-architech.com
Full press release is
available
HERE
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QUANTUM Takes Home a Best of Show Award at AES 2012 in San
Francisco
Fairlight has been presented by Pro
Sound News and Pro Audio Review magazines at the 133rd Audio Engineering
Society Convention in San Francisco with a Best of Show Award for
QUANTUM,
the new
fully featured, mid-size Audio Post Console.
QUANTUM
is the latest addition to Fairlight’s extensive
Audio Post Production product line up convinced the judges through its
compact design and fast, tactile mixing environment with unlimited
functional scope. QUANTUM is available in both 12 and 24 fader
configurations, and supports large projects up to 192 tracks feeding a 230
channel mix into 72 bus elements. Bus elements can be combined into standard
busses from mono to 7.1, plus custom format buses of any size. The new
console is perfectly suited for Audio Engineers working in most demanding
Broadcast or Post Production with limited studio space requirements.
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Fairlight
Introduces QUANTUM A new fully featured, mid-size
Audio Post Production Console
AES 2012 will see the debut of
Fairlight QUANTUM, the latest addition to the
company’s award winning, high-end Audio Post
Production range. QUANTUM is a complete Audio Post
Production System combining the power of Fairlight’s
hardware and software, recording, editing, mixing,
plug-ins, MIDI and video with a fully
self-contained, 12 or 24 fader console perfectly
suitable for film, video and music studio and post
production facilities.
 QUANTUM offers control
through the fast and ergonomic operation of its
tactile control surface with faders, switches, knobs
and jogger wheel, augmented with touch screen and
mouse based functions. QUANTUM's motorized faders
combine with a dual row of rotary encoders to
provide touch-triggered automation of all mixing
parameters. Within easy reach, the system touch
screens improve the physical controls with multiple
switching options and project navigation. QUANTUM
includes an embedded Edit controller utilizing
Fairlight's unique Picture Keys. These instantly
adapt their appearance and function for easy
navigation with fewer keystrokes. The control
surface literally reinvents itself for each task you
undertake, presenting the commands you need at the
right time. Fairlight’s new iCan technology with
drag-and-drop Layout Editor allows Audio Engineers
to design their own button layouts for specialized
functions. Also available are flexible mounting
systems to attach speakers and screens from the rear
of the console.
QUANTUM delivers
efficiency with cutting-edge affordability for a
mid-size console. Editing, SD/HD integrated video,
mixing, plug-ins, file transfer, recording are
integrated all in one system. As part of the
Fairlight range it is fully file format compatible
with all Fairlight products, and provides seamless
workflows for virtually all SD and HD file formats.
The powerful CC-1 Media engine supports up to 192
disk recorder tracks, 230 mixing channels and 2 HD
video tracks for 3D work. Included is support for up
to 256 inputs and outputs, built-in EQ and dynamics
for every channel, access to VST plug-ins and
instruments, and mixing to multiple bus destinations
up to 7.1 wide. The Quantum Audio Post Production
System interfaces to popular server architectures
and its facility with professional video file
formats make it the natural choice for
post-production in a busy multi-purpose facility.
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NFL Films Deploys Fairlight EVO
and Xynergi Consoles For A Winning Strategy to
Deliver Outstanding Production
"...Very little
data is stored locally, making it fast and easy to
work on the same project in multiple rooms"
In order
to achieve the highest level of audio quality in
production and post-production of sports-themed
entertainment and documentaries, NFL Films utilizes
Fairlight’s EVO and Xynergi consoles to create
material for the National Football League’s weekly
highlights, analysis shows and documentaries
featuring the league’s greatest players and
performances.
At its Mount Laurel, NJ
facility, NFL Films occupies 16 audio suites for
production work, using the Xynergi console with the
addition of six EVO’s in the past 18 months. “Our
engineering staff was able to add the EVO consoles
into our Xynergi rooms with very minimal downtime,”
states Vince Caputo, Supervising Sound Mixer at NFL
Films. “We knew the software and automation well, so
adding the EVO control surfaces was an easy upgrade
operationally as well.”
One of the 6 EVO consoles
installed at NFL Films
During the season, NFL Films
produces weekly shows for a variety of outlets
including NFL Network, ESPN, Showtime, The NBC
Sports Network and Velocity. Their work in featured
on programs such as NFL Films Presents, Inside The
NFL, NFL Turning Point, and Sound-FX.
NFL
Films also produces documentaries and specials for
HBO, such as the Emmy Award winning Lombardi, the
recently premiered Namath, and the hit reality
series Hard Knocks, a behind-the-scenes look into
NFL training camps. Their America’s Game and A
Football Life series both run on NFL Network, and
have garnered critical acclaim.
“Sonically, the Fairlight product has always been
brilliant, but the other main attraction for us is
speed,” Caputo continued. “The bulk of our work is
straight up editing of dialogue and NAT sound,
general track prep and sound effects placement. For
all of that, the speed and flexibility of the
Xynergi is unmatched. We also rely on the clip-based
DSP, so that when we reach back in to our archives
for a sound clip, we can import it with all of the
work done, level, EQ, rendered plug-ins, fades, etc.
That saves us from having to do that same job
twice.” “With both the clip-based and channel strip
control, there is an over-abundance of power and
flexibility, so there are few boundaries,” Caputo
said.
Combining the Xynergi with the EVO
has only made the process easier for NFL Films,
allowing the editing and mixing process to overlap.
“There is much less delineation between the
pre-dubbing and mixing processes, the mix is always
on.” Simultaneous work helps to keep workflow
moving, which is crucial for the NFL team.
Fairlight is an integral part of how NFL Films
operates, as shown by their dedication to the
products for nearly 20 years. “Our Fairlight network
and file server are at the core of our audio
operation. The server houses all of our shared data,
Sound-FX libraries, HD video that we simultaneously
stream from multiple rooms, and archives dating back
over 20 years. Very little data is stored locally,
making it fast and easy to work on the same project
in multiple rooms,” Caputo mentioned.
For
Caputo and the rest of the team at NFL Films, the
‘Fairlight way’ of operating is the only way to do
it. “Our audio infrastructure and workflow are built
around the Fairlight operating system. There are so
many unique features in the Xynergi/EVO combination
that you can’t find elsewhere. If you never had
them, you wouldn’t miss them, but once you get used
to that power, you can’t do without it.”
Caputo explained the long-standing relationship with
Fairlight and how NFL Films has contributed in
driving product development. “They trust us to give
them reliable feedback, and have used it to
implement features that are beneficial to us, as
well as all of their end users. It is a powerful
relationship we are proud to have.”
For
more information on NFL Films, please visit:
http://www.nflfilms.com
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Sound Design Corporation Deploys
Fairlight’s Xynergi Console, Develops Assortment of
Entertaining Digital Material for the GRAMMY Awards
"Fairlight understands my job
and how to make it easier. I couldn’t imagine my
work without it."
Anticipation, suspense and recognition are essential
to the production of awards shows, so it is no
surprise that the GRAMMY Awards also deliver
entertainment to its audience with a highlight reel
of nominees before honoring the winner. Sound Design
Corporation, Hollywood’s premier post-production
audio facility, turns to Fairlight’s Xynergi
consoles when developing ‘edge of your seat’ digital
material for the GRAMMY’s.
Sound
Design’s President, Paul Sandweiss, a voting member
of NARAS (The National Academy of Recording Arts and
Sciences) has been working with the GRAMMY’s since
the late 1970’s, offering his expertise and
knowledge of sound production to make sure that the
show runs smoothly as well as provide viewers and
nominees with thrilling anticipation before the
winner is announced.
Paul Sandweiss (left) -
Kristian Pedregon (right)
“It’s an
honor to be apart of the industries most prestigious
live music award show,” says Sandweiss. The
GRAMMY’s, which is typically a three hour music
award show, has anywhere from 10-20 awards with four
to six nominees per category. Sandweiss and his team
are responsible for creating the sound of the clip
packages that highlight the nominee’s efforts, as
well as any other video packages that roll in the
show. “Once the packages have been edited, we have
the task of recording the announce copy, blending,
mixing, and sound designing any transitions, as well
as the overall mixed sound of the packages.”
The process from start to finish can be tricky,
especially as changes are made on the fly and
different awards and presenters are added or
dropped. However, with the Xynergi console,
Sandweiss says the workflow is easily manageable.
“Once we are done with our final mix, we use the
Xynergi controller to control the HDCam recorder,
where we marry our mix with the final picture. The
final mix is laid back as two stereo stems. One stem
is the final mix minus the announcer, and the other
stem is the announcer, so the front of house and
monitor mixers can build their own mix regardless of
our broadcast mix. That way everyone has control of
the sound elements they need for their audience, be
it performers, audiences in the live venue, or those
at home watching the broadcast live on TV.”
Sound Design Corporation is also responsible for
mixing the in memoriam package, a showcase of
renowned members of the music community who have
passed away over the last year. “This can be quite
difficult,” Sandweiss says. “As seen this year, we
have to be ready to update the packages as
devastating events happen so close to the show. This
is never a highlight of the job but the Xynergi
helps to make the update seamless.”
One
aspect of the Xynergi and Fairlight is the ability
to save everything. This proves to be useful in
situations when Sandweiss can pull up a template
from the previous year and look at the settings that
were used. “I always keep notes, sometimes different
producers like certain techniques, having that
knowledge helps to make the process easier the next
time around.” Fairlight’s ability to import
different file types without the need for external
plug-ins eliminates difficulties in opening past
projects or dealing with new ones.
There are strict time limits for each project, and
more so with a show as big as the GRAMMY’s where
everything is closely watched. “There’s no need for
any external devices, all the plug-ins including
reverb are all there with the push of a button. It
saves us a lot of time with no need to flip through
menus and pages to find what you’re looking for,”
Sandweiss explained.
With the Xynergi’s
ability to interpret a variety of file extensions,
it makes the sending and receiving of audio and
video straightforward. “We can import and export our
audio and video in a variety of formats which makes
interaction with picture post houses easy, and
quick. From there we can easily send it to be
reviewed and are able to work alongside the other
members involved, a difficult process if you aren’t
using Fairlight,” Sandweiss mentioned.
“Our main challenge is time,” Sandweiss stated.
“It’s called television for a reason, emphasis on
vision. If there is a certain amount of time
allocated for video, the audio cannot be added until
that is established. Fairlight and the Xynergi make
it easy to view everything together and enables me
to track the changes as they occur.”
Sandweiss and his team have been in the industry for
over a decade, and continually strive to advance
through creativity, “Fairlight understands my job
and how to make it easier. I couldn’t imagine my
work without it.”
For more information
on Sound Design Corporation, please visit:
http://www.sounddesigncorporation.com
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Production Consultants, A One
Stop Shop For Any Audio, Video, And Voiceover Needs,
Adds Creativity With Fairlight’s Xynergi And XE6
Side Cars
“Fairlight systems are made for people who need to
get lots of work done without procedural issues” ...
“The function you need is always right under your
fingers when you need it,”
Production
Consultants, a 25-year leader in audio post, with
experience in video production, live sound and
recording, among other environments, is deploying
Fairlight consoles to meet its production needs.
Founded by veteran producer/engineer and St. Louis
Audio Engineering Society Chairman Bill Schulenburg
in 1986, the company relies on Fairlight’s Xynergi
and XE6 Side Car Consoles to keep clients on the
leading edge of video and audio success.
Production Consultants often collaborates on
projects with World Wide Wadio, a group of Hollywood
writers, directors and producers who produce radio
commercials, campaigns and audio tracks for
internet, TV, film and CD’s, ranging anywhere from
local radio and television campaigns to
international corporate projects.
Schulenburg notes “We use the
console daily on projects of all sizes. Xynergi’s
complete system integration means we don’t have to
worry about any project, file type, set of
resources, delivery option, or any other limitation
that may come up. With everything built in, I work
with great confidence every step of the way. The
ability to maintain flexible workflow allows me to
say yes to any project we’re presented.”
Recently, the company has worked with legendary St.
Louis, Missouri based Anheuser-Busch brewery, to
showcase its more than 14 decades of beer making.
Produced by Wildstone Media, the project included an
in-depth brewery tour providing inside access to the
most popular beer brands. Production Consultants
utilized Fairlight’s Xynergi console, alongside
three XE6 Side Cars, adding tactile mixing controls
to the hardware platform for the ultimate audio
experience.
Schulenburg adds, “The
console is extremely easy to manage. The Fairlight
method allows me more creative freedom than other
systems, as I can relate to the console very well.”
He says the way you interact with your equipment
says a lot about you as an individual, and he
believes the Fairlight consoles seem expressly
designed for the work that he does, remarking,
“Fairlight doesn’t just sell consoles, they solve
problems and help make my job more effective and
efficient.”
For Schulenburg, the Xynergi
is far beyond just a console - he compared it to a
musical instrument: “The audio quality is superb. It
encourages you to use your ears, and rewards you for
doing so. Instead of just seeing a waveform, you
actually hear all its nuances, which is very
rewarding. The seamless transition into working on a
Fairlight system from either analog or digital
techniques just seems right.”
Many
aspects of the console help to overcome technical
challenges. “The file handling is extremely flexible
and allows us to work on many kinds of projects
without worry. The drag-and-drop import capability
while editing helps to connect audio and video
together to improve workflow speed and ease of use.”
“Fairlight systems are made for people who
need to get lots of work done without procedural
issues,” stated Schulenburg. “The function you need
is always right under your fingers when you need
it,” enhancing intuitive operation and ability to
keep projects moving forward.
“I still
think of a mix as a performance, and Fairlight
continues to allow me to do that unlike any
computer-only DAW. They have provided the advantages
of the visual point-and-click method of working
without giving up having your hands on the controls
and your ears on the sound. Xynergi provides so many
more tools that facilitate critical listening and
make creative work on projects easier and more
satisfying” Schulenburg added.
The
support that Schulenburg and the rest of the
Production Consultants team continue to receive from
Fairlight is beyond expectations he said, “They
support us in ways that you do not get from other
companies. They understand my business and the
service I need to provide to my clients. I have been
very happy with the installation and everything that
Fairlight and the Xynergi/XE6 consoles allow me to
do.”
For more information on Production
Consultants, please visit:
http://www.productionconsultants.com
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Full Service Advertising Agency,
Doner, Implements Fairlight For Post Production
Needs
“We were
able to position the sound effects in each of the
spots without altering the integrity of the original
mix levels and plug-in processing, thanks to the
ability to copy automation by clip.”
To create brand identity for high-end
clients such as Serta, Pennzoil and others,
Detroit-based full-service advertising agency,
Doner, relies on Fairlight’s Constellation console
and recently upgraded to the CC-1 FPGA media engine
for all in-house post-production needs.
Some of Doner’s most notable work can be seen in the
popular commercials for Serta with the counting
sheep and their work with Choice Hotels and other
high end brands. Doner’s work ranges from television
and radio to video production for client
presentations.
Ken Warzybok - Doner
Advertising
Doner recently upgraded
both of its studios with the CC-1 media engine,
allowing more flexibility and support while also
allowing members of the Doner team to work in both
studios utilizing the same console. “With Doner
having a variety of clients, every day is
different,” states Ken Warzybok, Senior Audio
Engineer, Doner. “Doner encourages creative input at
every level from concept to post-production. Being
in-house, we actually get to see a project grow from
its original concept and we continue to assist in
the creative evolution of the idea all the way to
the final product.”
One aspect of the
Constellation that Warzybok has taken a liking to is
the ability to use plug-ins as a mix function or
clip function. “I find this really handy because it
allows flexibility in how I want to finesse the
mix,” Warzybok says.
When copying a clip,
Warzybok mentioned that it is extremely useful for
the automation to be copied with it. “This is great
when working on a commercial with alternate
versions. It saves me a great amount of time,
knowing that the automation has followed every
element for consistent levels and dynamics among
versions.”
Warzybok explained that while
working on a series of spots for Pennzoil he was
working with multiple sound design tracks, which
were utilized in several TV and radio spots. “We
were able to position the sound effects in each of
the spots without altering the integrity of the
original mix levels and plug-in processing, thanks
to the ability to copy automation by clip.”
The board is very intuitive for the entire
Doner team, Warzybok adds. “With so many options, I
don’t have to adjust my thinking to the software. We
all have different backgrounds, so it helps that we
can work on the same projects while doing things our
own way. With deadlines to meet, sharing projects
between studios happens frequently. With Fairlight,
the process is seamless and I can be confident that
as we pick up each other’s projects, the
information, elements, and automation will remain
intact.”
It’s the little things that give
Doner the confidence to continue with Fairlight
throughout the years, such as the System Mix safety
guard. “It’s a great safety net if you didn’t happen
to save the last mix. It came in handy recently when
I needed to restore a six-year old project,”
Warzybok adds. “Everything was precisely the same as
when it was last worked on.”
As far as
service, the very few problems that the Doner team
has had have been resolved as quickly as possible.
“All it takes is a phone call, Fairlight’s support
team connects to our system directly and fixes the
problem remotely with no hold up to us or our
clients,” Warzybok summed up.
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New Wave Entertainment Utilizes
Fairlight EVO and Xynergi Consoles for Creative
Marketing Techniques on Major Studio Releases
“The biggest selling
point for us is the new dual video track, allowing
us to work with 3D video..."
Supporting New Wave Entertainment in its content
production for creative marketing campaigns and
original TV programming is Fairlight’s EVO and
Xynergi consoles.
New Wave
Entertainment, located in Burbank, California,
specializes in the creation of content, which spans
the realm of creative marketing for TV networks and
major motion picture studios to original TV
programming. Their work has supported campaigns for
blockbuster movies such as Avatar, Harry Potter, The
Hangover Part 2, Happy Feet Two, and Alvin and the
Chipmunks. Some of their recent TV promo work
includes a spot for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” which
was awarded a Creative Emmy, and a TV launch
campaign for “Extra.”
Mark Rodrigues - New Wave
Entertainment - Burbank CA
New Wave Entertainment has five
production suites, each with Fairlight’s EVO
console. One room hosts the Xynergi console with a
sidecar, adding tactile mixing controls. That
elevates the traditional console-like hardware
interface on the Xynergi platform to a full range of
audio production capabilities from recording,
editing and mixing. With limited space, the, the
compact digital consoles of Fairlight provide the
luxury of additional rack space.
A majority of the work New Wave tackles is on-air
marketing, including television spots and theatrical
trailers. They also do a large amount of Blu-Ray
Features & Menu Design, Broadcast Design, Mobile
Content and 3D Modeling and Animation, which has
been enabled by the flexibility of Fairlight
consoles.
According to Mark Rodrigues,
Chief Engineer and Senior Mixer for New Wave
Entertainment, “The biggest selling point for us is
the new dual video track, allowing us to work with
3D video. As 3D advances, the Fairlight systems give
us the chance to evolve as well. The dual track
helps us recognize the changes being made as many
eyes are constantly viewing the content and adding
input.”
“The presentation of the video
track makes it extremely easy to follow. The ability
to take video sections from one spot and string
together a bunch of segments with the added option
to edit with sound included is fantastic,” Rodrigues
added.
With five suites each working on
the same project, New Wave can do 20 spots and
convert them to 10 different versions for different
broadcasts quickly. Everyone can mix the same way
with default settings for standards and compression,
and simply add in their changes, which helps
Rodrigues to take on the substantial number of
projects that they do. “A project can be posted on a
FTP site and we can be ready to mix and edit it
within seconds.”
For Rodrigues, the
drag and drop conversion process helps to save time
and energy and allows workflow to stay constant. He
notes, “QuickTime support is very valuable to us
since most of our approval isn’t done in-house. It’s
great to send short clips and have our clients
understand what we are working on and they can give
their input as well. We can change the frame rate
and merge different files together without a worry.”
Rodrigues says one feature he enjoys is
the ability of Fairlight to have full support of
native plug-ins wherever you need it. “We use it on
a daily basis for surround mixing and dialogue
cleaning, and it has enhanced the process of
editing.”
“I’ve always loved the sound
with Fairlight consoles,” adds Rodrigues. “They have
a warmth that other systems lack. Everything has
worked out extremely well and we are happy with
everything that Fairlight offers from the speed of
workflow to the support that they have given us to
help us meet the needs of our clients.”
For more information on New Wave Entertainment,
please visit:
http://www.nwe.com
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Premiere Audio Production
Facility, Producers Video, Expand Business
Capabilities with Fairlight’s XCS Constellation and
Xynergi Consoles
"Many of the more compact systems don’t have the
versatility and ease of use with parameter
adjustments and routing that you get with
Fairlight..."
To help the
world’s leading broadcasters and advertising
agencies fully realize their ideas and visions,
Baltimore, Maryland-based Producers Video relies on
Fairlight’s XCS Constellation with the Xynergi as a
center panel for a professional A/V solution. As
Maryland’s premier film, video, audio production and
post-production house, Producers Video runs
campaigns for nationally known brands such as Dick’s
Sporting Goods, Under Armour and Toyota, among
others.
Bob Bragg - Producers Video
The addition of Fairlight’s XCS
Constellation to Producers Video’s facility has been
a catalyst for its continued success and expansion.
“We never want to turn away clients or work
opportunities as the flexibility and options we
receive with Fairlight products is our major
strength,” says Bob Bragg, Senior Audio Engineer at
Producers Video. “Since the installation, we’ve been
able to evolve and learn to incorporate more
features that help expand our business and
capabilities.”
One of the benefits of
Fairlight’s XCS Constellation and Xynergi is their
flexibility to work with many file formats. Bragg
notes, “Fairlight continues to add new levels of
innovation by adding HD video to the timeline as
well as the capability to import and export
different file formats and VST plug-ins. The ability
to work on audio and signal processing on every
channel, without a separate program saves a great
amount of time and helps to keep workflow constant.
There is no need to launch another program or
extension, and all the native EQ’s and dynamics are
all instantly there.”
On a day-to-day basis, Bragg
mentioned some of the challenges of production and
how Fairlight consoles help to eliminate issues that
can slow down workflow and productivity. The
user-friendly footprint of the Constellation
provides plenty of inputs and outputs, and the
ability to instantly adjust feeds to send to other
studios via ISDN with picture lock makes it easy to
keep workflow constant.
“It’s great to work with other
studios and be able to have both sessions running at
the same time, helping to judge the performance and
make creative decisions instantly even if you’re not
on site. Many of the more compact systems don’t have
the versatility and ease of use with parameter
adjustments and routing that you get with Fairlight
and the Constellation.”
The system comes with very good
sounding native EQ and dynamics that are superior to
most plug-ins Bragg has used. “The native processing
really sounds rich and detailed plus you still have
the five plug-ins available to drop in per channel
if needed, giving multiple options,” stated Bragg.
“Other features we use often are
the AAF import and EDL conform capability. We drag
and drop multiple cuts onto a single timeline. When
a version is finalized, it’s great to be able to
access the original polyphonic broadcast wav files
recorded during production. This gives us access to
every microphone that was on set or location and can
help us sort through the feeds to pick the best
audio for the circumstance.”
Working under continuing
deadlines makes maintaining constant workflow
crucial. For one project, Bragg described that the
timeline was extremely short and the project needed
to be set up on Friday and mixed for completion by
Monday. With no room for leeway, strict deadlines
and a tight budget, the quality still needs to be at
the highest level. “At Producers, we pride ourselves
in being able to do everything in house; production,
editing, motion graphics, audio, and color
correction. With the Fairlight Constellation and
Xynergi,” said Bragg. “We can do audio post for
every kind of project. It is a very versatile tool
and we use its networking strengths facility wide.
We can have different engineers working on different
aspects of the project and it’s extremely easy to
bring it all together for the final version. We
really rely on the gear to perform and push the
project through workflow-wise.”
The intuitive layout and ease of
use of the Fairlight consoles continue to make the
learning process for engineers very easy. “The
ongoing support we receive is impeccable. We are
constantly reassured of our decision to go with
Fairlight and continue to enjoy working with them
and the systems,” Bragg continued. “It’s clear
Fairlight truly cares about our professional needs.”
For more information on Producers
Video, please visit
http://www.producers.tv
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WWE Continues To Amaze With
Fairlight’s Constellation And Xynergi Consoles
"The editing capability
of the Xynergi is so far beyond anything else"
In order to deliver the full
effect of bone crushing body slams and death-defying
stunts that continue to leave fans in awe, the World
Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) recently invested in
Fairlights Constellation and six Xynergi consoles to
meet its post-production needs. The WWE
headquarters, located in Stamford, Connecticut, is
the home to one of the largest entertainment
companies in the world, reaching 13 million viewers
in the United States while also broadcasting its
shows in 30 languages to more than 145 countries.
The WWE, which produces six hours of domestic
broadcast programming every week, two DVD home video
titles a month, anywhere between 10-30 promos
weekly, along with 15 pay per view shows per year,
needs to handle the vast amount of work that is
often presented in a short amount of time. Due to
the reliability and speed as well as the ability to
maintain a constant workflow, the WWE has become a
huge advocate for Fairlight, says Chris Argento, VP
of post-production at WWE.
"The editing capability of the
Xynergi is so far beyond anything else", says
Argento. "If we ever had to switch from Fairlight it
would slow us down a great deal. The ability to pull
MXF files from our server to the timeline is so
easy. For us to have full HD video and MPEG-2 access
is huge. When projects are done we can pull any
video source that has been worked on and access
video files instantaneously". Argento went on to
discuss the vast library of sound effects and the
ease of selecting and using each feature of the
Constellation.
"The AudioBase feature
allows us to grab any spot effect from the server
without having to sort through many pages of data.
It is a huge time saver when there are hundreds of
thousands of effects". Argento has become fond of a
feature that he calls the voice to picture trick.
"In the Constellation room, we are able to finish a
domestic show in English and print it to delivery
format. From there we print the full mix with
English commentary on the first two inputs and use
the mix-minus outputs to bounce over and re-record a
different language version at the same time in 130
countries. When the voice-over session is finished
the international mix is already complete except for
a couple of small tweaks. This saves us at least 15
hours of work".
Another feature that
benefits Argento is the ability to import from
different timelines with HD. It also allows for the
ability to edit on the timeline even though it isn't
a specific video editor. This lets me do reversions
on the fly, another way that the console keeps
workflow constant and saves time. I have used many
systems and have never seen anything that can
process video and keep productivity consistent as
Fairlight. For Argento and the rest of the WWE
production staff, the training of new employees has
been seamless. There is the perception that if you
aren't using a specific program or computer you are
out of luck, however, with Fairlight it is extremely
easy to bring in new people and get them adjusted to
the consoles very quickly.
The support
that Fairlight has offered is excellent, according
to Argento. Fairlight has helped us sync our entire
system with the different rooms we have, allowing us
to access all projects in every room and have access
to all 96 channels and HD Video everywhere. The
support, including future requests for improvements,
has been top of the line. With the help of Fairlight
we continue to meet our goals and expand on the work
that we are able to do.
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Fairlight Brings The Comfort of
Reliability to The Opening of World Expo in Shanghai
With over 70 million people -
almost all of them Chinese - expected to visit World
Expo 2010 Shanghai, it was imperative that the
opening ceremony for this extraordinary event went
without a hitch.
Billed as the most
spectacular outdoor multimedia display in history,
the opening ceremony for World Expo 2010 Shanghai
took place at the end of April and pushed the
boundaries of technology to its limits. The
extravaganza made non-stop use of fireworks, sound
and light, with numerous elements such as mobile
fountains, laser projections, and the world’s
largest LED screen.
4 Xynergi's - 2 Sidecars and
lots of Monitors
Australian production company
David Atkins Enterprises (DAE) worked alongside Expo
organizers to handle all aspects of the ceremony
including the live and broadcast audio, which was
sent to television stations around the world. And
among the equipment chosen for this task were two
identical Fairlight playback systems each consisting
of two Xynergi controllers, two workstation PCs, two
SX20 I/Os and a Fader sidecar.
DAE’s
music editor and playback engineer Steve Logan says:
“In any live event, but especially one of this
magnitude and importance, reliability is paramount.
This is why we always choose Fairlight for our audio
requirements – because we know that, with Fairlight,
we simply wouldn’t have any problems.” Logan adds
that Fairlight’s ability to edit directly on the
playback system really came into its own during
rehearsals and production as it enabled very fast
turnaround. “We also like Fairlight’s MADI
capabilities as linking multiple systems and routing
signals is much easier using single coax cables as
opposed to what would otherwise be large quantities
of multi-core cable,” he explains. “Fairlights also
have powerful and flexible synchronization features
that can be accessed in real-time during playback,
as well as very fast response transport controls,
which are essential for synchronizing with live
action. Another benefit is the internal Bussing,
Patching and Mixing as this allows for a highly
customized configuration.”
Steve Logan at the Helm
Broken into three Acts – Welcome
To China, Harmonious Gathering and Celebration - the
Outdoor Ceremony of Expo 2010 Shanghai took place on
a ‘stage’ that stretched 3.2 km along the Huangpu
River, crowned on either side by the Lupu and Nanpu
Bridges. The music featured a drum prelude by A R
Rahman, who won a 2009 Academy Award for Best Music
for Slumdog Millionaire; Overture from The Spring
Festival Suite by Huan Zhi Li and performed by the
Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra and Peng Cao, and
The Dragon, by Academy Award winning composer
Vangelis. Alongside a selection of classical pieces,
there were also musical contributions from Zhao
Guang, Peewee Ferris, Chen Gang, He Zhanhao, Zhen
Lu, Wang Xilin and John Adams.
Logan adds
that the complex nature of the audio production
meant that a temporary studio needed to be
constructed at the Expo site. “The
whole show was synchronized from the Fairlights,
with Timecode sent to Lighting, Video, Lasers and
Fountain control. We also sent FSK (Frequency Shift
Keying) tracks from the Fairlights to set off all
the Fireworks.”
DAE has
extensive experience of handling complex events of
this nature, having previously being involved in the
opening and closing ceremonies for the Winter
Olympics in Vancouver, the Opening and Closing
Ceremonies for the Sydney 2000 Summer Games and the
15th Asian Games Doha 2006, in Qatar. “It
certainly helps when you can tap into previous
experience,” Logan says. ”And it also helps when you
have faith in the equipment you have chosen because
you’ve used it often enough in the past to know it
won’t let you down.”
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www.AudioProNetwork.com
 FairlightUS
would
like to suggest a great new site that is turning the
Social Networking industry on its ear. (Pun
intended.)
Audio Pro Network.
AudioProNetwork.com
Membership is free, but you MUST be a
professional Audio Engineer, professional Mixer or
professional Sound Designer to be a member.
To ensure this, all members are vetted by
sharing information, which is then validated by the
dedicated Audio Pro Network staff.
AudioProNetwork.com is a unique networking
tool that brings the most important functions of
online networking, exclusively to Audio
Professionals.
If you’re interested in making professional
connections, combined with opportunities for
discounts on products and services, visit
AudioProNetwork.com
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NAB 2010 - A Great Success for
FairlightUS
What a fantastic show at Las
Vegas for FairlightUS, we have some great products
for 2010 that deliver exactly what our clients need.
We have without doubt the fastest Post-Production
system available today with updated tactile surfaces
to boost productivity even further. The launch of
EVO at NAB has resulted in SIX console sales for
immediate delivery. Over the next few months you
will see and hear a lot more about EVO
and it capabilities. We wish to thank
everyone who attended the show. Our next show in the
USA will be AES in San Francisco, November 5 through
7. Don't wait that long,
contact us
today
for a demo of this outstanding
system.
Philippe Guichard - Steve
Rance - Rod Revilock
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Production Consultants Invests in
Fairlight Xynergi
St Louis-based
Production Consultants has become the latest
high-profile studio to invest in Fairlight’s
powerful Xynergi Media Production Centre.
The studio was set up in 1986 and
is owned and run by award-winning audio expert Bill
Schulenburg, whose long and impressive CV covers
four decades in the industry and includes working
with artists like Stevie Nicks and Manfred Mann;
designing and editing sound and pictures for a huge
variety of hundreds of TV, radio, videogame, film,
theatre and audiobook projects; teaching Audio
Aesthetics as an adjunct professor at Webster
University; working as a popular voiceover artist;
and last, but not least, currently serving as
Chairman of the St. Louis Section of the Audio
Engineering Society.
The new 64-channel
Xynergi augments a Fairlight Prodigy system that
Production Consultants has run since 2001.
“The file-handling and management features of
the Xynergi are major steps forward in taking on a
wide variety of work in media of all kinds.” says
Schulenburg. “Xynergi’s hassle-free drag-and-drop
ingest of material generated by all the different
types of recording, camera, editing, and processing
systems quickly brings audio and video together in a
straightforward, unified workflow. Xynergi also
streamlines the task of delivering the final
product, both audio and video, in the client’s
preferred format with unparalleled compatibility and
interchangeability.”
The Xynergi Media Production Centre organizes and
delivers all the media processing tools needed for
high-end audio for video production in all widely
used surround formats. The system is based around a
completely new concept in tactile control harnessing
the awesome ‘green’ processing power of Fairlight’s
CC-1 digital media engine and Fairlight’s integrated
PyxisTrack video. The system features the
groundbreaking Xynergi controller, a revolutionary
desktop user interface used to access all features
and functions of the Fairlight CC-1 as well as
commonly used Windows applications.
Schulenburg is an admirer of the Fairlight editing
model, which he says has proven itself efficient,
robust and reliable, with a real tactile
relationship to creative flow and sound quality.
“We’ve always been easily able to artistically
relate to the Fairlight system as more than just
simply a computer that processes audio signals,” he
adds.
The Production Consultants
installation is an impressive one. Three XE6 fader
sidecars have been placed alongside the Xynergi MPC
in a custom console designed by Missouri-based
Argosy Consoles.
“Having honed our
craft in the 60s and 70s, we appreciate the ability
to “perform” an audio mix in realtime,” says
Schulenburg. “Getting our hands on the sound and
artistically interacting with it is an important
part of our ability to deliver a creative,
value-added service to our clients, while
maintaining a high degree of personal satisfaction
and fulfillment. The XE6 sidecars’
cost-effectiveness will allow us to have more
channels of tactile control than our current system,
and the bright, clear OLED displays provide instant,
continuous, and comprehensive feedback about each
channels’ status, enhancing the production process.”
Production Consultants’ clients work with all
kinds of media projects, but Schulenburg argues that
precision editing, creative mixing and powerful
sound design for radio, television, and internet
delivery has been the heart of his business for
years. Additionally, he expects that the video
capabilities of the Xynergi system will allow them
to return to the video production market offering
“unmatched” file conversion, editing and sound
design services to go along with their deep
experience in visual communications. He also points
out that its comprehensive encoding features make
the Xynergi an excellent tool for generating
internet content
Finally, Schulenburg
thinks that the Xynergi will also help Production
Consultants move more firmly into the mixing and
mastering space, referring to it as “the icing on
the cake.”
“Our music production
experience, along with the multiple fader sidecars
and project compatibility exhibited by the Xynergi
system will comprise an attractive and comprehensive
mixing and mastering solution for music producers
who do their basic work in less powerful DAWs and
are looking for that final professional polish for
their projects,” he concludes.
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EVO in the Press and Reviews
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Fairlight unveils EVO at NAB 2010
With the new EVO system, which will be on show
for the first time at the NAB 2010 Convention in
Las Vegas, Fairlight wants
to deliver high end console power with
cutting-edge affordability.
EVO 3 Bay Console
“EVO is a major development for Fairlight, one
that continues the path started by FAME, Prodigy
and Constellation,” says Tino Fibaek,
Fairlight’s General Manager. “Although these
products already offer our customers an
integrated audio and video solution, we wanted
to refine and enhance the mixing part of that
system so that we could improve usability. With
EVO, we have achieved exactly that – a console
that not only addresses the convergence of audio
and video, but also delivers large format mixing
functionality within the small surface footprint
that is typical of post production consoles.”
EVO makes full use of recent
innovations from Fairlight including Crystal
Core Processing, the SX range of I/O options,
and Xynergi self-labeling key technology. In
terms of design, the emphasis is placed firmly
on giving users fast access to mixing tools.
This is achieved through the innovative use of
rotary encoders and touch screens that combine
to deliver in-line controls and detailed
full-color displays for every fader. The center
section is designed around Fairlight's
revolutionary Xynergi keys, for full tactile
control of recording, editing and mixing.
EVO 3 Bay Console
“EVO's built-in professional monitoring
section makes simple sense out of complex
surround mixing, and is capable of simultaneous
fully automated mixes in multiple formats,”
Fibaek adds. “Apart from excellent audio,
which has always been the hallmark of Fairlight
products, our aim was to deliver massive channel
capacity and fast intuitive operation. With
36-bit floating point audio throughout the
signal path, users have the headroom and
precision for the most demanding applications.”
Aimed at film, video and music
production and post production facilities, EVO
is the ideal platform for integrated recording,
editing, mixing and video. As an integral part
of the Fairlight family it is file compatible
and operationally similar to existing Fairlight
products and provides seamless workflows for
virtually all SD and HD file formats.
EVO panels can also be
fitted into existing Constellation frames,
providing existing customers with an easy and
convenient upgrade path.
Key Features:
Integrated
Xynergi Center Section with self labeling key
switches.
New In-Line Panel (ILP)
delivering efficient knob-per-function access to
channel parameters.
New Touch screen
‘bridge’ delivering rich graphics and channel
feedback.
New fader panels featuring
organic, full color OLED's.
The option of
2,3,4 or 5 bay configuration.
Customized
surface panel layout to suit individual
requirements.
...and without a price
premium.
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Mixopolis Maintains its Competitive Edge With
Fairlight’s CC-1 Technology
"When you have a reputation to maintain, especially
in a city as tough and competitive as New York, it
is vital to stay ahead of the game by investing in
the very latest technology."
This was the rationale behind
Mixopolis’ recent decision to upgrade its existing
Fairlight Constellation console from Fairlight’s QDC
engine to the new Crystal Core (CC-1) technology.
The upgrade included Fairlight CC-1 cards with
integrated HD video and SX20, a new HP Z800
workstation, and two SSL MADI 24 channel I/O boxes.
Mitch Raboy behind his
Constellation XCS Console
“We wanted to take advantage of
the latest technology Fairlight is offering,
especially integrated video and ease of handling
various audio and video file formats,” says Mitch
Raboy, founder and president of Mixopolis. “With
this new technology, just about any audio or video
file can be dropped on the timeline and Fairlight
will handle it and play it back correctly. Audio
sample rates are converted on the fly and I don’t
have to worry about video frame rates because the
system automatically plays back at the correct
speed. I’ve also found that importing and exporting
files, including OMFs, is much more streamlined.”
Located in an upscale brownstone half a block
from Grand Central Terminal, Mixopolis is a boutique
audio post production facility that offers clients
two state of the art 5.1 surround sound mixing
suites. Each room is fully equipped with all the
latest gear to help shape the sonic character of any
project.
Mitch Raboy, who won an Emmy for
sound design for WNBC-TV, worked at numerous top
audio facilities before establishing Mixopolis.
“We offer complete compatibility with any
facility in the world and because we regularly
exchange projects with other audio and editorial
facilities, our customers can be assured that we
know how to prepare files for others to work with,”
he says.
As well as profiting from CC-1’s
enhanced on-board HD video support, file interchange
and plug-in capabilities, Mixopolis is also reaping
the benefits of a technology that is at the
forefront of ‘green’ computing initiative.
Fairlight’s CC-1 engine performs digital audio and
video processing hundreds of times more efficiently
than state-of-the-art CPUs or digital signal
processors, thus delivering increased performance
with dramatically lower power consumption. In a
world where energy price rises and climate change
are major concerns for every responsible business,
it is no surprise that this technology is proving
enormously popular.
Since completing its
CC-1 upgrade, Mixopolis has used its Constellation
console on a number of TV and radio commercials for
its main clients, which include advertising
agencies, advertisers, video production and
editorial companies.
“CC-1 has helped
speed up our workflow as prepping sessions and
moving files around our network is now much faster
and easier,” Raboy adds. “Fairlight has always
developed technologies and features that impress me
and my clients with high quality audio production,
speed and transparency in handling complex jobs.”
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Independent Studios Standardizes
On Fairlight’s CC-1 Engine
One year after installing its
first Fairlight Crystal Core (CC-1) system,
Milwaukee-based Independent Studios has upgraded its
second audio post production suite to encompass CC-1
technology, thus ensuring that projects can move
seamlessly from one suite to another.
Since its formation in 1991, Independent Studios has
grown from a small, one studio facility specializing
in commercial music and sound design to a company
handling commercials, documentaries and feature film
projects for a wide variety of clients. Its
facilities have also grown to include two audio
suites – both equipped with Fairlight Constellation
consoles - and a music studio. Video editing suites,
graphics suites and a new color correction suite are
also on site, and these are owned and operated by a
separate company, Independent Edit.
Founding director Randy Bobo says: “We have been
using Fairlight equipment since 2000, when we
installed our first Prodigy 2 and QDC systems. In
June 2008 we decided to upgrade one of our audio
suites to the new CC-1 platform because we wanted
the ability to integrate video into our projects and
have the option of third party plug-ins. “Having
made that decision, it was only a matter of time
before we also upgraded our second audio post suite
and finally retired our remaining QDC. We like to
have both post production studios equipped
identically because this allows us greater schedule
flexibility with our commercial clients. When both
rooms are the same, projects can move from one to
another very easily, allowing revisions to happen
wherever and whenever they need to happen.”
"Bamboo" at Independent
Studios
Although Randy Bobo freely admits
that he’s not a ‘Windows person’, he says the
transition to Fairlight’s latest technology has been
very straightforward and, one year in, he can’t
imagine using anything other than CC-1. “It is so
much faster and gives us much more flexibility,” he
says. “Thanks to Fairlight’s support of multiple A/V
file formats, we can now import, export and convert
files in a fraction of real time. This has made a
real difference to our workflow.”
Ken
Barnsley, Fairlight’s Director of World-wide Sales
and Marketing, says sales of the CC-1 engine are
steadily increasing, especially in the US, as new
and existing FairlightUSers recognize the power and
versatility of this enhanced platform. “Fairlight’s
CC-1 card is undoubtedly a major improvement on our
previous QDC platform, particularly in terms of its
green credentials,” Barnsley says. “Physically it
has been reduced from the size of a dishwasher to a
module that fits in your pocket, while in terms of
energy it offers a 98% reduction in overall heat
generated and a power reduction from 600 watts to
just 12. By supporting a seamless interplay of both
HD video and audio and a wide range of file exchange
capabilities, Fairlight technology delivers real
convergence within one integrated production
environment and enhances the workflow in a wide
variety of broadcast and post applications.”
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Vancouver’s Winter Olympic Spectacular Begins & Ends
With Fairlight
With a worldwide audience of approximately three
billion spectators, Australian production
company David Atkins Enterprises (DAE) pulled
out all the stops to make sure the opening and
closing ceremonies at the 2010 Olympic Winter
Games
in Vancouver were both spectacular and hitch
free.
Despite a small glitch
with the fourth leg of the indoor cauldron,
which failed to rise during the opening
ceremony, the two shows were deemed a huge
success when they took place at the
55,000-seat BC Place Stadium
on February 12 and February 28 respectively.
Behind the scenes, it was Fairlight
technology that once again played a vital role.
Already being used to edit the broadcast sound
provided to German audiences by ARD and ZDF,
Fairlight technology was now also a central part
of DAE’s technical infrastructure.
Steve Logan (Left) - Rob
Stefanson (Right)
DAE relied on
four
Fairlight Xynergi systems to deliver equally
faultless audio for the two ceremonies. A total
of four Xynergi systems were used – two for main
playback and two for backup. As well as handling
the audio requirements, the main Xynergi systems
also provided the master time code for all other
systems including video projection (from ETC),
film projection, pyrotechnics, lighting,
automation, lasers and show call. Even the
conductor and performers relied on Fairlight as
they all received their click and cue tracks
from the Xynergi's.
Fairlight’s Xynergi Media Production Centre,
which harnesses the processing power of the
company’s Crystal Core technology (CC-1),
incorporates integrated PyxisTrack video and
features the Xynergi controller, a
desktop user interface that allows engineers to
access all features and functions of the
Fairlight CC-1, as well as commonly used Windows
applications. Xynergi offers
a much faster editing and mixing interface and
has the ability to handle
all widely used surround formats.
DAE’s Steve Logan, who along with colleague Rob
Stefanson was in charge of the Fairlight
operation, says: “The demands required for these
productions utilized almost every aspect of the
facilities provided by Xynergi, but most
importantly Fairlight’s legendary reliability.”
Both shows were edited on the Xynergi using
media imported via Broadcast Wave and OMF
files. QuickTime videos were also imported for
reference during editing. The Xynergi’s unique
clip based EQ and level was used extensively to
master and balance the many segments involved.
“The separate systems consisted of one Xynergi
as the main playback while the second Xynergi
was a looping and A/B roll system providing
continuous audio program,” Steve Logan explains.
“This allowed for easy transition between the
two systems using some very clever editing and
synchronization that only Fairlight could do.”
Multitrack stems were fed to front of house,
monitoring and broadcast consoles via multiple
MADI streams. The Xynergi’s also provided
simultaneous stereo and surround submixes. To
ensure that no act of God disrupted the two
shows, DEA had an identical mirror system as
back up, running in parallel and in sync.
Logan explains: “This precisely duplicated the
front house and monitor consoles. The idea was
that if a complete power failure happened to any
of the main systems, we could switch to the
backup without interruption. Although all four
systems were running, the backup systems were
powered from separate UPS power supplies.”
The Vancouver shows
were not the first time DEA had handled
productions of this nature therefore it was able
to tap into previous experiences gathered during
the Opening and Closing Ceremonies for the
Sydney 2000 Summer Games and the 15th Asian
Games Doha 2006, in Qatar. The budget for
Vancouver has been estimated at between $30
million and $40 million – roughly a tenth of
Beijing’s budget. However, unlike Beijing, the
Vancouver ceremonies were held in the comfort of
an indoor venue – the first time in the history
of the Olympic Games that this has happened. |
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Southern California Audio
Post Facility AudioVision Upgrades To
Fairlight’s Constellation XCS Console
Southern California
Audio Post Facility AudioVision Upgrades To
Fairlight’s Constellation XCS Console
California, USA: Audio post production facility
AudioVision has placed an order for a three-bay
Fairlight Constellation XCS console. This will
be installed into a custom-built frame that is
currently being constructed by AudioVision’s
owner, Bill Trousdale. Based in Orange County,
AudioVision was established in 1989 by Trousdale
who has more than 35 years experience in the pro
audio industry.
The facility is
equipped to a very high specification,
particularly in regards to acoustic isolation
and overall sonic purity. All of its audio
recording systems are Fairlight, which Trousdale
chose because they offer the speed, stability
and audio quality that his clients demand. “At
AudioVision we pride ourselves on the fact that
we are technically far ahead of our
competitors,” he says. “Clients want to realize
their goals and contain costs through smooth
work flow and technical reliability. Our aim is
to help them achieve this in an environment that
is both creative and relaxed.” By upgrading to
Fairlight’s Constellation XCS console,
AudioVision will be able to harness the unique
tactile power of Fairlight’s Xynergi controller.
This provides a truly intuitive tool
for recording, editing and mixing and allows
engineers to access all the features of
Fairlight’s new Crystal Core (CC-1) engine, as
well as commonly used Windows applications.
Philippe Guichard
(FairlightUS) and Bill Trousdale (AudioVision)
Bill Trousdale’s XCS console will be the
first in the USA to use the Minetonka Dolby E
and TC power core plug-ins. It will also be
housed in a special frame with room for a
secondary computer and with the top panels
placed at an angle, reflecting the way in which
Trousdale likes to work. "I've always liked the
'English' style of console - flat faders and the
other panels angled upwards as they get further
away - very ergonomic,” Trousdale says.
“Besides, with the amount of hours I spend in
front of the console, I want to be as
comfortable as possible." AudioVision’s console
components are being supplied by Fairlight
dealer Hollywood Sound, which has had a long
association with the facility.
“I’m
expecting immediate delivery and I’m hoping to
have the custom frame finished within the next
few weeks,” Trousdale adds “If everything goes
to plan I should have the new console
operational soon after.”
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Producers
Upgrades Audio Facilities With Fairlight
Technology
Producers' Video Corporation is a
Baltimore-based facility that offers US
broadcasters and advertising agencies a full
service covering everything from location
shooting through to audio and video post
production.
in recent months, the company has completed a major overhaul of its audio
facilities to bring them up to the latest
technical specifications. As part of this
process, Producers has installed two Fairlight
Constellation XCS consoles, featuring a Xynergi
centre panel and running on Fairlight's latest
Crystal Core (CC-1) engine.
Producers
Senior Audio Engineer Bob Bragg said: "Before
choosing Constellation XCS, we thoroughly
investigated every major integrated professional
audio product on the market. In the end, the
Constellation consoles won out because there
were no other products on the market that
offered such an extensive range of features at
such a cost-effective price point." Producers is
no stranger to Fairlight technology, having
previously used the company's QDC/FAME systems.
Bob Bragg said: "We've always striven to
have as much integration in our equipment as
possible - that's what pointed us to the FAME
systems back in 1997, because we like the
integrated mixer/editor concept. Fairlight has
now taken it to the next level by adding HD
video in the timeline, flexible file
import/exporting and VST plug-ins. In post
production these days everything is all about
work flow. Speed and flexibility are absolutely
vital and Fairlight has really taken this
seriously with all the new features it has
incorporated into Constellation XCS. Even our
multiple Terabyte FX library is integrated
within the box with Audiobase3. We don't have to
switch applications to search our sound
libraries and spot them into a project, which is
a major advantage as it saves us so much
valuable time."
Bragg adds that
having the ability to ingest picture and import
and export most file formats is also helping to
speed up workflow, leaving staff free to get on
with the job and get the finished project over
to the client more quickly for final approval.
He said: "I also like having a variety of
EQ and dynamics on the channel strip of every
channel without having to load a single plug-in.
This saves time, plus the native processing
sounds sonically superior to most of the
plug-ins that I've used on other systems."
Bragg said that, as a long-time FairlightUSer, he has adapted easily to the built-in
Xynergi interface and the new CC-1 engine. Less
experienced engineers have also taken to the
system quickly because it is so intuitive to
use.
He said: "We set-up our first
Constellation system for training several weeks
before the installation so that we could provide
our engineers with training time without the
normal pressure of a busy day with a client. I
would advise any other facility with the space
to adopt a similar approach because it does give
staff an opportunity to become familiar with
this new technology. Having said that, the
Xplain help buttons and the unrivaled support
we've gotten from FairlightUS really helped us
to get to grips with CC-1. Now we're comfortable
with the general operations and we're
continually adding the advanced features to our
skill set."
Bob Bragg, Mike and Tim
St. Clair
Producers handles large volumes of
regional and national television spot work, all
of which have to be delivered to very tight
deadlines. The facility is also tackling an
increasing amount of ADR work and Bragg said
that everyone is very excited about the 'great'
ADR features on the new Constellation systems.
He said: "It has beeps, streamers and even
support for on screen script. In keeping with
any facility that is moving to a more up-to-date
technology platform, there is always the worry
that archive material might not be compatible.
Producers was concerned about this because it
has 12 years of archived projects that clients
need access to.
"It turns out that
our concerns were unfounded because Fairlight
has made the legacy projects loadable in the new
editing format. In our first week with the new
equipment, we had a client who needed to re-edit
and update work from 2003. It was seamless."
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Fairlight's New Pyxis-MT
Makes Its Debut On The Emmy Award- Winning Ellen
DeGeneres Show
Award-winning sound mixer
Terry Fountain is using Fairlight’s new Pyxis-MT
to record audio and video for The Ellen
DeGeneres Show, a daily talk/variety show that
is produced in Los Angeles and syndicated
nationally across the USA by Warner Bros.
Television.
 Standing
for Pyxis Multi-track, Pyxis-MT is a versatile audio
and video capture, playback and file transfer system
that combines the functionality of a fully featured
HD non linear recorder/player with a professional
192 track audio recorder built in one. The system
provides true HD VTR performance and includes
Fairlight’s extensive drag and drop file handling
capabilities. Powered by Fairlight’s Crystal Core
engine, Pyxis-MT can record up to 96 tracks of
sample locked, floating point audio along with High
Definition video. An additional 96 tracks are
available in the track laying process for track
hungry applications.
Fairlight’s Pyxis-MT
system, the first of its kind to be installed
anywhere in the world, has taken pride of place in a
new facility built on Warner Brothers’ stage 1-2-3
for Telepictures, the production company responsible
for producing The Ellen DeGeneres Show. It was
specified by systems sound consultant David
Crivelli. The tapeless high definition facility was
built and engineered by systems integrator National
Teleconsultants.
“As a former FairlightUSer I am always happy to recommend the company’s
workstations because they are dependable,
consistent, easy to use and capable of delivering
exceptional sound quality,” Crivelli says. “In this
particular case, the engineers using the new
facility were making the transition from tape to a
tapeless High Definition environment. The audio
requirement was complex because the show features
music performances as well as Ellen’s comedic
monologues and interviews with celebrities and
members of the public. This meant there was a need
to record multiple tracks of isolated audio and to
link this to picture so that daily rehearsals could
be reviewed and remixed prior to recording for
taping.”
 To
ensure that the show captures the excitement of the
on-stage performances, everything is shot in
sequence in real time as though it were live taped
as live. The Fairlight captures 48 tracks of audio
along with video during the rehearsal earlier in the
day. The mixer, along with the music guest engineer,
are able to replay the rehearsal and modify
equalizations, balances, and dynamics of every
instrument discretely until all parties are happy.
During the recording of the show, the dialed in
parameters are applied to the actual music
performance. If all goes well, no remixing is
required. If the musical guest is not happy with
something, the Fairlight is used to remix and
perfect the area of concern.
“For The
Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Pyxis-MT is used as a live
multi-track recorder that is connected via MADI to a
Studer Vista mixing console,” David Crivelli adds.
“The final program mix is carried out in the console
but thanks to the system’s editing capabilities,
editors can instantly locate the exact point where a
remix is required. They can also copy and paste in
post production mode to capture different elements
of the performance and they can easily export the
time stamped audio to a non-linear system using time
code referenced broadcast WAV files. This allows
editors responsible for the final delivery to
seamlessly drop the newly mixed audio back into
their timeline for the blending and conforming prior
to the delivery of the show.”
The
Pyxis-MT installed at the new facility has a Black
Magic HD Link video card that makes it very easy to
archive performances and retrieve audio and video
from previous shows if the material needs to be
re-purposed. Since the Fairlight has video
capabilities built in, there is no need to repurpose
expensive video servers to work with the workstation
for video accompaniment.
Crivelli says:
“This is such an easy system to use that in just a
few weeks the show’s engineers have quickly become
adept at operating it. It doesn’t need a controller
because all of the software features are managed via
a mouse/keyboard. Using Pyxis-MT as a multi-track
recorder is a bit overkill because it is capable of
so much more. Having it installed gives the facility
the opportunity to multipurpose the room. At any
time it can be used for post production when it is
not being used for the show.”
Now in its
sixth season, The Ellen DeGeneres Show
began shooting in High Definition in September 2008.
This coincided with a move to Stage 1 at Warner
Brothers Studio in Burbank, California, after NBC
sold the property where the show was previously
taped. Produced by A Very Good Production and WAD
Productions, Inc. in association with Telepictures
Productions, the show airs in national syndication,
including on the NBC Owned and Operated Television
Stations Group.
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U.S. Broadcasters Move to Fairlight CC-1
Platform
U.S. sports broadcasters Major League Baseball
Productions and World Wrestling Entertainment have both moved to Fairlight's
new CC-1 platform in an effort to improve their speed of workflow and
networking capabilities.
Major League Baseball Productions
are installing two CC-1 powered Fairlight Constellation large-format mixing
consoles, both with the new Xynergi Centre Section (XCS) and PyxisTrack HD
video. The production company has also invested in a Pyxis HD server to
network video to the two consoles.
In January 2009, MLB will
launch its own HD/5.1 cable network, which will reach over 50 million homes
and is being billed as the biggest cable TV launch in US history. The
company will also soon be moving to the all-new facility shared by the MLB
Network.
Chuck Cavanaugh - MLB
The second sale, to World Wrestling Entertainment,
involves six Fairlight Xynergi Media Production Systems, all with
PyxisTrack HD video. A FairlightUSer since 1997, WWE TV made the transition
from the QDC platform to CC-1 as part of a general overhaul inspired by its
switch to High-Definition.
Chris Argento,
VP of post production at WWE TV in Stamford,
CT, says, "In January 2008 we moved to HD and that fuelled our decision to
invest in Xynergi and the CC-1 engine. Previously, we had four Fairlight
systems, all with QDC engines, as well as Pyxis in each of our mix rooms and
a MediaLink server to tie them all together. Fairlight's reliability and
speed have been the biggest factors in staying with the company for our post
needs. These attributes, coupled with the onboard HD video track on the
CC-1, made the transition a no brainer. We are now able to drag and drop MXF
wrapped files from our Grass Valley K-2 server right to the timeline with
full HD video and audio."
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CBS Brings Sound to Super Bowl
Sunday With Fairlight
Professionals at CBS Television
City mix audio for programming aired on CBS with
Fairlight Constellation-XT consoles.
 In
recent years, the television commercials that air
during the Super Bowl have become as anticipated as
the game itself. With that in mind, the
time-sensitive and painstaking preparation of these
on-air promos is on par with the endless
strategizing and media juggling of the players and
coaches on the field.
Enter the team of CBS
Television City, which has been busy mixing audio
for up to 120 CBS promos per day during the week
leading up to Super Bowl XLI, held on February 4.
While the preparation time for Super Bowl
programming is typically closer to a month, this
year posed a slightly different challenge. The
commercials this year included preview footage from
upcoming episodes, so they had to wait until that
material was completed to begin mixing the spots.
With time constraints being an even greater
challenge this year, CBS Television City once again
turned to Fairlight for around-the-clock audio
mixing of the numerous Super Bowl promos. In early
2006, CBS Television City purchased two Fairlight
Constellation-XT consoles, and recently purchased a
third Constellation-XT with the option of upgrading
to an FPGA-driven DREAM II Constellation-XT in the
future. “Timing is everything in our line of work,”
said Jeff Ross, Audio Mixer, CBS Television City.
“Any downtime affects our whole department, and if
one room shuts down all the content gets bumped to
another finishing audio suite and bottlenecks
production. That’s obviously something we can’t
afford to endure when preparing for the Super Bowl,
which is our biggest event of the year.”
Since installing the first two Constellation-XT’s,
CBS Television City has benefited from the stability
and speed that is characteristic of all Fairlight
products. “For short-form audio mixing it’s so
important that the technology be as ergonomic as
possible, because we mix so many spots in a given
day,” Ross said. Additionally, the customizable
design of the Constellation-XT allowed CBS
Television City to set up macros specific to their
needs. “Previously all macros had to be programmed
through a computer interface, but the
Constellation-XT enables us to customize our own
presets simply with the touch of a few buttons,”
Ross added. “This capability has impacted our
day-to-day workflow, allowing us to maximize our
project velocity and consequently our project
volume.”
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Fairlight ‘Xynergizes’ its
Constellation Mixing System.
New Xynergi Centre Section
panel now available for Constellation
Fairlight has responded to
overwhelming calls to bring its Xynergi based
SLICK (Self Labeling Illuminated Computer Key
Switches) technology to its popular
Constellation large format mixing consoles. The
XCS panel, which stands for Xynergi Centre
section, is now an available option across the
complete range of its Constellation console
series.
The Xynergi controller technology
was first launched to the world in the form of the
desktop Xynergi Media Production Centre and,
according to Fairlight’s Sales & Marketing Director,
Stuart DeMarais, “it quickly became clear that with
the Xynergi technology, we had invented a controller
that re-defined how users interface with their
creative environment. Once they’d experienced
Xynergi any other interface experience became a
compromise. It was only a matter of time before we
had a crescendo of voices asking for us to
incorporate the Xynergi interface into our large
format consoles and now we have pleasure in
delivering this to the market”.
The XCS panel harnesses the unique
tactile power of the Xynergi controller technology
and creates a whole new paradigm for console style
mixing environments. Constellation with XCS is the
ultimate statement in form and function: a small
footprint console with dedicated tactile control of
every single system function including over 60,000
automation parameters.
The XCS panel centralizes all
major system functions directly under finger tip
control providing a truly intuitive tool for
recording, editing and mixing. The XCS can be
specified with any number of other Constellation
panels, most typically the channel assign panel or
inline panel, to create a console mixing environment
tailored made to the individual tastes of the
operator.
The first Constellation with XCS
panel was shipped to Highway Television in France
and the system can be seen at various global
locations during the upcoming trade show season as
follows; IBC Amsterdam (Sept 12th – 16th), AES San
Francisco (Oct 2nd – 5th), SATIS Paris(Oct
23rd-26th) and Tonmeister Leipzig (Nov 13th – 16th).
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Fairlight
Releases DREAM II Version 1.5 at NAB 2008
Delivering Convergence by
supporting a seamless interplay of both HD video
and audio and a wide range of file exchange
capabilities to enhance workflow in a wide
variety of broadcast and post applications.
In a move that
extends the already impressive capabilities of
Fairlight’s Dream 2 platform, Fairlight today
announced the release of Dream 2 Software
Version 1.5.
Packed with over 50 new
features, the new software delivers a
convergence of audio and video never seen before
in any audio production platform. All Dream 2
systems are supplied standard with on board
video. The new release extends the capabilities
to include support for a comprehensive array of
video and audio interchange formats as well as
providing support for a wide range of commonly
used media file formats.
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The Sound of “RUNNING THE
SAHARA”!
The Film Foundry puts new
Fairlight CC-1 to the test to post
“Running the
Sahara” a documentary narrated and produced by
Academy Award™ winner Matt Damon
The Film Foundry, a premier
facility in Charlotte, North Carolina, has just
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, who mixed and mastered the documentary
in 5.1, commented on the ease and reliability
which came with mixing the documentary on their
two CC-1 powered Fairlight Constellation
systems. "With locations that sometimes included
sandstorms, you could imagine the challenges as
far as audio clean up.
Paul Maraio
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
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. And with Fairlight's binnacle
editing system, the entire process went smoothly and
efficiently. With such diverse locations across
Northern Africa, the audio was challenging at times.
Support for VST plug-ins let the team use tools such
as noise-reduction and reverb 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 proved
essential.
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Reinforcing Fairlight’s
groundbreaking CC-1 Crystal Core technology as the
industry’s most powerful media processing platform,
Television Broadcast Magazine honored CC-1 as one of
the publication’s “Best of Show” winners from NAB
2007.
 The
Television Broadcast Top Innovation Awards are based
on evaluations from a panel of engineers, production
and post professionals, as well as editors who
select 19 products which reflect innovation and
engineering excellence out of 1600 exhibiting
companies. Fairlight is very proud to be on the list
amongst the likes of Apple, Adobe, Sony and Harris
just to name a few. Based on the latest Field
Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) silicon technology,
Crystal Core technology immediately and
comprehensively obsoletes DSP/Time Slice Bus
architectures and delivers quantum performance gains
by shrinking hardware into a single purpose-built
media processing chip. Crystal Core technology
delivers improved quality, unparalleled flexibility,
scalability, enlarged system scope, and previously
unattainable price performance gains.
The
CC-1 media engine can deliver up to 230 channels
each with 6 bands EQ, 3 stages Dynamics, 192 track
recording and editing and well as a complete
multi-format mixing system. CC-1 powers the
Fairlight DREAM II Family, which delivers lower cost
of ownership across the whole range of Fairlight
systems and sets a new benchmark for HD compliant
media creation systems. DREAM II features
Fairlight’s market-proven tactile control and mixing
surfaces including Satellite AV, StationPlus,
Constellation-XT, HD DREAM Factory and Anthem.
“Since the introduction of CC-1 in the fall of
2006, leading post-production companies around the
world have invested in DREAM II Series products,”
said Stuart DeMarais, Fairlight Sales and Marketing
Director. “The Television Broadcast Top Innovation
Award demonstrates what audio professionals are
already realizing: that CC-1 is the industry’s most
versatile, powerful and accessible processing
technology.”
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Fairlight Launches “XYNERGI”
Worlds First Unified Media
Production Center
Introducing the world to the
groundbreaking XYNERGI controller; a unique desktop
interface centralizing tactile control of
Fairlight’s CC-1 technology platform and Windows
applications
In an introduction that is poised
to dramatically open up the equipment choices
available to today’s’ media creators, Fairlight
today launched the new XYNERGI Media Production
Centre.
Xynergi organizes
and delivers a suite of all the media processing
tools needed for high end audio for video production
in all widely used surround formats. Xynergi is
based around a completely new concept in tactile
control which harnesses the awesome ‘green’
processing power of Fairlight’s CC-1 digital media
engine.
The Xynergi
controller features a unique implementation of self
labeling key switches which are able to display full
color Images, icons or text to provide intelligent
control over the entire recording, editing and
mixing process. In addition the controller can
support any type of language or icon driven menu
structure with an ‘on-demand’ QWERTY keyboard for
routine naming tasks and immediate access to MS
Office™ tools such as email, Word™ and Excel™. The
controller also features eight touch sensitive
rotary controllers and multiple soft keys arranged
around a color control zone known as the “pad”.
These can be used to support Xynergi’s sophisticated
mix automation system as well as precise control
over extensive signal processing facilities which
include multi-band EQs, three stage dynamics, multi
dimensional panning and auxiliary sends.
The real essence of
the controller lies in its ability to intelligently
know what mode the operator is in, presenting ONLY
the functions relevant to the desired mode whilst
hiding those that aren’t. The result is less
keystrokes, more control and greater productivity
all of which contribute to an enhanced creative
operational experience.
“The Xynergi Media Production
Centre brings together the most powerful, versatile
and scalable media production system in the world
today” announced John Lancken, Chief Executive
Officer, Fairlight. “This revolutionary new control
interface literally puts multi-dimensional tactile
control at the fingertips of the creative community.
When combined with the CC-1 engine, Xynergi
dramatically increases the creative firepower that
engineers, artists and producers have to work with.”
The Xynergi Media
Production Centre will be debuting at this year’s
IBC Exhibition in Amsterdam from September 7th
to 11th with prices starting from under
$23,000.
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Fairlight CMI Keyboard
Signed By 45 Stars Raises $100,000 for WITNESS
For music fans around the globe the ultimate
holiday gift this year is available online at
EBay: a vintage Fairlight CMI keyboard signed by
44 legendary artists who used it to define the
sound of the Eighties. The Fairlight will be
auctioned online up until live auction at the
WITNESS Benefit Dinner and Concert in New York
City on December 11, 2006. With a starting bid
of $100,000 already registered, this is a gift
that will likely appreciate considerably over
time and, because it’s being auctioned for
charity, will keep on giving beyond the holiday
season.
Fairlight has donated a vintage
CMI (Computer Music Instrument) keyboard and
arranged to have all 43 keys plus the chassis
autographed by the artists that made the instrument
the most important development in music in the
Eighties. The signatory artists, who used the CMI to
radically change the music of the day, include
Lindsey Buckingham, Nick Rhodes, Stuart Copeland,
Elvis Costello, Mike Oldfield, Hans Zimmer, Roland
Orzabal, Barry Gibb, Steve Winwood, Kate Bush,
Laurie Anderson, JJ Jeczalik, Joni Mitchell, Annie
Lennox, Boris Blank, Midge Ure, Alan Parsons, Geoff
Downes, Brian Wilson, David Gilmour, Mark Knopfler,
Sir George Martin, John Paul Jones, Trevor Horn, Jim
Kerr, Brian Eno, Jean Michel Jarre, Howard Jones,
Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby, Keith Emerson, Mark
Mothersbaugh, Bono, Jan Hammer, Todd Rundgren,
Stevie Wonder, Iva Davies, David Hirschfelder, Chick
Corea, Daryl Hall, Mike Rutherford, Billy Gibbons,
Peter Gabriel and David Bowie.
Iconic
hits such as “Sledgehammer” by Peter Gabriel;
“Thriller” by Michael Jackson; “Rocket” by Herbie
Hancock and “The Unforgettable Fire” by U2 are
classic examples of the Fairlight CMI as it was used
within the 80’s genre. Among the first
commercially-available albums to incorporate it were
Kate Bush's “Never for Ever” (1980), Stevie Wonder’s
“Happy Birthday” (1980), Jean-Michel Jarre's
Magnetic Fields (1981), and the Buggles' last album,
“Adventures in Modern Recording.” Peter Gabriel's
"Shock the Monkey" and its parent album Security
(1982) also feature the instrument.
The
Fairlight CMI was the world’s first digital sampler
and featured other radical advances for the time,
including a light pen interface and menu-driven GUI.
One of the CMI’s most significant software features
was the so-called "Page R,” which was the world’s
first real time graphical music sequence editor,
widely copied on other software synths ever since.
The instrument was featured extensively in the
futuristic videos of those who used it dominating
the 80’s music scene and, being the first device to
cross the computer/instrument divide, was the
subject of passionate debate within the artist
community — Phil Collins, a CMI detractor, went so
far as to advertise “No FairlightUSed” in the liner
notes of his 1985 album “No Jacket Required!” A
Fairlight CMI can be seen in the Devo film “We Are
Devo” and in Jan Hammer's music video for the Miami
Vice theme song. It also makes an appearance being
operated by Nick Rhodes in Duran Duran's video for
"The Reflex".
The CMI hit the height of
its popular frenzy among the artist community when
it was featured in a now-legendary performance by
Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby and
Howard Jones at the 1985 Grammy Awards. Ironically,
the Grammy Album Of The Year in 1985 was “No Jacket
Required.”
Though still selling to the
music community elite, the cost of manufacturing
forced Fairlight to discontinue the CMI in the late
Eighties, as it migrated its business to building
digital audio workstations and mixing consoles for
the Hollywood film production business, the
television broadcast market and the higher-end of
music recording where the “Fairlight Sound” is still
highly prized.
On December 11, WITNESS’
annual benefit will be hosted by the organization’s
founder and chairman, Peter Gabriel, and actor Gael
Garcia Bernal. The event will include performances
by Paul Simon, Angélique Kidjo and Kate Pierson &
Fred Schneider of the B-52's.
Commenting
on the auction, Fairlight Chief Executive John
Lancken said today, “Bringing together the artists
and the instrument that turned music on its head
back in the Eighties is a fascinating exercise in
the history of music, but to do it with WITNESS to
support peace and human rights around the world is
especially gratifying. We believe that this project,
the culmination of two years of hard work, is only
the beginning of a long and productive relationship
between Fairlight and WITNESS as we bring to bear
our digital media expertise and our user base of
studios and broadcasters around the globe to help
advance the great cause that WITNESS fights every
day.”
Echoing this sentiment, Gillian
Caldwell, Director of WITNESS, said today “The
Eighties is remembered for among other things the
unique music of the time, much of which was created
on the Fairlight CMI. Today, WITNESS seeks to ensure
the current decade is not remembered as a time that
the world turned a blind eye to human rights abuses
across the globe. To open up the eyes of the world
to these abuses, WITNESS relies on sound and video
technologies, which is why it is especially exciting
to see a professional audio company like Fairlight
support our cause.”
The December 11
auction marks the end of a two-year program embarked
on by Fairlight, WITNESS and New York City public
relations agency Griffin Public Relations &
Marketing to reach out to the artists who had used
the keyboard. Working with artists, agents and
managers, the group pitched participation, sought an
agreement to autograph and then issued the keys
individually to artists around the world. The
autographed keys were each returned to Fairlight in
Sydney and the keyboard was recently reassembled and
shipped to New York, where it will go on display at
a VIP reception before the auction.
|
The Fairlight CMI was the world’s first
digital sampler and featured other radical
advances for the time, including a light pen
interface and menu-driven GUI. One of
the CMI’s most significant software features
was the so-called "Page R,” which was the
world’s first real time graphical music
sequence editor, widely copied on other
software synths ever since. The
instrument was featured extensively in the
futuristic videos of those who used it
dominating the 80’s music scene and, being
the first device to cross the
computer/instrument divide, was the subject
of passionate debate within the artist
community — Phil Collins, a CMI detractor,
went so far as to advertise “No FairlightUSed” in the liner notes of his 1985 album
“No Jacket Required!” A Fairlight CMI
can be seen in the Devo film “We Are Devo”
and in Jan Hammer's music video for the
Miami Vice theme song. It also makes
an appearance being operated by Nick Rhodes
in Duran Duran's video for "The Reflex". |
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VINTAGE FAIRLIGHT
CMI KEYBOARD
Featuring
signatures from 44 celebrity musicians,
composers & producers
|
Bono |
Mark Knopfler |
Kate
Bush |
|
Stevie
Wonder |
Thomas
Dolby |
Todd
Rundgren |
|
Sir
George Martin |
Steve
Winwood |
Barry
Gibb |
|
Brian
Wilson |
Herbie
Hancock |
Annie
Lennox |
|
Peter
Gabriel |
Elvis
Costello |
David Bowie
& many more |
|
|
The CMI hit the height
of its popular frenzy among the artist
community when it was featured in a
now-legendary performance by Stevie Wonder,
Herbie Hancock, Thomas Dolby and Howard
Jones at the 1985 Grammy Awards.
Ironically, the Grammy Album Of The Year in
1985 was “No Jacket Required.”
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FairlightUS Forms to Enhance
Representation in North America and Canada
 In
a move that provides audio professionals in all
areas of post, broadcast and recording with a
new and improved conduit to Fairlight’s digital
media production technologies, longtime
Fairlight veteran, Steve Rance, has formed
FairlightUS as the new independent distributor
of Fairlight in the United States and Canada.
Effective immediately, FairlightUS assumes
ownership of MediaGear, the previous Fairlight
distributor in North America, and customers can
be assured of continual service and support as
Rance has been careful to retain all sales and
support staff in both California and New York.
The FairlightUS team includes Steve
Rance, President; Philippe Guichard, National
Sales Manager; Michael Haprov, National
Technical Support Manager and Michael Mueller,
East Coast Sales Manager. Rance and Mueller are
based in the New York Metro Area and Guichard
and Haprov will head the West Coast operation
from company headquarters in Pasadena,
California.
“With the recent
introduction of the CC-1 Engine, our timing
could not be better,” Rance explained.
“FairlightUS is presented with a considerable
opportunity to provide audio professionals with
a digital media production platform that makes
compelling arguments from a technological,
commercial and application perspective! Our goal
for FairlightUS is to get as many systems as
possible in the field so that our customers can
experience for themselves the power of CC-1
coupled with the highly intuitive tactile
interfaces of the DREAM II family!”
Rance, who holds multiple patents in audio
systems design and was an original developer of
the ground breaking Fairlight CMI, leaves
FairlightAU after 25 years at the company’s
Sydney headquarters. Guichard, Mueller and
Haprov all share longtime associations with
Fairlight in the United States market, having
previously served with MediaGear and other
distribution entities.
Commenting on
the announcement, Fairlight CEO, John Lancken
said today, “Fairlight‘s new CC-1 technology
provides a fresh alternative to the industry,
now our distribution partner in the United
States and Canada will provide a similarly fresh
and energetic approach to sales and support. We
are very pleased that Steve and his team have
risen to the challenge and we look forward to
working closely with them to communicate with
our customers and provide them with the tools
and support to be successful.”
Fairlight’s new patent-pending CC-1 audio
production engine, based on Field Programmable
Gate Array (FPGA) silicon technology,
comprehensively obsoletes DSP/Time Slice Bus
architectures and delivers quantum performance
gains by shrinking hardware into a single
purpose-built media processing chip. Crystal
Core technology delivers improved quality,
unparalleled flexibility, scalability, enlarged
system scope, and previously unattainable price
performance gains. About FairlightUS:
FairlightUS is headquartered in Pasadena,
California and is the exclusive distributor for
Fairlight products in the North American market.
Fairlight designs and manufactures media
creation tools including digital audio
recording, editing and mixing systems for
standard and high definition audio post,
broadcast and music production applications.
Fairlight's DREAM II family includes Satellite,
StationPlus, Constellation-XT, HD Factory and
Anthem. The DREAM II series is powered by
Fairlight’s breakthrough CC-1 technology, the
world’s first FPGA based media processing engine
which introduces Dynamic Resolution Optimization
and delivers previously unattainable price
performance gains together with unprecedented
speed, flexibility and exceptional sonic
quality. The platform sets the benchmark in low
latency processing.
Complementing DREAM II is Fairlight's Pyxis
family, which offers a comprehensive choice of
integrated or stand-alone Standard and High
Definition video products whilst Fairlight's
MediaHub workflow tools provide a complete media
management solution for audio and video
networking.
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