MIX A
retractable front projection screen , full 5.1 monitoring , and can host a dual-mixer set up with Pro Tools 11 and the studio ’ s new pair of Avid S3 control surfaces .
Mix B boasts a smaller footprint otprint but is similar to its bigger sibling in terms of layout and equipment . It ’ s also equipped for 5.1 mixing with a single-mixer Pro Tools 11 tem that can be driven by either the S3s or sys-
the more compact Digidesign Command 8 . The third mix space , Mix C , is a humble
Pro Tools editing and design suite . Propeller also houses a pair of ing spaces in Record 1 and Record 2 . The record-
former is the main recording space for voiceovers , ADR , and foley , with patching to either Mix A or B . The latter is a smaller voiceover booth that doubles as an editing suite or office space and can also route sound to the two larger mix rooms .
Rounding out the facility are the shared kitchen and the machine room that houses the CPUs for the two main mixing spaces as well as the studio ’ s storage server , sound effects server , and ISDN equipment . It ’ s also the hub for patching audio and video throughout the facility as needed .
Additionally , Laratta has maintained his home studio , making Propeller Studios something of a hybrid operation with a flexible and adaptable workflow .
At the time of the merger , the two businesses were using many of the same platforms and technologies , so the process of combining inventory and eliminating redundancy was another that felt easier than it should have . “ We kind of just threw everything into a pile and kept the most useful items ,” Laratta says figuratively .
Butler elaborates : “ Because of the nature of us both being smaller studios
in a smaller market , we were never really burdened with old technologies or old techniques . We ’ ve always been able to evolve and respond to changes in the industry really well , and that hasn ’ t changed with Propeller .”
The second phase of the studio ’ s revitalization came in 2015 , and this time pertained to the technical infrastructure . Propeller adopted the new Avid S3 mixing and control surfaces while also upgrading the computer systems throughout the facility and doing another round of aesthetic touch ups .
“ We were looking to upgrade our isting Pro Tools control surface and wanted
a robust but very practical and cost- exeffective solution ,” Laratta begins about the adoption of the S3s . “ We had been using the [ Digidesign ] C24 , which in my opinion was one of the best bang-for-thebuck solutions Avid has created . We really maximized the use of that console , and in fact weren ’ t really convinced we needed to make a change , but we wanted to move toward a two-mixer system for our larger film mixes and thought it was time to take advantage of features like the newer Eucon capabilities .”
Laratta notes that the larger Avid ICON and newer S6 controller are widely-used platforms throughout the industry , but he and his colleagues felt they could get everything they needed out of the S3 with the accompanying Pro Tools Control app and dedicated Pro Tools Dock .“ The combination of those items kind of gives us an S6 ‘ light ,’ in my mind , and at a very reasonable cost .”
He admits there was something of a learning curve when the consoles first arrived , though over time , they ’ ve grown comfortable with their interface and functions and even discovered new methods that have greatly enhanced productivity . “ And I also like that it has a very small footprint ,” he adds . “ We can move it around into another room quite easily if we want to , and you ’ re up and running with just a couple of quick connections .”
While Propeller Studios has successfully maintained – and in many cases augmented – the services for which Sync Spot and Twisted Pair were best-known , together , they ’ ve benefitted from a boost in areas
“ On top of doing what we do as best as we possibly can , one of our goals is to take a leadership role in building the post-production industry here .”
like ADR recording and described video and are also pushing into new territory , such as audio for augmented and virtual realities ( AVAR ) and in-house foley recording .
“ Foley is something we ’ ve taken on in a much bigger way ,” Laratta shares . “ It was something we would farm out in the past because you need a lot of storage space for props , and it tends to be a messy affair that needs lots of time to set up and take down . But we made the commitment to record our own foley for the dramatic films and TV shows we ’ ve taken on and our team of Matt Coffey and Tyler Rambie has really stepped up – no pun intended . We might have a voiceover or ADR session come up right in the middle of a large foley session and need to quickly clean up and get the room in shape , so not only have [ Matt and Tyler ] excelled at creating great foley for our projects , but they ’ ve always managed to transition the studio back and forth into regular operation quickly and keep our space totally clean !”
28 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND