Fifty Fifty adds two Atmos suites

Fifty Fifty has installed two new Atmos suites as part of its Livonia St facilty.

The two suites were designed and built in conjunction with HHB’s post-production division Scrub, and are equipped with monitors from PMC’s Ci range. While one room is specialised for audio, the second room can also be used for online or grading.

The facility is being used for are being used with high-end scripted programming, feature documentary and factual documentary productions, and has already been used for Dreamland, a scripted comedy made by Merman for Sky Atlantic, and Capturing The Killer Nurse, a Sandpaper Films documentary for Netflix that accompanies the true story feature film The Good Nurse, which tells the story of nurse and serial killer Charles Cullen. 

Fifty Fifty has also been mixing live performances in Dolby Atmos, and recently completed a mix for a live comedy show where the format played a part in bringing the viewer into the event.

Fifty Fifty head of audio Gavin Allingham said: “The HHB team understood that there is an important balance between creating a good working space for the mixer and also a high-end viewing experience for clients. Additionally, the decision making around the new rooms was thoughtful and forward thinking. This included implementing a Dante based infrastructure that offers more flexibility as well as making it futureproof.”

Alex Meade, operational managing director, commented: “The second room, while primarily a mixing suite, has all the equipment necessary to comfortably act as a grade or online. It was purposely built on the ground floor to make it fully accessible using specialist access consultants to help in the design of the space to create a multi-use suite.”

Allingham added: “There were so many opportunities for creative sound to be used in both projects (Merman and Capturing The Killer Nurse). Dreamland was shot in location in Margate and there were so many scenes at the seafront that lent themselves so well to creating immersive backgrounds. Similarly, Capturing The Killer Nurse is set in and around a hospital environment, so we used things like ultrasound recordings, stethoscopes, and anaesthetic machines to give usa grainy, eerie, medical feel. I think that is where working in Atmos really comes into its own, often it is the subtleties that land the most impact, particularly when using object-based sound to plot effects or dialogue in the spaces between the speakers.”

Finally, he said of the live shows: “The additional height channels make such a difference to live performance and the results are truly immersive. Being able to pepper the mix with objects also helps create a real sense of the space. We have done full post on two comedy specials for Netflix in Dolby Atmos, Jack Whitehall I’m Only Joking and Mo Gilligan’s There’s Mo To Life, which has some fun audience participation that is so effective in Atmos. Even little whoops and whistles from around the arena sound so good you really feel like you are there.”