Genelec Smart Active Monitoring Powers Six Atmos Rooms At HeGuang Studios
Genelec helps HeGuang Studios create immersive audio environments across new facility.
Constructed by the Beijing-based As One Production, HeGuang Studios is emerging as an influential force in China’s film post-production market. The studios recently decided to elevate the quality of its equipment, aiming to handle more comprehensive post-production processes and achieve a more unified output standard. As part of this upgrade, the dialogue and sound editing suites – typically equipped with stereo or LCR monitors – were upgraded to Genelec immersive monitoring systems.
To ensure high-quality sound reproduction during every step of the process, Genelec Smart Active Monitoring was the go-to choice. Li Xiaopan, Director of HeGuang Studios, explains: “We picked Genelec monitors for this immersive upgrade because they improve our working environment and enable us to confirm both sound and picture quality at the same time, which is crucial for projects on tight deadlines.
“The consistent performance of Genelec systems, praised for their 'stable curve' by many professional audio engineers, influenced our decision after extensive research,” Xiaopan adds. The state-of-the-art configuration at HeGuang Studios now allows films to be completed to the highest industry standards. “We aim to maintain a unified sound playback standard throughout the entire process. Our dialogue and sound editing studios are designed to 'go higher' and match the quality of the pre-mix and final mixing stages,” Xiaopan explains.
Audio post-production is led by Li Duo, Head of the Sound Department. Her role encompasses sound editing and project coordination right through to handling mixing duties when necessary. “For the convenience of post-production mixing and recording articulation, we can now hear the 'full' sound in any production session. It can be said that each of our studios has the infrastructure to carry out any type of film sound post work, which may seem like a luxury, but it actually saves time and increases efficiency.”
The facility features three 7.1.4 rooms – the Premix Studio, the Home Studio and the Dolby Vision Home Certified Studio for colour grading. The Premix Studio features S360s for LCR, 8340sfor surround and height channels and a 7380 subwoofer, while the Home Studio has deployed 8350s for LCR, 8340s in the surround and height positions, complemented by a 7370 subwoofer. Interestingly, the choice of 7.1.4 for the Dolby Vision Home Studio is unusually sophisticated for a colour grading room, and features 8330s for LCR, 8320s for surrounds and overheads and a 7360subwoofer. Finally, the three Edit Studios are equipped with 7.1.2 systems variously featuring 8340 and 8330 monitors, plus 7360 subwoofers. All rooms have been configured and calibrated using GLM software.
Xiaopan was notably impressed by the automated calibration process that GLM’s AutoCal 2 algorithm offers: “Advanced technology like GLM, which cuts out unnecessary hard work, will definitely push the industry forward.” Shaoquan Li, Head of Equipment and Technical Management at HeGuang Studios, also adds, “In the technical field, we look for 'high efficiency' and 'no need to ask for help'. With GLM, we can calibrate the monitors ourselves in less than 15 minutes, without needing a professional technician. Additionally, all the setup data is visible in the software, which is very reassuring.”
You might also like...
Expanding Display Capabilities And The Quest For HDR & WCG
Broadcast image production is intrinsically linked to consumer displays and their capacity to reproduce High Dynamic Range and a Wide Color Gamut.
NDI For Broadcast: Part 2 – The NDI Tool Kit
This second part of our mini-series exploring NDI and its place in broadcast infrastructure moves on to exploring the NDI Tools and what they now offer broadcasters.
HDR & WCG For Broadcast: Part 2 - The Production Challenges Of HDR & WCG
Welcome to Part 2 of ‘HDR & WCG For Broadcast’ - a major 10 article exploration of the science and practical applications of all aspects of High Dynamic Range and Wide Color Gamut for broadcast production. Part 2 discusses expanding display capabilities and…
Great Things Happen When We Learn To Work Together
Why doesn’t everything “just work together”? And how much better would it be if it did? This is an in-depth look at the issues around why production and broadcast systems typically don’t work together and how we can change …
Microphones: Part 1 - Basic Principles
This 11 part series by John Watkinson looks at the scientific theory of microphone design and use, to create a technical reference resource for professional broadcast audio engineers. It begins with the basic principles of what a microphone is and does.