Universal Shutting Down Audio Post Dept.

Alcove Audio

Alcove Audio

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118061551

U phasing out feature post-production sound dept.
Up to 20 jobs will be affected
By DAVID S. COHEN

Universal seems to be looking to get out of the feature post sound business, at least for now.
Wednesday Universal notified employees in its feature sound mixing department that their jobs will be phased out. Studio will stop accepting new feature sound projects and release employees as the projects they are on wrap. Up to 20 jobs will be phased out.

U said its remaining post services are unaffected, including: TV sound; projection; digital intermediate; ADR; Foley; archival; restoration; feature trailers; mastering; laybacks; picture editorial; Avid rentals and support; remote review, quality control and digital infrastructure.

It is nearly impossible to sustain a feature sound post business without mixing, however, so the move appears to be a signal U means to exit the feature sound business, at least for now.

A U spokesman issued the following statement. "We are always examining our business and responding to the marketplace. As with any business we look to align costs to strategically position ourselves for the future."

The studio's future plans for sound and feature post remain vague, though. U has not ruled out bringing mixers back as contract employees or finding some other arrangement to keep feature sound mixing in-house.

The majors are also known for flip-flopping on having their own post facilities, sometimes preferring to keep post spending in-house, other times preferring to outsource post and cut their overhead.

Contact David S. Cohen at david.cohen@variety.com
 
I walk past their building often. Last week I noticed the studio was
in the process of removing all the parking spaces. I thought it was
a temp move to accommodate truck for "The Voice" which shoots in a
stage nearby.

Clearly not.
 
So as the studio giant closes it in-house business , do you think it's a beginning of what will be happening in next 10 years or so? Big studios shutting down their departments? when something major shuts down, like an entire audio department, can we expect a higher demand of different post work from outside companies?

In other words, is it a good idea to start a company, that specializes in audio post (in this case)? ;)
 
During the 1960’s/70’s the studios closed their special effects departments.
Independent producers filled that gap. During the 1980’s studios sold off
their backlots. Independent producers filled some of that gap by building
standing sets. Very few studios have prop warehouses anymore - that slack
was picked up by individuals. The majors have been reducing and shuttering
their audio departments for the last 20 years - Universal being one of the
few that had it in house. That gap has been filled by independent producers.

Interesting note; one independent producer who filled both the special effects
and post audio gap left by the studios just sold his entire company to Disney.
 
directorik said:
Interesting note; one independent producer who filled both the special effects
and post audio gap left by the studios just sold his entire company to Disney.
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And in a few years Disney will shut it all down...........


In other words, is it a good idea to start a company, that specializes in audio post (in this case)?
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Nope, not unless you are willing to invest millions, and even then it's chancy.
 
dlevanchuk said:
...can we expect a higher demand of different post work from outside companies? In other words, is it a good idea to start a company, that specializes in audio post (in this case)? ;)
Click to expand...

Yes and no but mainly no! Although some of the bigger audio post companies/facilities have closed down, demand has also reduced. Except for the occasional blockbuster, not only is the amount of work reduced but budgets are substantially smaller and deadlines shorter. The result is that almost all the commercial audio post houses are currently engaged in a war of attrition, to get enough audio post work at a high enough price to stay afloat. Add to this scenario the cracks starting to appear in the virtual monopoly Dolby (and therefore Dolby approved audio post facilities) have enjoyed for several decades and the future is not clear or particularly encouraging. Just a few weeks ago Sound One, arguably the most major audio post house in NY, was closed down and I can't see Disney maintaining two audio post facilities, their own and Skywalker Sound which as mentioned, has just been bought from Lucas. So I expect another major closure in the not too distant future.

Many established audio post houses are viewing the current drop in income as a temporary blip which will improve as the world's economy recovers. Many are operating in the red or very close to it, doing whatever they can to survive this "blip", waiting for the good times to return. I believe they are wrong, I believe lower audio post budgets are not just a blip but represent the new reality of the audio post industry. I believe that without a new business model which enables profitable operation within this new budgetary reality, your chances of survival are minimal. IMO, to invest heavily in audio post when it's going through such a volatile rationalisation process is a huge risk but rationalisations do potentially offer opportunity. In other words, to open an audio post facility now, you've either got to be a fool or a foresighted genius. Over the last two years, I've essentially gambled my entire life's savings on being the latter!!!

G
 
AudioPostExpert said:
I can't see Disney maintaining two audio post facilities, their own and Skywalker Sound which as mentioned, has just been bought from Lucas. So I expect another major closure in the not too distant future.
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:cry: No don't say it!

I personally hope they combine the two into one super-mega awesome post facility ;) I'd just hate to see the closure of Skywalker Sound
 
There is a rumor that Disney will spin off Skywalker Sound and it will become an independent facility loosely affiliated with Disney. Randy Thom is one of the best in the business and I would hate to see him tossed out into the snow.

The other rumor is that they will keep Skywalker and close the Disney facility.
 
jax_rox said:
I personally hope they combine the two into one super-mega awesome post facility ;) I'd just hate to see the closure of Skywalker Sound
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At this point in time my money would be on keeping Skywalker Sound and closing their own facilities. At the end of the day it's suits with no particular love of audio post who will make the decisions, so who knows? You're not considering the worst case scenario though, Disney essentially following the Universal route and closing both their own facilities and Skywalker Sound or rather keeping just one of them but greatly rationalised/trimmed down! Given the way the market is going, this worst case scenario is far more likely IMO than creating a supa-maga facility.

Alcove, someone like Randy Thom will never be out in the snow or at least not for very long. With his experience, skills and pedigree he might not be quite so prolific or earn quite so much money but he'll still make a very good living.

G
 
AudioPostExpert said:
Alcove, someone like Randy Thom will never be out in the snow or at least not for very long. With his experience, skills and pedigree he might not be quite so prolific or earn quite so much money but he'll still make a very good living.
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I know that, but he's definitely built something special as far as mission and "attitude" at Skywalker. He did the impossible; he made a great facility stellar.

In a very perverse way I would almost hope that they do shut down Skywalker; Randy was a frequent poster on several sound-for-picture forums, and since he got into "management" he hasn't participated in years. I, and many others, I'm sure, have missed his insights, encouragement (he was a big help to me personally when I started out) and his humor. A true gentleman, a genuinely nice guy and an artist extraordinaire.
 
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