We have designed and constructed various post production studios including TV programs, CM production, movies, animation, games, events and so on. We offer an integrated design services for post production works not only a MA studio which specializes in acoustic sound but also a video editing room, a screening room, a machine room, a lobby and lounge. We also offer a total planning service including a functional layout to improve working efficiency, a design to pursuit comfort in a living space, and an air conditioning system and an electric installation plan to reduce running cost. We can realize the creation of the comfortable post production environment with high performance by considering our clients' concept and an operative form from a broader spectrum of points of view.
Post-production takes a role of a facon process after recording in the actual fields in all media involve pictures.
Take for example a TV CM production, a flowchart indicates a procedure after the shooting is shown in the left figure. Since post-production uses various systems, a specialized studio is needed for each purpose. For example, a linear/non-linear editing room, an online/offline editing room, a telecine/color corrector room, a CG/VFX production room, a VTR room for the film editing process, a MA studio, a sound effects editing room for the voice editing process, a foley studio, a dubbing studio, a screening room and a photo studio are needed for the post-production works.
Recently, since the spread of new media formats such as DVD-Video and digital broadcasting and the transition to High-definition and multi-channel, the requirements for a studio have been changing as well as implementing or updating new systems.
In the process of a video production, a dubbing studio which takes sound editing for the completed picture is called 'MA' (an acronym for Multi Audio) in Japan, because it handles multiple audio materials. A MA studio is used for creating sound and sound effects, arrangement for the synchronized recording sound, recording a voice narration and mixing. In general, a commentary booth is often set up as an annex to a control room.
Basically, the room acoustic design is not much different from a recording studio, but the most important point is that designing a MA studio requires a monitoring environment to satisfy the consistency of video and sound. Therefore, we need to consider that the relationship between a display, such as a video monitor TV and a projector screen, and monitor speakers correspond to the media to be dealt with. For instance, since the end user's listening environment is different between a TV program and a movie program, the monitoring environment has to suit each purpose. Recently there are an increasing number of MA studios which focus on the sound monitor environment along with the spread of the sound contents such as a 5.1ch sound system. Here are some examples of MA studios that have realized to fill customer's concept.
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The process of video editing can be classified into two major categories. One is 'linear editing' which edits in the stream of video. Another one is a 'non-linear editing' which cuts parts and edits them. They are also referred to as online or offline editing.
In a linear editing room, since a VTR has to work in conjunction with a switcher system and so on, clients sometimes require a large integration console with a systematic implementation for these equipments. We propose an interior design with excellent usability using a console lines all over the wall with a slide mechanism which provides both space saving and maintenance improvements behind the console.
In a non-linear editing room, compared to a linear editing which highly depends on hardware, most of editing system is composed of software. Then, a non-linear editing studio doesn't require so much space for equipments. On the other hand, people engage in are forced to work solely in compact space. Therefore, in planning and designing a studio, it is required to have both an effective layout and a comfortable environment for working long period of time.
Recently, either a linear or a non-linear editing room requires handling capability for both High-definition television image and multi-channel audio reproduction. In addition that, we offer a video editing room which enables to edit and preview 5.1ch surround sound contents.
On a film production site, there is variety purposes of studios such as after-recording, foley, dubbing and screening compared to other post-production work. In case of an after-recording studio which is used to dub foreign movies or do after-recording of animation in contrast to recording a narration, a relatively large space for several displays and for people who work together in the studio are necessary.
A foley studio is used to record a various types of sound effect for a movie. There are varieties of tools and equipments that output sound for every situation, such as gravel, sand, stairs and doors. Besides, since it needs a water place, we have to build plumbing installation, which requires consideration for waterproof.
A dubbing stage is used to do the final mix of dialogue, music and effect and then we have to consider the compatibility with the playback environment in a movie theater and the playback environment to reproduce elaborate sound field expression.
Lastly, a screening room requires both a superlative quality acoustic filed to check the final production finish equivalent to a dubbing stage, and luxury and comfortable space for the client.
We have some achievements of THX certification in both a dubbing stage and a screening room.
Direct surround and defuse surround
In the contents production such as a digital broadcasting program, in general, the direct surround methods which represent the ITU-R BS775-1 standard are adopted, considering the compatibility with a home environment. The Japanese HDTV adheres to the ITU-R standard rules.
On the other hand, the defuse surround method is the mainstream in a movie film production. It is necessary for reproduction of ambience and the sound-image movement caused by surround-pan such as flyover for the purpose of showing in a movie theater and DVD for a cinema theater.
Settings for video monitor and monitor speaker
In a surround monitor environment, even though it is ideal for all channel speakers to be set under the same condition, it is necessary to consider the position of the center channel speaker and the video monitor because postproduction work always uses a sound editor and a video monitor.
If a LCD TV display is chosen as a monitor, the position of a center speaker is automatically set either on the display or under the display. If a center speaker is set under the display, since it can adjust the same height with the LCR channels, it is easy to adjust the transmission characteristics for each channel, but a degree of looking up angle to the display becomes bigger. On the other hand, if a center speaker is set above the display, the visibility is better, but it is difficult to adjust the transmission characteristics.
If a projector with a sound percolation type screen is selected, it is easy to coordinate the same level of each speaker. However it brings a peculiar characteristic in high range frequency, though the screen is a sound percolation type, a detailed examination of the distance between the screen and speaker is necessary.
We are continuously trying to create the best monitoring environment in accordance to the diverse needs of our clients, taking advantage of our experienced know-how and simulation techniques to satisfy both visibility and transmission characteristics.
