Jun 2, 2009 12:41 PM

“One way Todd-AO maintains a dominant position in Hollywood’s high-end feature film market is by being able to respond decisively to the evolving needs of our clients. Euphonix consoles help us to do that,” says Bill Johnston, SVP Engineering CSS Studios. “Euphonix consoles’ combination of integrated DSP and native workstation control gives us a unique edge.”

Since the installations, projects completed on the new Euphonix consoles at Todd-AO Hollywood include Crank: High Voltage and Gamer.

Mix asked CSS Studios president Robert C. Rosenthal to share his insights into these latest developments.

How have things been going for CSS Studios since it was formed last September? How is business, and how has the autonomy been working?
Less than a full year from its inception, CSS Studios is strong and healthy. Much like the rest of the industry, we are still experiencing some anomalies in the market as a result of the WGA strike and the threatened SAG strike. Creatively, however, we could not have asked for a better start for our new venture, with our teams being recognized with two Academy Awards and a BAFTA for The Bourne Ultimatum. Our association with Discovery has been positive for us and is allowing us to continue to develop our group as a destination of choice for clients, talent and employees.

Regarding the upgrades to Todd-AO Hollywood’s Studio 1, why was this particular Euphonix console chosen? It’s a legendary room and is one of the largest rooms in Hollywood, when the trend these days is toward smaller spaces to save on real estate. This demonstrates a major commitment to it.
Stage 1 at Todd-AO Hollywood is an amazing room with an incredible history. In a sense, it is fitting that someone like Mike Minkler is now moving onto that stage. We have enjoyed a good working relationship with Euphonix and we respect their products. We have a number of System 5 dual-operator consoles installed throughout our facilities in rooms both large and small, creating the capability to seamlessly move and manage projects throughout our infrastructure. CSS Studios has a number of stage configurations appropriate for different types of work. In most cases, however, clients still prefer to work within a theatrical-sized environment and love how their film comes to life in a larger room.

How important is it to have Mike Minkler in your room?
Minkler is a unique talent and remains at the top of his game. While our Todd-AO West facility in Santa Monica has long benefited from having several very strong feature film mixing teams (including Minkler), having Mike move to our Hollywood facility makes a statement about our commitment to providing our clients working in Hollywood with that same level of talent and sophistication.

How has the current economy affected your business, and what sorts of things are you doing to be successful?
The economy affects CSS Studios similarly to any other post-production company. We have to be methodical and smart about the choices we make as a business, while never compromising on providing top quality service by top quality people.

For more information, visit cssstudios.wordpress.com, www.toddao.com and www.euphonix.com.

For more background on CSS Studios, read the September 30, 2008 MixLine story “Former AMG Post Facilities Form CSS Studios.”
 

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