© Photo: BPRS Architecture Photography

Pianella (Malibu, Calif.)
Date Opened: November 2010
Designer: Gary L. Williamson AIA, 
John J. Kurlander
Acoustician: Jay Kaufman of 
Kaufman & Associates
Console: Avid D-Command
Monitors: Meyer Sound Acheron 7.1 
theatrical monitoring
At-a-Glance: This stand-alone, 3,800-square-foot building houses Marco Beltrami’s private scoring stage and separate writing studio. The main stage is designed to handle up to 40 players. As the work is mostly for film scoring, the control room is more consistent with a theatrical dubbing stage. “The facility has been designed to exceed NC15, even during high winds or rain,” says Kaufman. “The main stage with its 28-foot vaulted ceilings and 2.3-second RT60 produces a beautifully warm yet detailed soundfield. The control room has a very even reverberant field and translates perfectly to the dubbing theater. Soul Surfer, Scream 4 and The Thing have all been scored and mixed in the previous four months.”