Windmill Lane Pictures upgrades to immersive media production with Genelec

Windmill Lane Pictures is a renowned creative production hub specialising in Commercials, Film, TV, VFX, and Animation. With a long and colourful history, it has developed into Ireland’s leading picture and sound post-production, VFX and content creation studio – collaborating with many industry giants including Netflix, HBO, Universal and Sony Pictures. With immersive storytelling gaining greater significance in today’s creative landscape and guided by a mission to ‘Make Great Stories,’ Windmill acknowledged the critical role of staying at the forefront of audio technology – and therefore opted for a studio and equipment upgrade. New consoles have been integrated into two state-of-the-art mixing rooms designed to support post-production services, with Studio One now equipped with a Genelec 7.1.4 monitoring system for Dolby Atmos immersive mixing.

At the forefront of Windmill's audio department is Mick Creedon, a seasoned engineer with over 25 years of experience. Creedon’s expertise in recording and mixing has been instrumental to Windmill’s success, and has been showcased in the recent Amazon Prime show ‘Last One Laughing’ and the Sky Documentaries ‘Right Here, Right Now’ (Fatboy Slim’s Big Beach Boutique II).

“We began fielding inquiries about immersive audio capabilities,” Creedon notes. “Previously, when clients inquired about mixing audio in Atmos, we had to reluctantly decline. Now, with this setup, we're fully equipped to meet all the needs of clients and streamers alike.”

These kinds of innovative upgrades pave the way for dynamic storytelling.

Studio One at Windmill Lane Pictures.

Windmill moved to its current building in 2009, engaging the services of White Mark to design and build three Genelec-equipped 5.1 audio post-production studios, with local Genelec distributor Big Bear Sound supplying, installing and commissioning the monitoring systems. Studios One and Two were similar in size, both with VO booths, complemented by the slightly smaller Studio Three. Since then, the facility has expanded to include five post studios, five edit suites, two presentation rooms and a grading room – deploying a grand total of over 55 Genelec monitors.

When Windmill decided to upgrade Studio One from 5.1 to Dolby Atmos, it also took the opportunity to standardise the facilities in all five audio post studios, enabling a seamless transition for engineers moving between rooms. Studio One’s transformation involved significant changes, including a complete re-wire of the AV cable infrastructure, modification to the existing studio furniture and the replacement of the acoustic fabric. These efforts were supported by Big Bear which played an integral role in the installation and commissioning of the rooms. “It wasn’t an easy job transforming our studios, but the results really do speak for themselves,” Creedon confirms.

Studio One’s newly upgraded immersive system comprises the original 1038B three-way monitors in the LCR positions, with an additional two 8050A two-way models supplementing the original pair of 8050As in the side and rear positions. Four new 8030C compact two-way models have been deployed for the overhead channels, with low frequencies handled by the room’s original 7073A subwoofer. This fusion of older and newer Genelec models has resulted in a streamlined workflow, allowing more time for creativity in the mix and expediting file exporting for remote approval.

Genelec's like having a built-in perfectionist, always nudging us to make things sound just right.

Studio One has recently upgraded to a Genelec 7.1.4 immersive monitoring system.

Creedon describes the challenges and intricacies of finessing each element of the studio. “A lot of hard work is needed to blend and mould everything together, and it can take a bit of trial and error – but that’s all part of the job. You’re always striving to get the best possible sound – and the accuracy and detail of Genelec monitoring helps us achieve that.”

“If there are noises, clicks, or background sounds, we can easily clean them up with our plug-ins and tools. Genelec's like having a built-in perfectionist, always nudging us to make things sound just right and when the final product leaves the room, you know it’s going to sound spot on."

Looking ahead, Windmill Lane is poised to meet the evolving demands of the streaming industry, dominated by series and dramas. Windmill Lane remains dedicated to serving clients across multiple genres, and thanks to Genelec’s involvement, it is more than prepared to set new standards in immersive mixing. Creedon concludes: “These kinds of innovative upgrades pave the way for dynamic storytelling and we’re thrilled to be a part of where it will go next."

Exterior of Windmill Lane Pictures.