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Flavorlab Featured In Post Magazine

Cover of Post Magazine February 2014 featuring a write up on Flavorlab's head of audio post, Brian Quill.
Post Magazine recently featured Flavorlab their February 2014 edition. Read the transcribed article below:

Brian Quill is senior audio engineer and partner at Flavorlab in New York City. Flavorlab started out in 2004 as G&E Mix, the audio post division of music composing company, G&E Music, started by Glenn Schloss and Erik Blicker. After a few years, Quill and his two business partners chose a catchier name, Flavorlab.

Quill has been in audio post for 14 years. In addition to managing the day-to-day operations at Flavorlab, he’s been busy working on several popular series for MTV and MTV 2, such as Girl Code, Guy Code, and Wild ‘N Out.

He says, “We do a lot of feature films and ads, but I would say that series work and promos are our bread-and-butter.”

Flavorlab has three audio post suites, all set up for 5.1 surround. They offer original music and sound design, surround mixing, voicer, ISDN, casting, language translation services, audio restoration, and more. Their client list includes History Channel, Lexus, MTV, HBO films, and Syfy. 

Absolutely everything that comes into Quill’s studio is monitored through a Genelec DSP system with five 8240A monitors. All the speakers are networked to his computer via Ethernet. One feature Quill finds very useful is AutoCal. AutoCal is Genelec’s automated acoustical calibration tool. According to the Genelec site, it correctly sets levels, distance compensating delays, phase (for subwoofers) and room response equilization. Quill placed the included Genelec measurement microphone at various positions in his studio, and using the GLM software (Genelec Loudspeaker Manager), AutoCal, adjusted the EQ of each speaker for optimum playback in his studio space. 

The GLM software allows Quill to click on each individual speaker in the network and tweak the EQ settings. Quill mixes everything on the 8240As, from radio ads, to Internet Webisodes, to 5.1 feature films that will play in theaters across the country.

“I’m amazed at how well the material translates from this mid-sized studio to all of those platforms. I’m convinced it’s because of these monitors and the calibration software,” he says.

You don’t have to use the GLM software for the monitors to sound great. The Genelec 8200 series DSP monitoring system can also be used in standalone mode. It has room response controls and sensitivity adjustments typical of the Genelec 8000/7000 series. There is also the option to use the GLM software to calibrate the speakers using AutoCal, and then save the parameters to each individual speaker. Once the information is safely stored, you can remove the GLM control network. That way, changes to the acoustical parameters can’t be made.

The Genelec 8240A is a bi-amplified monitor; with one 90-watt amp for the bass, and one for the tweeter. It has a frequency response of 48Hz to 20kHz (+/-1 dB) with the crossover frequency at 3kHz. Each speaker weights 20.8 lbs, and stands 13.78 inches high by 9.33 inches wide by 8.78 inches deep. The 8240A retails for $2,095/each. For information on the 8240A, go to the Genelec Website.

Quill recently mixed Girl Code for MTV. Girl Code is a comedic series that features comedians, actresses, and musicians weighing in on topics relevant to teenage girls. From a mix standpoint, Quill notes that it’s pretty straightforward.

“We mix Girl Code in stereo for broadcast,” he notes. “The show uses talking heads in front of a greenscreen, with some sketches and things like that.”

He also mixed the documentary Generation Iron, which is the follow up to Pumping Iron, the 70’s documentary that introduced Arnold Schwarzeneggar to the world. Generation Iron follows several of today’s top bodybuilders as they prepare for the Mr. Olympia competition. He mixed the documentary in 5.1 for theatrical release.

Quill mixed both Girl Code and Generation Iron his studio at Flavorlab using the Genelec 8240A DSP monitoring system. “I find it totally fascinating that they both sound great,” says Quill. “A lot of people in the audio post community slay people like me for mixing movies in mid-sized rooms. They say you can always tell when a movie is mixed in a small room. Whether or not that’s true, I saw Generation Iron play at the Union Square Regal theater, and it sounded really good. I’m convinced it’s the speakers.” 

You can check out the magazine here.

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