Bigmouth Audio is an award winning production and dubbing company, specialising in casting and producing voice performances for the global animation and video games markets. Netflix, the BBC and Disney are just some of the global names who rely on Bigmouth for casting, voice production, dubbing and creative post services. When the team decided to turn to Dolby Atmos to futureproof a renovation of their Glasgow studio, they also turned to Mediaspec to make it happen. Managing Director and Executive Producer Stephen Scott tells the story.
Mediaspec: When did you first hear about Dolby Atmos and what interested you about it?
Stephen: To be honest I'm not sure when exactly we first heard about Dolby Atmos, but it was probably through watching an interview carried out by Soundworks Collection where they would speak to a Sound Editor on a particular film. I can remember the Bigmouth team taking a trip to the cinema to experience ‘The Revenant’ in Dolby Atmos, and I suppose that was the moment that we really started to think seriously about it the benefits it could bring to our business and out clients.
Mediaspec: At what point did thinking about it turn to making it happen?
Stephen: We definitely thought about it for a while, but it just so happened we were also planning to renovate our Glasgow facilities by building new, state of the art sound and dubbing studios. We decided that installing Dolby Atmos was essential to futureproof our business. We're also a Netflix NP3 studio, one of only four in the UK, which means that we partner with Netflix to help ensure their content always maintains exceptional standards in crucial technical areas. We noticed that more and more Netflix content is streaming in Dolby Atmos – therefore, we wanted to be prepared and adapt with our clients, so that we could continue to offer them the best possible service.
Mediaspec: Once you knew it made good business sense, was it an easy decision to make?
Stephen: In some respects, it was. Everything we do at Bigmouth Audio is driven by a dedication to excellent customer service and a passion for telling stories. Whenever we need to make a big decision for the business, we revert back to these values to help guide us. When our clients start needing Atmos audio as standard, then we'll be there, ready to go!
Mediaspec: How has your work changed since having it introduced to your studio?
Stephen: It's still early days for us in terms of fully integrating Atmos into our workflow. We're experimenting with it right now on a scripted podcast drama for kids called 'Once Upon a Time in Zombieville' for the BBC. It has also changed the way we plan ahead for our business. For example, we're now looking to take on more creative audio projects as well as our voice production and dubbing work. We know that Dolby Atmos gives us additional scope to meet our clients’ creative challenges.
Mediaspec: So, Dolby Atmos is helping to shape the ambitions of your business?
Stephen: Going forward we intend on expanding our services out into more creative audio work, to complement our existing voice production services. Our goal is to become the ultimate outsourcing partner for the animation industries and installing Dolby Atmos has definitely taken us one step closer to that goal. We can now offer our clients a full suite of audio services, from casting their voices to delivering a Dolby Atmos ready mix.
Mediaspec: You've had a long association with Mediapec to provide technical support and advice. How did it first start?
Stephen: Interestingly, Mediaspec provided me with my first Pro Tools system when I was at university studying audio production. It was 2003 and Pro Tools wasn't as easy to get your hands on at the time! I was advised by my lecturer to speak to Eric at Mediaspec, who set me up with the original Mbox. Thinking back, it's amazing that he actually took the time to set a student up with a small Pro Tools rig like an Mbox, considering the scale of projects they work on! I think that sums it up really – we continue to work with Mediaspec because their customer service is just brilliant. They're always at the end of a phone and no problem is too small!
Stephen Ferguson
Marketing Manager
