Announcements

Special Edition: Maryland Film Festivals!

Last month, we had a film filled weekend at the Annapolis Film Festival, and this month we head to Baltimore for the Maryland Film Festival!

Check out some must see films from both festivals here.

DR. TEMPLOVE or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Temp

In 2016, I wrote about Temp Love – The condition of becoming attached to temporary sound items placed during the picture editorial process in a film, before the film actually arrives in Audio Post.

Since then, I’ve learned a few things.

Read More >

Studio Unknown’s e-Newsletter for January

This month, we have shared a most necessary article about do-it-yourself digital distribution to help filmmakers navigate the process. We also have so many screenings, premieres, and announcements for our clients’ films to share with you!

Check this out and more in our January newsletter here.

Studio Unknown’s e-Newsletter for November

This month you can watch trailers for our clients’ films that are screening at film festivals all around the world.

Don’t forget to also read this important article on huge lessons for first-time filmmakers!

Check this out along with what we have been up to this fall in our e-Newsletter for November here.

Studio Unknown’s e-Newsletter for October

The fall film festival season is well under way. We cannot wait to attend the Cucalorus Film Festival in Wilmington, North Carolina this year! So many films we have worked on are currently heading to festivals.

Check out new film premiers and other great news in our October newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-October2016.

Temp Love, Tempitis, or Scratch Track Fever…

Temp Love, Tempitis, Scratch Track Fever…there are many names for it, but in filmmaking it’s a singular, fascinating and potentially debilitating condition that effects 8 out of 10 filmmakers.

Joking aside, Temp Love occurs when Temporary sound effects or music are used in the picture edit phase of a film by the Director or Editor.

 

Read More >

Studio Unknown’s e-Newsletter for August

Our Maryland team is proud this month! Not only because of the awesome film coming out of this area, but because of the HUGE number of medals our Olympians brought home! Check out some fantastic films making premiers, and other cool news in our August newsletter: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-August2016.

Studio Unknown’s E-Newsletter for July

Did you know that Brewmore won an Emmy? Get some insight on critiquing micro-budgets! Check out our e-Newsletter for July: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-July2016.

Critiquing Micro-Budgets

From Christopher Llewellyn Reed

I have been a professional film critic since 2012, when I began reviewing films for Baltimore’s local NPR affiliate. When the host of the “Midday Show,” Dan Rodricks, left the station in 2015 to devote his energies full-time to his work at The Baltimore Sun, I joined him there on his frequent podcast for the paper’s website. Read More >

Studio Unknown’s E-Newsletter for May

In this month’s e-Newsletter, we share an awesome article about the sounds of Uncharted 4! Plus, check out trailers for our clients’ upcoming festival films! And, get your FREE tickets to our Artomatic 2016 Post Sound Workshop with Eduardo Sanchez! Check out our e-Newsletter for March: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-May2016.

Special Edition Newsletter: MDFF 2016

There’s No Place Like Home… Especially when you don’t have to go far to support a festival! This year, we’re thrilled to announce that we provided post sound on FOUR  films screening at the Maryland Film Festival 2016! Check out our Special Edition E-Newsletter, highlighting the Festival!: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-MDFF2016.

Studio Unknown’s E-Newsletter for April

In this month’s e-Newsletter, we talk about heading to Tribeca, Nashville and Maryland Film Festivals! Plus! The very first (Hawaii) edition of StUnCast.. our new podcast series! Want to know which festivals are worth the entry fee? Check out our e-Newsletter for March: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-Apr2016.

StUnCast 101: Hawaii I/O

Working in a creative field is both a blessing, and a curse. While your time spent working can be both incredibly satisfying and grueling, your time spent trying to relax is often peppered with the ever present sense of needing to create or continue working on your craft. That looming presence can be annoying and tiring the harder you try to fight it, but in accepting that it exists, you can use it to your advantage and satisfy both halves – What’s better than coming back from vacation feeling both refreshed AND productive?

This week, we decided to start a new series of podcasts from Studio Unknown, that we’re affectionately calling StUnCasts. Read More >

Studio Unknown’s E-Newsletter for March

In this month’s e-Newsletter, we talk about the screening, premieres and festivals our clients are headed to! Have you heard the Zach & Zack podcast? Interested in what it’s like to be on set with Terence Malick? Check out our e-Newsletter for March: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-Mar2016.

Studio Unknown’s E-Newsletter for February

In this month’s e-Newsletter, we talk about Matt’s awesome nomination for the MPSE awards! You can check out nomination info, and the film, Brewmore Baltimore that we worked on to get the nomination! Check out our e-Newsletter for February: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-Feb2016.

Matt Davies Nominated for a Golden Reel Award!

Partner and Supervising Sound Effects Editor, Matt Davies, has been nominated for an MPSE Golden Reel Award for his work on Brewmore Baltimore! “This year’s Golden Reel nominees have produced an outstanding body of work encompassing motion pictures, television, documentaries, gaming and other mediums,” said MPSE president Frank Morrone. “Our members continue to impress with their ability to develop new techniques and find creative ways to employ sound as a means of enriching storytelling. We congratulate all of this year’s nominees for their achievements.”

Read More >

Studio Unknowns e-Newsletter for January

In this month’s e-Newsletter, you’ll get to see one of the best promotional commercials ever! You can check out the sounds of the film, THE REVENANT… from the creators of those sounds. Plus, Jaime explains why Post Sound isn’t like Keurig or Netflix! Curious? Check out our e-Newsletter for December: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-Jan2016.

StUn Blog: Turn Around Time For Post Sound

This month’s StUn blog comes from Jaime Horrigan, Managing Partner and all-around good guy here at Studio Unknown

It’s the age of Netflix and Keurig, we want things to happen at the touch of a button, and have been conditioned to expect just that.

It’s very common for time to get crunched towards the end of any creative process. The key is to not let that negatively impact the film, and the best way to accomplish that, is with a basic understanding of each step in your process.

Read More >

Studio Unknown’s eNewsletter for December

In this month’s e-Newsletter, you’ll get to see how pumped we are for Start Wars. Jaime wraps up StUn’s amazing trip to the Cucalorus Film Festival and Matt goes inside the sound design of recently released ALTERED MINDS. Check out our e-Newsletter for December: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-December2015.

Happy Holidays From Studio Unknown (Star Wars Edition!)

http://www.studiounknown.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/SWXMAS_FINAL.mp4

StUn Wrap-Up: CUCALORUS 2015!

From the desk of Managing Partner, Jaime Horrigan:

For the third year in a row, Studio Unknown took the trip to Wilmington, NC for what we’ve quickly learned is a favorite fest among filmmakers from literally all over the world. And this year, we had the distinct pleasure of getting to celebrate the festival’s 21st birthday!

Read More >

StUn Blog: INSIDE ALTERED MINDS

As promised, this month’s blog comes from Matt Davies, Partner and Supervising Sound Effects Editor here at Studio Unknown

In our November newsletter we highlighted the release of Rowish Production’s ALTERED MINDS, and as mentioned, this month our blog highlights what went into the sound this incredibly dark film.

Altered Minds is a psychological thriller exploring dark secrets of the adopted family of a retired government psychiatrist. Like most family gatherings, a bit of drama is prerequisite and expected – but throw in Tommy, their estranged horror novelist son looking for answers from repressed memories, and things descend into darkness pretty quickly.

As a Sound Designer the film contains a treasure trove of themes and opportunities to use sound as a strong storytelling device.

Read More >

Studio Unknown’s eNewsletter for November

In this month’s e-Newsletter, we highlight the release of the psychological thriller, Altered Minds. Two more films we’re proud to have worked on were also released this month, A Year and Change and This Isn’t Funny! Plus- Matt blogs on sound designing your life with this amazing video on Foley. Check out our e-Newsletter for November: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-November2015.

Video of Interest: Sound Designing Your Life

Last month, creative web video channel NOWNESS released an incredible short film titled “The Foley Artist” which not only has become somewhat of a viral success, but won both Best Original Score and Best Production Design at the 2015 Berlin Fashion Film Festival.

Simply stated, the short is about a Foley Artist providing sounds for a fashion film. But it’s much more than that. Expertly crafted, The Foley Artist takes a deep, emotional and also downright hilarious look at the lengths people go to reach perfection for their craft.

Read More >

Rows is now available on iTunes!

In 2013, we had the privilege of working on Rows, written, directed and produced by David W. Warfield and A. Keith Weiner. Finally, this incredible psychological thriller is available for all to see on iTunes. This film has been released just in time to get viewers in the Halloween spirit.

Read More >

StUn Blog: ROWS

In 2013 we had the pleasure of working on a great, Maryland-made indie thriller titled ROWS. We’re happy to announce that, as of September 29th, ROWS is officially released…just in time for Halloween! Directed by David Warfield, ROWS is a Brother’s Grimm style modern fairy tale about a young woman who has the unfortunate job of evicting a strange old woman from her home….but people, places and things aren’t always what they seem.

As with most psychological films, Sound Design is an incredibly important tool that can be used to support the mood of the film, and in a lot of ways acts like score emotionally. Like Score, ROWS’ Sound Design brought in thematic elements based on lengthy conversation with David and time spent analyzing both the overall arc of the film and pivotal scenes.

Read More >

Article of Interest: Scared to Death

This month’s Article of Interest comes from Robin Cowie, Producer of The Blair Witch Project.

Yesterday, I sat down with a team of game designer students working at the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy (FIEA) on an Oculus Rift horror game.  They had completed the first level of their game and wanted someone from the outside to come in and help brainstorm scares.  It lead me to two links:

Read More >

Spotlight on Brewmore

During this age of technology it is important that we look back at the past and passion that drove the industrial revolution into modernizing the United States. Brewmore analyzes and tells the story of the past, present, and sheds light on the future of the local economy in Baltimore through beer. Focusing on the local beer brewing industry that saw its rise and fall and now renewed renaissance not just in production but transformations of landmarks in Baltimore. Studio Unknown had the pleasure of providing full audio post production for Brewmore.

Along with US film festivals Brewmore screened at breweries and theaters through grassroots organizing and marketing.  Most recently a television version was broadcasted on MPT- PBS stations in the mid-atlantic.

Read More >

Spotlight on Docs In Progress Event

Last month, Studio Unknown teamed up with Docs In ProgressWomen in Film and Video along with the filmmakers of the Baltimore-based feature documentary, BREWMORE for an evening of show-and-tell and in-depth discussion about the potential of post sound in documentary films.

BREWMORE co-filmmaker Matt Riggieri, along with Studio Unknown’s Kevin Hill and Matt Davies, presented some of the audio challenges the film faced going into post-production, the solutions developed, as well as the opportunities explored. Highlighting a few key scenes, the film making and sound team dissected some of its work to show how the sound supported the film both practically and creatively. The gathering also included sharing a number of “Do’s & Don’ts” leading to audio post, along with some DIY options for filmmakers.

Read More >

Spotlighting Chris Cotter’s Refugee

Chris Cotter is a Philadelphia based musician, producer, and film maker.

Chris and his team at Tailor Made Media recently completed and held the world premiere of their film, Refugee – The Eritrean Exodus. In this film Chris explores a common migration path through Ethiopia and into Israel, tracking the plight of Eritrean refugees. Chris and his crew visit several refugee camps, including the never-before-documented Afar region. The refugees tell stories of oppression, torture, and survival. Searching for solutions, Chris speaks to various NGOs and experts, including Assistant Secretary of State, Anne Richard. This documentary is sure to entertain while you learn about this under-reported human crisis.

Read More >

Spotlighting The Berrics PUSH Documentary Series

In The Berrics PUSH documentary series, each skater is a story teller who draws you into their life and entices viewers with each episode. Check out the trailer to the PUSH series that is featured in our August e-Newsletter.

The Trailer: Read More >

Studio Unknown’s eNewsletter for August

In this month’s e-Newsletter, we highlight The Berrics PUSH  documentary series.The PUSH series tells the stories of eight skateboarders… but this series is about far more than skateboarding. Studio Unknown has had the pleasure of working with PUSH producer and longtime collaborator, Lije Sarki, who is featured in our e-Newsletter. Check out our e-Newsletter for August: http://tinyurl.com/StUn-eNewsletter-August2015.

Studio Unknown’s eNewsletter for July

Studio Unknown knows that women in film deserve a spotlight more than one month a year. In this month’s newsletter, we highlight Catya Plate’s Meeting MacGuffin: An Animated Ecological Thriller, Amy Scott’s OYLER, Mary Healey Jamiel’s Reliance, as well as Leah Meyerhoff and the women of Film Fatales. Check out our eNewsletter for July: http://tinyurl.com/SU-eNewsletter-July2015 .

 

Spotlighting Amy Scott’s Oyler

Amy Scott is an award-winning correspondent with Marketplace, the popular public radio business program. Amy is also a documentary filmmaker, and in association with Marketplace, she produced and directed Oyler, a documentary that takes viewers through a year at the Oyler school, located in one of Cincinnati’s most economically-challenged neighborhoods.

The film tells the story of Oyler’s remarkable transformation from a rundown urban school into a learning hub for the whole community. Studio Unknown had the pleasure of providing the full audio post production package, including sound editorial and mix, for the film. Segments from the documentary were featured on PBS NewsHour in mid-June. Check out the PBS NewsHour website to find out more information about the documentary.

The Trailer: Read More >

Spotlight on Mary Healey Jamiel’s RELIANCE

Mary Healey Jamiel is an award documentary filmmaker and a professor at the University of Rhode Island. Mary wrote, directed, and produced the extraordinary documentary, RELIANCE: The Inside Story of Search & Rescue Dogs. The film follows Matthew Zarrella, a Rhode Island State Police Sergeant, as he works with rescued “pound dogs” to train them to be search and rescue (SAR) K9s. Studio Unknown had the pleasure of providing full audio post production services including Foley, Sound Edit and Mix. The film is scheduled to be released at festivals in the coming months.

The trailer: Read More >

Studio Unknown’s Tips for Better Dialogue on Any Budget

Studio Unknown’s Matt Davies created this fun and informative video for a seminar we hosted at MICA: Maryland Institute College of Art. A timeless topic that can be reiterated again and again, watch as Matt breaks down some simple dos and don’ts for capturing better dialogue.

 

The video:   Read More >

Studio Unknown announces an addition to our Board of Advisors

Studio Unknown is honored to welcome Producer and Post Production Supervisor Beau J. Genot to our Board of Advisors.

Beau J. Genot is the owner of 5100 Films, LLC, and 5100 Post. Having earned a distinguished reputation as a Producer and Post Production Supervisor, Beau is known for his work on films that span all genres, from independents such as The End of Tour to respected documentaries such as An Inconvenient Truth. Read More >

Studio Unknown announces a New Partner

Studio Unknown is proud to announce that Matt Davies, the studio’s Lead Sound Designer, is now a partner in the company. Matt has spent the last few years driving the conceptual Sound Design, Sound Effects and Foley content for Studio Unknown. His dedication to the art and providing sound of the highest quality to our clients has cemented his place beside co-partners Kevin Hill, Jaime Horrigan and Steven Jones. Read More >

Studio Unknown announces an addition to our Board of Advisors

Studio Unknown is very proud to welcome long time collaborator, award winning songwriter, composer, engineer Stephen Joseph Antonelli to our Board of Advisors.

Studio Unknown is now Bi-Coastal!

Studio Unknown, LLC. of Catonsville, Maryland, and Santisound, Inc. of Hollywood, California, are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached that initiates a merger of the two post-production facilities. In this first phase, each company will now operate in both locations as well as offer a combined list of audio post-production services. Clients of each firm will continue to receive the same high quality and personal service they’ve come to know, and can now expect not only a wider range of services, but the convenience of facilities located on both coasts.

While both facilities work in all aspects of audio post, cinematic sound and beyond, each will bring its unique expertise to the merger. Studio Unknown is a Dolby® tuned/Print Master Approved facility with a focus on theatrical sound while Santisound is an award winning studio, providing audio solutions for theatrical, television, & home entertainment. We are now a full-service, end-to-end audio post company with bi-coastal locations.

We’re excited for the future and our continued growth. Please use this link, http://santisound.com/, to learn more about the newest addition to our team.

Thank you.

ABC’s THE QUEST

Studio Unknown is proud to announce that we are providing sound design, sound edit, and Foley on ABC’s brand new series, THE QUEST.

The producer of the blockbuster movie franchise The Lord of the Rings has joined forces with the creators and producers of The Amazing Race to conjure a land of magic and malevolence, where mythical creatures lurk in the woods. For 12 lucky souls, a fantastic world will come alive in a unique competition series where players will engage in epic challenges.

More info from Middle-Earth Network

Lionsgate Acquires North American Distribution Rights for EXISTS

Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF) has acquired North American distribution rights to EXISTS, a new horror film from THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT director Eduardo Sánchez. The film played to a sold-out midnight screening at SXSW in Austin. Read More >

Studio Unknown announces a New Partner

On January 1, 2014, Studio Unknown gained a new partner and financial manager. Steven Jones, an independent business and financial consultant, has worked with the company since early 2013, resolving a number of financial and operational issues. Read More >

Better Sound on Any Budget

Professional Advice for Independent Filmmakers

January 23rd, 2014: Doors open at 6:30pm, Program runs from 7:00pm to 9:00pm

Ever wanted to improve the sound on your film or commercial but didn’t have the budget to use a studio? Join us for an evening of tips and tricks from Studio Unknown’s founder, audio post director and re-recording mixer, Kevin Hill, and sound designer and foley artist, Matt Davies. Read More >

The DMV Truth wins at HMIFF!

Last year Studio Unknown owner and Re-Recording Mixer, Kevin Hill took part in a doc about the mid-atlantic indie film scene called “The DMV Truth: Indie Film Artists”, direction by Corey Williams. Read More >

SU at Cucalorus Film Festival 2013!

November 14-16th Studio Unknown’s Kevin Hill and Matt Davies will be filling their eyes and ears with indie-film goodness at Wilmington, NC’s Cucalorus Film Festival.

Our Board of Advisors

Welcome our Board of Advisors, our newest addition to Studio Unknown. For more information on these incredible folks, head over to their page.

SU’s Jaime Horrigan – Managing Partner

Read more about our new managing partner, Jaime Horrigan!

Opening Act’s ‘Rise of The Fellowship’ secures distribution!

We’re delighted to announce ‘Rise of The Fellowship’ has secured domestic distribution through PHASE 4 FILMS and is available for purchase on Amazon and iTunes this fall! Studio Unknown had a blast working on this film for Opening Act Productions, where the sound design channeled the “Lord of The Rings” trilogy. As the film’s characters try to make their way to a LOTRO gaming convention, they have to overcome various perilous situations and encounter strange characters along the way.

‘ROULETTE’ secures distribution through R-Squared Films!

Writer/Director Erik Kristopher Meyers’ latest film ‘Roulette’ is officially available to the masses having received distribution through R-Squared Films. Congratulations to the team for whom we provided post sound on this intense and visceral psychological thriller!

The Sound of V/H/S/2’s ‘A Ride in the Park’

We had the pleasure of working with Eduardo Sánchez and Gregg Hale of Haxan Films on their entry for the sequel to 2012’s indie found-footage anthology horror V/H/S. Read More >