Light Year Studios Go Above and Beyond with NUGEN Audio

LONDON, OCTOBER 16, 2024 ― Based in the UK, Light Year Studios is a one-stop shop for creative audio recording and post-production on both high-end and independent productions. With services such as track laying, mixing, spatial audio mixing, sound design, ADR, voiceover recording and dubbing, the multi-site full-service studios are comprised of an experienced, knowledgeable audio team. Among them are Re-recording Mixer Rob Ackerman and Sound Effects Editor Ryan Hatton, who each often call on various plug-ins from NUGEN Audio to take on any task at hand.

For some of their crucial workflow solutions, the pair opts for the brand’s VisLM loudness meter. “It is probably the most extensively used plug-in here at the studio because you can use it for so many applications,” says Ackerman. “It’s useful for voiceovers, short- and long-form mixes and even video game sound. You need to hit a certain audio threshold when recording, and VisLM is the perfect solution to gauge where your average loudness is sitting. On the other hand, with mixes, it’s nice to have VisLM across the final master bus to keep an eye on the overall loudness.” For Hatton, something that has made VisLM stand out from other loudness metering plug-ins is the inclusion of dialog-gated loudness. “I’ve found that this feature comes in handy and is not always available in competing plug-ins with similar price points,” he says.

The Halo Upmix plug-in also plays a vital role at Light Year Studios, especially for immersive audio and post-production. “Before I started using Halo Upmix, I used to favor an old routing method to send a portion of the audio to the rears,” explains Hatton. “Now, Halo Upmix has become a massive part of what we’re doing. I used it on quite a few movie trailers, as well as on ‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey’ and ‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 2.’ For the latter project, specifically, we went to Pinewood Studios and played the film in the theater there, with Halo Upmix running; it translated perfectly and sounded great.”

Similarly, Ackerman feels that Halo Upmix is a great plug-in for efficiency. “It takes away all the pain of trying to find the right divergence for the rears and wondering if it sounds correct, if it will fold down correctly, etc. It saves me a good 20 minutes of tweaking and head scratching,” he adds.

Aside from VisLM and Halo Upmix, the brand’s ISL limiter has also become a go-to solution. “The fact that you can set your True Peak without losing loudness or having to correct your gain is extremely practical and labor-saving ― the simplicity of it is even better,” explains Ackerman. “The ability to drop ISL onto your stem tracks and know that you’ll always stay under a certain threshold while maintaining the integrity of the stem is really valuable.”

Hatton’s and Ackerman’s colleagues at Light Year Studios are also fans of NUGEN. “I noticed that other engineers here often use LM-Correct, specifically for dialogue work,” says Hatton. “Tom Sichel, our dialogue editor, recently ran into an instance where he was given a deliverable list that required multiple loudness versions. He used LM-Correct to help render the various deliverables and it was super successful.”

An experienced sound designer and re-recording mixer with a demonstrated history of working in the entertainment industry, Hatton has racked up a long list of credits. His work can be heard in major films such as “Fyre Rises” and “The Gardener,” and the TV mini-series “Boy & Dragon,” among many others. With the intent to expand into the immersive audio space, Light Year Studios added Hatton to its expert team as a sound effects editor in September 2023. His background in immersive audio will aid the facility in its transition to spatial audio for both post-production and music. 

With over 12 years of experience working in media, Ackerman has held roles as a sound designer and is credited on mixes and recordings for a wide range of clients and projects. Included among these are recording Oscar winner Steve McQueen on his “End Credits” art installation and creating audio soundscapes with Jeremy Irons for the audio-visual experience “Porto Legends.” Additionally, Ackerman has provided sound design and mixing support for multiple theatrical and broadcast projects, including “DNA +” for BBC 3, and multiple shorts, including “The Escape” by Paul Franklyn. Ackerman’s passion for short-form media, such as theatrical and broadcast advertising and radio and online spots, has brought him close to almost 1,000 projects. Working with Light Year Studios for six years now, Ackerman has continued to succeed as the facility’s prime re-recording/dubbing mixer.