Melbourne-based Music and Effects, a Dolby licensed audio post production facility, has purchased three Fairlight Constellation XCS systems as the centerpiece of an extensive upgrade.
Music and Effects provides editing, Foley and ADR recording and mixing to a host of prestigious film and television clients including Arena Films, Melodrama Pictures, Retro Active Films, Buon Giorno Productions, Molloy Boy Productions, Whytehouse Productions, Noise and Light Productions and Screentime. Recently the facility had worked on a number of feature film projects including Balibo, Van Diemen’s Land, Mary and Max and Love The Beast. It has also handled post production for the TV series Dirt Game.
Music and Effects purchased its Constellation XCS as an upgrade from an older Fairlight FAME system, which in its day was the first all-Digital mixing system to be installed in Australia.
Managing Director Doron Kipen (pictured) 
says: “One of the great features of this latest generation of technology is the revolutionary way in which Fairlight has achieved a high track count, an extraordinary feature set and at the same time simplified the control surface. This has meant a very cost effective solution appropriate for local industry conditions. The console’s performance power to cost ratio is excellent, and the fact that many of the features we require come as standard rather than additional to the system has given us a cost saving of thousands of dollars.”
Music and Effects has installed dual 3-Bay XCS desks into its main dubbing stage, where it works as either a seamless 6-Bay large format desk, or as two independent systems.
"Music and Effects has been bringing editing into the mix since the installation of the original Fairlight FAME,” Kipen says. “The speed and efficiency achieved when two operators can work independently on the stage is astounding, and the Constellation XCS is taking us to an even higher level of productivity."
The new Music and Effects dubbing stage also features plug-and-play connectivity to other workstations, allowing tracks to be supplied by feature film editors on a per-project basis.
Doron Kipen adds: "The Constellation XCS has extensive machine control capabilities, and allows frame accurate jog and shuttle, plus transport control over third party DAWs on the stage. Audio is easily connected via MADI, and the Constellation XCS HUI control can be used to drive the third party DAW from the main desk. These features, along with the Constellation's unparalleled file exchange capabilities, made the XCS the only logical choice for our main stage."
Music and Effects has also installed a 2-Bay Constellation XCS into its new ADR/Mix room, where it is being used for ADR and smaller film projects.
"The power and flexibility on the XCS is truly remarkable. In terms of bang for buck, we are getting a five-fold increase in track count, for one quarter of the price we paid for our original, recently decommissioned system. So a 20 to 1 price/performance," Kipen says.
Fairlight Asia Pacific Sales Director Lukas Bower adds: “Music and Effects has always been a technically innovative facility. Their dedication to quality has kept them at the forefront of Australian audio post, and we’re delighted to get them on board the Constellation XCS platform.”
Asia Pacific facilities interested in the Fairlight Constellation XCS or other Fairlight products should contact Lukas Bower, Sales Director Asia Pacific at Fairlight’s headquarters in Sydney, Australia. Please call +61 2 9975 1777.
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About Fairlight:
Headquartered in Sydney, Australia Fairlight designs and manufactures media production systems powered by the company’s groundbreaking CC-1 FPGA digital processing engine. The Fairlight product range includes Constellation, Xynergi and the new Pyxis MT, all of which feature in the world’s leading broadcasters, commercial post facilities, music studios and film production studios. Fairlight has a rich tradition of innovation and development and is at the forefront of green computing technology.
