dolby atmos Archives - Mocha Chai Laboratories

Aug 14
0

Mocha Chai Laboratories launches two exciting concepts for S’pore creative professionals

Posted by | Updates | No Comments

Mocha Chai Laboratories re-opens its studio – Singapore’s first fully integrated digital film lab that offers DCI-standard compliant solutions – at Oxley BizHub, a commercial development in the Ubi district. The new studio introduces two exciting new concepts that are set to shake up the local media landscape – Singapore’s first and only Dolby Atmos dubbing theatre and BREWERY by Mocha Chai Laboratories, a co-working creative space designed for the freelance media community.

 

First Dolby Atmos Dubbing Stage in Singapore

Gone are the days when Singaporean filmmakers had to travel to other countries such as Thailand and Hong Kong just to have their final picture grade and cinema sound mix properly done.

Dolby Atmos Dubbing Theatre

With their new Dolby Atmos dubbing theatre – the first of its kind in Singapore – Mocha Chai Laboratories is now offering the local media industry a choice to have their film finished and ready for the cinema of the future in compliance with globally recognised standards – all in a one stop shop.

Engineered for the future of cinema, the dubbing theatre is decked out with all the trappings of Dolby Atmos that allow filmmakers to break away from the traditional ‘channel-based’ connotations of surround sound, and instead – by approaching sound as dynamic ‘objects’ – pan them through an array of speakers placed around and above the audience with utmost precision.

“Dolby is excited to work with Mocha Chai Laboratories to bring filmmakers in the South East Asia region amazing new capabilities to tell their stories,” said Pankaj Kedia, Managing Director of Dolby (India, South East Asia, Australia and New Zealand). “With Dolby Atmos, filmmakers will find new creative freedom to tell their stories and deliver the full impact of their artistic intent to the moviegoers.”

It is the first Dolby Atmos stage in the world to utilize Christie® Vive Audio, a world-class cinema audio system – known for delivering a truly rich, dynamic, and detailed sound – designed for today’s DCI-compliant content.

“Christie Vive Audio is a complete solution which is purpose-built to bring premium cinema sound to any theatre, combining the superior performance of planar ribbon drivers with our line array loudspeaker design, and matches them with powerful Class D amplification. We are proud and delighted that Mocha Chai Laboratories has chosen Vive Audio for its state-of-the-art dubbing theatre, and is the world’s first Dolby ATMOS-equipped post-production facility to deploy our leading-edge cinema sound solution. With its capability in supporting all leading cinema audio formats, Vive Audio brings a new level of realism to movies and represents the next evolution of cinema sound.” – Mr Han Kim, General Manager of Christie Singapore.

DaVinci Resolve Control Surface

The latest DaVinci Resolve Control Surface, second to none in getting full control of your picture.

The dubbing theatre is also equipped with the latest DaVinci Resolve control surface; a modular Avid S6 M40 console; a 5m wide screen projection using Barco’s 2K digital cinema projector; and a Sony BVM-X300 OLED Monitor that lends itself to stunning 4K HDR pictures with a million-to-one contrast ratio and an expansive gamut of colours.

Avid S6 M40 console

The Avid S6 M40 console delivers superior ergonomics and intelligent sound control for the modern sound engineer.

Dolby Atmos is the latest milestone in cinema sound that is taking over the world by storm, with all major Hollywood studios, countless international distributors, and over 450 titles worldwide already adopting the format.

 

BREWERY by Mocha Chai Laboratories 

BREWERY by Mocha Chai Laboratories is a co-working creative space designed for the freelance media community.

Built around the concept of “We Brew Ideas”, Mocha Chai Laboratories envisions for BREWERY to be a space where creative types can use to expand their horizons.

“As filmmakers ourselves, we’ve noticed a rising demand amongst the media industry for a conducive space where they can just hang out and work on their screenplays,” says founder Chai Yee Wei. “With BREWERY,” he adds, “we’ve created a co-working space with a creative audience in mind, that is only limited by imagination.”

aIMG_0005

BREWERY features 5 private editing rooms installed with the latest post production hardware and software for rent, either on a daily or monthly basis.

Upon entering the space, guests are immediately greeted by an open shared conference area – equipped with a projection screen and sound system – perfect for hosting workshops, master classes, brainstorming sessions, and product launches, among a host of other uses, thanks to its versatile design.

 

IMG_0030

There is also a large production room illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows that can be rented out as a short-term production office or meeting room.

The experience is complete with amenities such as a shared pantry – complete with a fridge and coffee machine – that operates on an honour system, wireless internet, 24-hour access, as well as access to the building’s gym and swimming pool facilities.

Prices begin at $180/day or $1,299/month for a fully-equipped private editing room, along with the aforementioned amenities included. The large production room can be rented at $1,999/month, while the shared conference area is available for hourly-block rentals at $80/hour.

Open seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

65 Ubi Road 1, Oxley Bizhub #02-82, Singapore 408729. For rental enquiries, please call +65 6773 6360 or email contactus@mochachailab.com. Visit www.mochachailab.com for more information.

 

 

MOCHA CHAI LABORATORIES

Established in 2013, Mocha Chai Laboratories (MCL) is the premier go-to digitail film lab that first brought Digital Cinema Packages-related services to the Singapore media industry. Always at the cutting-edge, MCL offers a Dolby Atmos-certified dubbing stage, DCI-compliant cinema projector colour grading, true HDR monitoring and mastering services all in a one-stop shop. Started “by filmmakers, for filmmakers”, MCL strives to “do it right” for both their clients, and the industry at large.

Jun 10
0

Uncovering Dolby Atmos through the evolution of cinema sound

Posted by | Feature posts, Uncategorized | No Comments

Any respectable audiophile would be more than familiar with Dolby Atmos – the latest technology in cinematic history that allows filmmakers to place and navigate sounds anywhere in the theatre to a tee.

With its 3D positional sound capabilities, Dolby Atmos joins the forefront of immersive media technologies — alongside HDR screens with Dolby Vision — that will drive the next generation of cinema and home theatre experiences.

Dolby AtmosImage credit: Dolby

Touted as the next generation surround format for the industry, Dolby Atmos is a virtual reality of sound that puts moviegoers in the heart of the action.

But as with most of today’s ground breaking advances, comes a long history of technologies and innovations that precede them. In that spirit, let us take a step back into the early days of cinema sound and chart the evolution that led to the breakthrough of Dolby Atmos.

 

The mono beginnings

Silent movies were never entirely silent; they were largely accompanied by sounds from a live orchestra to the noise of the projector. It was not until the release of Warner’s ‘The Jazz Singer’ in 1928 — the first feature-length motion picture with synchronised sound — that suggested the end of the silent films era.

jazz

However, there was little advancement in the decades that followed and until the 1970s, almost all movies were in mono. With a single speaker placed behind the screen, the audio experience was flat at best.

 

Breaking new ground with stereo

Dolby Stereo then found its way into our cinemas in the mid 70s, which allowed for two channel soundtracks to be decoded to a dedicated dialogue track in the center of the screen, along with two additional speakers on the left and right and an additional surround channel. This gave a spread and sense of imaging inside the room that was never heard before.

With the potential of a richer sound, the possibilities of stereo was endless, and there was no greater example of the technology’s breakthrough than the 1977 release of ‘Star Wars‘ – an experience that attracted moviegoers by the thousands and forever changed the expectations for cinema sound.

Image credit: The New York Review of BooksOpening day of George Lucas’ Star Wars at Grauman’s Chinese theater, May 25, 1977

It didn’t take long for stereo to catch on with more hit movies that followed, such as ‘Close Encounters of the Third Kind‘ (1977) and ‘Superman‘ (1978). By 1985, every film was in Dolby stereo.

 

The advent of surround sound

By the time the 1990s came along, it became clear that digital was the way to go.

Dolby Digital was hence developed, delivering 5.1 channels of cinema sound by splitting the room into half – left, center, right, left surround, right surround and subwoofer. This allowed the sound to have more sense of movement across the audience. ‘Batman Returns’ became the first movie to be released in this format in 1992.

Image credit: Dolby LaboratoriesImage credit: Dolby Laboratories

With the transition into digital cinema came the 7.1, where the rear surround speakers were split into left and right channels. This gave the sound even more definition, adding more dimension to the cinematic experience.

 

Redefining the cinematic sound experience

While logic would entail that the natural next step be to keep piling on the channels, it was also evident that the format’s potential for enhancements was coming to a standstill. Channel-based solutions allowed for basic movement of sound, but lacked the sensation and precision that content creators wanted.

To that end, Dolby Atmos was developed in a bold effort to lead the charge in redefining the cinematic sound experience. Touted as the next generation surround format for the industry, Dolby Atmos offers filmmakers the flexibility to place individual sounds anywhere in the cinema and move them around with precision. Simply put, it’s a virtual reality of sound that puts moviegoers in the heart of the action.

The fundamental shift from channels to object-based solutions allowed filmmakers to approach sound elements as dynamic objects travelling across the room. The sound can travel through each speaker placed around and above the audience as it moves across the cinema, in what’s called a pan-through array.

Image credit: Dolby LaboratoriesImage credit: Dolby Laboratories

By also placing speakers above the audience, the overhead surround adds an upper hemisphere of sound that moviegoers have never experienced before, creating a truly immersive feel of sound.

 

Coming to a Dolby Atmos cinema near you

It comes as no surprise that Dolby Atmos is quickly becoming the format du jour among filmmakers, with more than 100 titles from major Hollywood studios adopting the technology – most prominently in ‘Gravity’ (2013), which won seven Oscars, including awards for sound editing and sound mixing.

Image credit: Warner Bros.Image credit: Warner Bros.

In fact, most of the anticipated upcoming releases such as ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’, ‘Suicide Squad’ and ‘Wonder Woman’ will be available in Dolby Atmos. Here’s the full list to get you excited.

What’s more, you don’t have to go too far to experience the magic of Dolby Atmos, with Cathay Cineplex Jem and Golden Village VivoCity equipped with Dolby Atmos cinemas.

Alternatively, you’re more than welcome to drop by our studio for a demo in our very own Dolby Atmos certified dubbing theatre! Email us at contactus@mochachailab.com to set up an appointment.

 

 

Got a question for our sound experts? Ping us on Facebook!

May 06
2

The people behind the brand

Posted by | Behind the scenes, Feature posts | No Comments

Welcome to our very first blog post!

We are the people behind Mocha Chai Laboratories, Singapore’s first fully integrated boutique digital film lab. To say we love what we do would be an understatement, and through this blog we hope to share a bit of our insight and passion with the people we do this for – you!

So kick back, butter up your popcorn and let us introduce you to our world on the other side of the silver screen.

 

If directors are the storytellers, we’re the ones responsible for immersing you in that story, pushing the boundaries of your sensorial limitations and bringing the story right to the edge of your seat.

 

A little introduction of what we do

We offer a wide range of digital cinema-related services aimed to enhance, complete and deliver with a ribbon on top – be it for a motion picture feature, trailer, commercial or any professional production.

Colour grading in progress with the latest DaVinci Resolve 12

Colour grading in progress with the latest DaVinci Resolve 12

 

Let’s put it this way: if directors are the storytellers, we’re the ones responsible for immersing you in that story, pushing the boundaries of your sensorial limitations and bringing the story right to the edge of your seat.

 

By filmmakers, for filmmakers

Mocha Chai Laboratories was founded in 2011 by Chai Yee Wei, a Singaporean filmmaker whose penchant for perfection led him to set up shop in his home ground as there weren’t many viable options at that time. With the rise of digital distribution, it wasn’t long before his humble start-up grew into the one-stop facility for top filmmakers from the US, Europe and Asia, handling international features and local projects, such as The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part I, A Walk Among The Tombstones, Jobs, The Lady, 女朋友＊男朋友，Sadako 3D and Ah Boys To Men I & II.

Mocha Chai Laboratories - Portfolio

Today, Mocha Chai Laboratories prides itself in delivering world-class digital film services – hanging by its mantel a Dolby ATMOS certification, employing DCI-compliant solutions and constantly acquiring cutting-edge technology to deliver high quality content.

 

The people behind the brand

They say it’s the people who make the brand, and we couldn’t agree more. Get acquainted with our directors Yee Wei and Ting Li in this next segment, where we delve a little deeper beyond the day-to-day technicalities of their jobs.

 

Chai Yee Wei, Founder & Managing Director

The world is a crowded place, and we have to find a niche in order to stand out.

Chia Yee Wei, Founder & Managing Director of Mocha Chai Laboratories

A brief introduction of what you do

I set directions for my “generals” and “warriors”, making sure they have their tools and jobs – and then I get out of their way.

Your philosophy behind your work

I believe that setting up a post-production house that thinks and does things differently is crucial. The world is a crowded place, and we have to find a niche in order to stand out. To that end, my take on this is to simply be ourselves. I endeavour to bring together a team of people who not just demand the best from one another but also from themselves; it is through this approach that we inspire one another (and our clients) to bring out the best we’ve got to offer.

Your professional pet peeve

I can’t stand seeing computers or OS with updates/upgrades that are not applied. When I see that number above an icon indicating there are updates, I feel a strong urge to get the deed done — be it at home or in an Apple store — so the number will be gone. However I can’t do this at work as I may risk ongoing projects facing compatibility issues, and compatibility is key in our line of work. 

3 words to describe yourself

Practice makes perfect.

 

—

Lim Ting Li, Director of Sound

I believe that every story can be enhanced through sound. The potential is limitless and can change a scene tremendously.

Lim Ting Li, Director of Sound

A brief introduction of what you do

I create unique soundscapes for film and broadcast projects.

My day-to-day consists of editing dialogue to make everyone sound like they’re in the same space at the same time; performing foley for any kind of sound you can imagine – from heavy footsteps to squeamish sex sounds; sound designing to make that make-belief world a reality; and bringing all the elements together through audio mixing.

Your philosophy behind your work

I believe that every story can be enhanced through sound. The potential of off-screen sounds are limitless and can change a scene tremendously.

Take for example a scene of two people chatting in an office. While seemingly simple, there’s so much more I have to consider. How thin are the walls? Do we hear a chaotic or sterile office environment? Or one that’s relaxed with plenty of laughter? The sounds within its environment can add tension to a scene as easily as it can take the edge off it. It all depends on the intention of the scene.

Just as a director of photography would plan a list of shots for the scene, a sound designer should take into careful consideration every sound element and shape the scene sonically. That’s the approach to my work.

Your professional pet peeve

I need my cables to be out of sight; otherwise they’ve got to be arranged neatly. When I get busy, my desk starts to clutter up and I tend to be too focused to notice the mess. But once crunch time is over, I have to give the desk a good clean. It’s a little ritual I do between projects.

3 words to describe yourself

A filmmaking friend.

 

—

Curious to know more?

Get connected with us on Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates, industry trends and sneak peeks at our upcoming projects!