In this report Playback looks at the state of the union for editors, getting the opinion of tried and true talent on creativity, technology and where do they go from here? (See story this page.) We also talked to a couple of the growing shops, Productions Modulations (below) and Solar Audio (p. 32) to see how they’re functioning in a growing and changing field. And last but not least, we profile three up-and-comers who are making names for themselves early in the game. (See pages 24, 25 and 28.)

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With an experienced captain at its helm, Halifax-based Solar Audio has peppered its numerous music recording achievements (Roger Whittaker, Frank Mills, Ashley MacIsaac) with a successful foray into the world of post audio for film and tv.

Four years ago, industry veteran Hayward Parrott moved his family back to Halifax and bought into what became Solar Audio with partners Bob Quinn and Russel Brannon. Parrott is now the managing partner of Solar which up until this season handled the post audio for the cbc series Street Cents. It has also done post work on numerous local commercials including those for Moosehead, and the tourism boards for New Brunswick, pei, and Newfoundland.

When Parrott joined Solar from rca and Hands On Productions in Toronto, where he had done film and television as well as musical recording work, he decided to convert the existing studio’s back room into a second studio which would specialize in post work. Studio two at Solar is now called ‘The Post Office.’

‘I figured we could get more revenue from the same square footage.’ says Parrott who was the engineer on the ’80s hit single Tears are not Enough, in aid of famine relief in Ethiopia.

Parrott and engineer/sound designer Harold Tsistinas concede that though the Halifax and Atlantic film industry is currently booming, it is not yet big enough to support Solar Audio as a stand-alone post shop.

‘You’ve got to be like all-weather tires,’ says Tsistinas who has handled the complete post work for various commercials for local grocery giant Sobeys and adr work on series Black Harbour (Fogbound Films) and Atlantis’ PSI Factor as well as doing some sound effects work on Cochran Entertainment’s cbc mow Pit Pony.

Parrott brings a myriad of film score engineering credits to Solar that include over 200 mows and the features Agnes of God with composer George Delerue, Without a Clue from the legendary Henry Mancini and the score from Atom Egoyan’s The Adjuster by Mycal Danna. Parrott was also the engineer on the scores for the tv series Street Legal, Road to Avonlea, and Anne of Green Gables.

It is score work where Solar clearly excels, says Parrott, having just won the contract to record the score for the l.a.-based kids’ series Honey, I Shrunk the Kids.

But with the acquisition of a 48′ Toshiba video monitor, 32-track capability on a Yamaha 02R Digital recording console, a Roland DM-80 Digital Audio workstation and 24-track Alesis ADAT XT with brc remote that features svhs or Betacam sp recording and video sync with SMPTE/MTC chase or generator, Solar Audio is looking to increase the amount and type of post work it does.

Tsistinas has done the complete post sound work at Solar on a number of local short films and says that Solar is now poised to handle anything that comes its way. The studio has an extensive sound effects library that includes material from Sound Ideas, Lucas Film and Hanna Barbera and has created many of its own effects on various projects. Though there is no proper foley pit, Parrott says he and Tsistinas along with fellow employee, engineer/producer Chris Mitchell have found ways to recreate and record the sounds a human body makes.

With most of its competition coming from the larger Salter Street Digital, Parrott says Solar is content to carve out its own niche in the burgeoning Atlantic region. For Parrott this means getting work from productions not only centred down east but from other areas as well. Parrott’s numerous contacts and stellar reputation have led to interest from other production centres.

‘In the last few months we’ve had calls and enquiries from places like Calgary, l.a. and Toronto,’ he says, sifting through a pile of FedExs from around North America.

‘There’s so much going on there and we’re happy to do the sound work. We can do it as well as anyone, it doesn’t matter that we’re here.’