Welcome to the third annual Playback Top Shops report, in which we take on the daunting task of ranking the top audio and post-production facilities across the country.

Producers and post supervisors in both the commercial and long-form sectors were approached to select their top five picks in various categories of audio and post-production. The audio section was divided into Music and Sound Design for commercials, as well as Editing and Mixing for both commercials and long form. The post-production section was divided into Editing, Animation/Effects, and Transfer.

First-place picks were awarded five points, second-place four points, etc. We tabulated the results, ranked the finalists, and present them here for your consideration. Respondents were encouraged to add comments in support of their choices, and we have included them where comprehensible.

It will be immediately apparent that while many of last year’s Top Shops are back, there are some surprising new faces as well.

Some facilities expressed concern that the results would not reflect the fact that much of their business comes from u.s. companies. We did, however, send the survey to u.s. producers as well.

While we wouldn’t want to suggest the following lists are in any way definitive or absolute, they do nevertheless provide some idea of who producers and agencies are using, and who they will return to.

And if nothing else, the Top Shops report will stoke heated conversation around the water-cooler.

Audio Post/Audio Production/Post Production

Audio Production

Music – Commercial

1. Great Big Music

‘They’re just consistently doing great work.’

2. Rosnick MacKinnon

3. (tie) Pirate Radio & Television/Wayne Kozak Audio Productions

4. The Einstein Bros.

5. Griffiths Gibson and Ramsay Productions

Sound Design – Commercial

1. Griffiths Gibson and Ramsay Productions

‘Details.’

2. Keen Music Voice & Sound Design

‘They’re always looking to make something as good as it can be, and exploring the unpredictable or the unexpected.’

3. Grayson Matthews

‘Their work is solid.’

4. Krystal Music

5. (tie) Rosnick MacKinnon/Pirate Radio & Television

Audio Post

Editing – Commercial

1. Manta

2. Griffiths Gibson and Ramsay Productions

‘GGRP go the extra miles.’

3. Producers’ Choice

4. (tie) Deschamps Recording Studios/Keen Music Voice & Sound Design

5. Lonesome Pine

‘Consistently good creative and technical support.’

Editing – Long form

1. Crunch Recording

‘Fast, efficient, creative, user friendly.’

2. (tie) Blackman/Sound Dogs/Tattersall Sound

Blackman:

‘The customer service is next to none. They offer a complete sound effects library and their attention to fine detail is amazing.’

‘Have yet to work with anyone that provides better work. They have the ability to create the overall mood of the show and see the big picture.’

3. Casablanca Sound & Picture

4. deluxe toronto

5. DAVE

Mixing – Commercial

1. Manta

2. Producers’ Choice

3. DAVE

4. Griffiths Gibson and Ramsay Productions

5. (tie) Deschamps Recording Studios/McClear Digital Recording & Post Production

Mixing – Long form

1. deluxe toronto

‘Why? Peter Kelly, Daniel Pellerin, Keith Elliot.’

2. Medallion-PFA Film & Video

3. (tie) Blackman/Casablanca Sound & Picture/Crunch Recording

4. DAVE

Post-production

Editing – Commercial

1. Panic & Bob

‘No one comes close to Panic & Bob.’

‘Michelle Czukar – best personality, best effort, most skilled.’

2. (tie) Blue Highway/Flashcut Editing/Stealing Time

Blue Highway:

‘They have two excellent editors in Leo and Andy. They’re not only creative, but they’re a good service company, and they’re competitive financially.’

Flashcut Editing:

‘Talent and the best tools – they stand behind their work.’

Stealing Time:

‘Alex and Mark are both good creative editors.’

3. Coast Mountain

‘Level-headed, great with clients. They always have great food and take care of every little detail.’

4. Third Floor Editing

‘Third Floor offers excellence in creative and excellence in service. Unbeatable.’

5. Axyz

Editing – Long form

1. Eyes Post Group

2. Medallion-PFA Film & Video

3. (tie) Fearless Films/Studio Post

4. DAVE

5. Command Post/TOYBOX

Animation & FX

Commercials

1. Axyz

2. (tie) TOPIX/Mad Dog/Spin Productions

Spin Productions:

‘They are very good at finding ways to make things work for the money.’

3. Command Post/TOYBOX

‘Leading-edge technology. Always first with new gear.’

4. TOYBOX West

‘Attention to detail. They make sure we are happy with everything.’

5. Crush

Long form

1. GVFX

2. Calibre Digital Pictures

3. Spin Productions

Transfer

Commercials

1. Command Post/TOYBOX

2. TOYBOX West

‘When Gary Shaw is handling the transfer, you know that everything will be okay. He experiments, listens to the team, and comes up with some amazing looks and solutions.’

3. DAVE

‘Excellence creatively, and in service.’

4. Eyes Post Group

5. Rainmaker Digital Pictures

Long form

1. Medallion-PFA Film & Video

2. Studio Post

3. DAVE

4. Command Post/TOYBOX

5. Eyes Post Group