NEWS

I hope everyone had a great Holiday and, hopefully, enjoyed a little bit of time off. We had a lot to be grateful about in 2009, despite trying economic times. As we look ahead into 2010, I’m excited about what the year holds. Thanks to you, we have started off the year very busy. I’m always trying to think of new ways to serve our clients, giving you the personal attention, flexibility, and of course rock solid sound services that you need. Please do know that I am open to any and all suggestions or requests.

Here are some of the new services and amenities that I have in store for 2010.

Due to our partnership with Post Box Post, we now have multiple Emmy winning editors and finishing artists in our facility. That means you don’t have to bounce around from house to house. Set up shop with us and we can take your project all the way through post and right into dub. This allows us to work on projects with a much more efficient work flow, and that translates to faster turnaround and better budgets for you!

Also, we are excited about the new W Hotel opening across the street from our studio. I am working out deals for our clients to use the fantastic facilities at the W when you are here at Outlaw. It’s my way of extending the W’s “Anything, Anytime” service to Outlaw Sound. Included in the complex will be new restaurants, a rooftop pool lounge, a two story Bliss Spa, and the Nation’s largest Trader Joe’s! How about coming in for a mix, popping in for a massage and lunch, and then finishing off approvals. (I guarantee the mix will sound better after that!) And for our clients coming in from out of town, I can’t think of a more exciting and convenient place to stay.

Thanks again for making us your studio of choice here in Hollywood! I hope you will pop in and see us soon, and I’m looking forward to many great projects in 2010.

All the best,

Steve

P.S.

Check out some fun photos of us in the studio!

Jaime and Jack Davenport     Steve and Kevin Mc Donald

Dave Foley from Kids in the Hall

Steve and  Rob Corddry after a LONG session

Can you believe September is here? This summer seems to have gone by even faster than the last. It was a good summer and I hope some of you had the chance to take a break with your friends and families. Fall is here and that means back to school (phew), football (go Redskins), and the pre-Holiday production crunch. We are ready for it all!

I do have an exciting new development here at Outlaw Sound to tell you about. We are welcoming to our facility 4-time Emmy winning editor and finishing artist, Michael Forrest. Michael brings his company, Post Box Post, into what I know will be a great partnership with Outlaw Sound. What it means to you is that you can now bring your projects for complete post finishing into our facility. No need to bounce from place to place. And with our more efficient workflow and video integration, we can offer special bundled pricing on post services. Yay for you! You can find out more about Michael at his website: www.postboxpost.com

Also… Outlaw Sound is now home to the excellent and extensive BWN music library. Most of you know that Brahmstedt White Noise in Minneapolis is our parent company. When you are looking for music for your next project, give Jaime a call over here at Outlaw and let her find what you need. Of course, we can create any custom music for you as well. If you would like to check out our music library yourself, you can find it here: www.bwnoise.com

Last week I was invited to be a judge for the audio portion of the HPA Awards (Hollywood Post Alliance). I have to say that I am continually impressed and inspired by the great work being done in our industry. Technology is certainly always a force for change in audio, but the real advances in sound design and audio mixing lie in the creativity and ingenuity of the people manipulating those sounds. As we paint our soundscapes onto our canvas of glaring monitors, it’s up to us to find new ways to make the characters and stories come to life. Technology continues to provide better tools to that end, but they are ultimately useless without the craftsmen who wield them. Thanks to everyone at the HPA for including me on their excellent panel.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll talk to you soon!

All the best,

Steve

Dear Outlaw Sound Friends,

I hope this E-mail finds everyone well.  It has been a year since I took the helm here at Outlaw Sound, and I want to thank you all for your business and friendship.  We have had the opportunity to work on so many great and diverse projects over the past year.  I can’t wait to see what’s next.  There is an old adage in Post-Audio that you never know what you are going to walk into on any given day.  That is certainly true here at Outlaw, and we pride ourselves in being able to deliver stellar results in any situation.

The past month was a good example of the different kinds of projects we do hear at Outlaw Sound.  We had the pleasure of working with actress, Diane Kruger, doing German ADR for the new Quentin Tarantino film, “Inglourious Basterds”.  We connected with Berliner Synchron studios in Berlin with our APT Milano.  The connection and time code lock was flawless.

Diane Kruger and Steve Pierson

We have also been happy to welcome Fuse TV as a new client.  We are recording all of their promo spots with actor and voice talent, Rob Huebel.  We record all of the VO here at Outlaw and upload them to Fuse’s ftp site.  Rob is great and the sessions are always fun.

Jaime Blakely and Rob Huebel

Last week we did more ADR and had Oscar nominated actress Julianne Moore in the studio for work on the upcoming film, “Chloe”.  Ken Brahmstedt from BWN was in town and ran the session along with engineer Alex Oana.  Julianne was a pleasure to have here at Outlaw Sound.

Alex Oana, Julianne Moore, and Ken Brahmstedt

We want to thank you so much for bringing us your business.  I’m looking forward to the next year here at Outlaw.  As always, if you have any questions or special requests, please do not hesitate to contact us.

All the best,
Steve

Dear Outlaw Sound Friends,

Animation VO Workshop in Outlaw Studio B

All the best,
Steve

CASTING DIRECTORS for DISNEY & PIXAR
Special All-Day VoiceOver Intensive!

SATURDAY, APRIL 18th 9am - 6pm
Join top casting directors BEN HOPPE (Disney) & NED LOTT (freelance – Disney, Pixar & Universal) along with top VO talent KAT CRESSIDA, as they step into the booth at Outlaw Sound for this special All-Day Animation Workout.  Learn how to Voice for: animation, video games & celebrity voicematching.
Intro Rate: $445.00 includes 9 hours in studio, lunch, and copy of your work. Limited to 12 students.

BIOS:

BEN HOPPE

Creative Director, Disney Character Voices

BEN HOPPE has been with Disney Character Voices since 2001 and in his current role as director since 2002. In this role, he does creative
consultation, scripting, casting and voice directing for all established, as well as newly created, Disney Characters. Directing upwards of 500 recording sessions a year, Mr. Hoppe has worked with a wide variety of celebrity and top voice-over talent, including Tim Allen, John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Owen Wilson, Sam Rockwell, Bonnie Hunt, Don Rickles, Jodi Benson, Tress MacNeille, Jeff Bennett, Jess Harnell, Corey Burton, Russi Taylor and, of course, Kat Cressida! He has recently completed work on the MIDWAY MANIA attraction at Disneyland, the video game to accompany the release of the upcoming Bruckheimer film, G-FORCE and DISNEYPRINCESS.COM.

NED LOTT
Casting Director; freelance/ Disney Studios, Pixar, and Universal

NED LOTT has a wide range of voiceover directing and casting experience. He was a Producer and casting director on eight Studio Ghibli titles, including Hayao Miyazaki’s Oscar™ nominated theatrical release HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE.  Other notable accomplishments include casting Liam Neeson as the voice of “Aslan” for THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE and PRINCE CASPIAN. Ned has also cast and directed numerous voiceover projects and ADR sessions for the Walt Disney Company, Pixar and SquareEnix.  He has most recently completed work on CORALINE for Universal Pictures.

KAT CRESSIDA
Voice Over Talent / Teacher; The Voicecaster Animation Workshop

KAT CRESSIDA currently teaches the Animation Workshop for one of the top Casting houses in the biz, The Voicecaster, successfully coaching newcomers for 5 years (several students from the Workshop have gone on to book agents, major gigs, and even get Union status).  She brings to her Workshops the advantage of being a working V.O. pro – including recently:  TALE OF DESPEREAUX, TINKERBELL, SPACE CHIMPS, TOY STORY 3, CHICKEN LITTLE, DISNEY’S CHARACTER SPOT, SABATEUR, DRAGONAGE, LITTLEST PET SHOP, and Disneyland’s HAUNTED MANSION.  A top voicematcher for celebrities, KAT recently recorded: Drew Barrymore (BEVERLY HILLS CHIHUAHA), Isla Fisher (SHOPAHOLIC), Mary Louise Parker (WEEDS), Angelina Jolie (WANTED), and Helena Bonham Carter (SWEENEY TODD).

Hello Friends of Outlaw Sound,

I’m very excited to let you all know that our new audio suites are up and running.  They are really great and sound awesome!  Some of you have already had the chance to work in our new rooms, but if you haven’t, stop on in and check ‘em out.  We love to show them off.

I’m proud to announce the expansion of services here at Outlaw Sound.  We are known for our excellence in VO recording and ISDN patch work and we also have a stellar track record for mix work.  But with the addition of our newest mix suite, we now have the capability to mix your 5.1 projects.  Our sonically pristine room is comfortable, spacious, and can accommodate your film, television, and commercial mix work.

In addition, we have added a new VO booth.  We went to great lengths to insure that the booth sounds as tight and clear as you are accustomed to here at Outlaw Sound.  The second booth means we can handle even more bookings, and you get to enjoy our superior sound and service.  We want to be your first call studio for all of your Digipatch, VO, and ADR recording needs.

Lastly, because we are a sister company to Brahmstedt White Noise in Minneapolis, we have full music composition and production capabilities.  That means if you need custom music, library music, or placement services for your production, we have a team of talented and experienced composers at your disposal.

So here it is, the “New” Outlaw Sound.  A complete post production sound solution.  I hope you will take a second to check out our updated web site.  There are pictures of our new studios and more info about what we use to make it sound so good.  Hope to see you soon!

All the best.
Steve

Hello Outlaw Sound Friends.

I know I’ve been cagey about what we are doing over here, but I am excited about our plans, and I gotta let you know what’s going on.  Outlaw Sound is known for it’s superior sound and while it has always specialized in ISDN and Voice Over recording, it has done it’s share of great mix work for TV, Radio and Film.  With Outlaw Sound’s new incarnation we want to expand on those services, so we are updating the facility and building new rooms!

Our parent company, BWN, has another studio here in Hollywood, helmed by the talented composer, sound designer, and mixer, Justin Asher.  We are joining forces and, by the end of November, will have fully consolidated our facilities.  Here at Outlaw Sound we are getting ready for Justin and his crew by building two new rooms.  One will be a suite similar to the existing Outlaw room with a new recording booth.  That means fewer booking conflicts for our clients.  Yay!  We are also building an awesome new 5.1 Mix room.  I am very excited about this space and I can’t wait to work in there.  It is going to sound amazing and be very swanky and comfortable.

With our studios consolidated we will truly be a full service audio facility.  When the work is completed I will update our website with all of the cool studio pictures.  I am looking forward to showing off the place.  I also welcome any suggestions from our clients and friends.  If there are any specific items or services that you would like to see over here at Outlaw Sound, please let me know.  Until then, thanks as always for your continued business and support.

All the best,
Steve

Hello Outlaw Friends!

Another month has gone by as the “new” Outlaw, and we have had some great sessions.  I’ve had the opportunity to get to know many of you better and have really enjoyed working with you.  I’ve connected with studios all over the country and done work for such clients as Target, Capitol One, United Way, McDonalds, Pontiac, Phizer, and others.

We also had a few ADR sessions and I had the pleasure of working with a very talented group of actors.  Ken Brahmstedt (of our parent company BWN) came in from Minneapolis to run an ADR session here at Outlaw.  It has been a busy month, and I thank you for that.

Justin Asher, Ken Brahmstedt, and Justin Kirk

A Sad Note-
Unfortunately, September has started on a sad note.  We lost one of the most recognized voices in the business with the passing of Don LaFontaine.  I’ve attached an article below from the Star Tribune.  Our sincere condolences go out to his family and friends.  His voice is often imitated, but can never be replaced.

of Movie trailer voice king Don LaFontaine dies
PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune

A report out of Los Angeles says that Minnesota native Don LaFontaine, known in Hollywood as the “King of Voice-overs,” has died.
“Entertainment Tonight” is reporting that LaFontaine, who turned 68 last week, died Monday afternoon at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
His agent, Vanessa Gilbert, told “ET” that he died following complications due to a collapsed lung.
LaFontaine grew up in Duluth, joined the Army after high school, moved to New York City after his discharge and found work as a sound engineer/editor.
Aside from his work in the trailer industry, he has also been the voice of NBC, CBS, ABC, Fox and UPN, in addition to TNT, TBS and the Cartoon Network. He’s also done commercials for Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, Budweiser, McDonalds, Coke and others.
He came out from behind the microphone in recent years to do a GEICO television commercial, spoofing himself by interpreting a testimonial from an insurance company customer.
At last count, he worked on nearly 5,000 films, including “The Elephant Man,” “Batman Returns” and “The Terminator.”
“In a world …” became one of his best-known catch phrases.
Paul Walsh

Dear Friends of Outlaw Sound,

I wanted to take this opportunity to reach out and say hello to all of you that have helped Outlaw Sound thrive for nearly 25 years.  I have already had the opportunity to work with many of you, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you all.

I know that your relationship with Allen goes back many years.  He built Outlaw Sound from the ground up, and sustained his studio in the heart of Hollywood, for over two decades.  That is no small feat, and it can be attributed, in large part, to the relationships that he developed with you.

I am very excited to step in as the new head Outlaw.  I realize that I have some large boots to fill.  Allen Roth built his business by providing excellent personalized service to his clients, and of course, by providing superior sound services.  No one can replace him, but I do intend to continue the Outlaw tradition with the same great sound and great service.

Jerry Houser, Steve Pierson and Jim Cummings

In the coming months, I’ll be working to improve and expand the services we offer at Outlaw Sound.  I would love to hear from you, and welcome any suggestions that you may have.  If you are in the neighborhood, stop by and say hello.  I’ll look forward to working with you, and building a new foundation that will take Outlaw Sound into the next decade.

Warmest regards,
Steve Pierson

July 1, 2008

Hello Friends of Outlaw Sound!

As of August 6, 2008 Outlaw Sound will move into its 25^th year of offering Post Production services to the Advertising, Radio, Television, Film and Music Industries. Nearly two and a half decades have passed and the Industry has changed dramatically. Tape based multi-track production and mixing, razor blade editing, and tape based recording are nearly a forgotten art. The digital era and the technological advances have had a positive impact on our business. Change is good!

After nearly three and a half decades in the post business in Los Angeles, I feel it’s time for me to make some changes. Therefore, I would like to inform you that I have passed on Outlaw Sound to new owners, Brahmstedt White Noise, Inc. of Minneapolis, MN as of July 1, 2008. When considering selling the company I had hoped to find a buyer that would take Outlaw Sound to its next level of success. I feel that BWN, Inc. is the company that can do that. The Midwest is where I was raised and it seems only appropriate that a Midwest Company should continue the Outlaw Sound tradition.

You’ll be meeting and speaking with Steve Pierson who will take my place as the head Outlaw. Steve comes with a vast amount of Post Production experience in the Los Angeles post community and I take great pleasure in handing the Outlaw Sound reins to him. Outlaw Sound will remain Outlaw Sound. Steve and I will work together to ensure the transition is as seamless as possible.

Allen Roth and Steve Pierson

Meanwhile, I’ll take the memories associated with thousands of sessions with the famous and not so famous. Recalling the likes of Charlton Heston, Mae West, George Burns, Roy Rogers, Dale Evans, Cary Grant, Telly Savalis, Debbie Reynolds, Charlie Sheen, Gary Owens, Orson Welles, James Garner, Dick Van Dyke, Patrick Stewart, Drew Cary, Penelope Cruz, Jack Riley, Doris Roberts, Michael Buffer, Robert David Hall, Cid Caesar, Buddy Hackett, Vincent Price, and that’s just for starters. What a treat for this old Nebraska farm boy!

It’s been a terrific ride and I thank friends and clients alike for making it fun, exciting and rewarding. It was my pleasure to have worked with you. I thank you for giving me the opportunity.

Allen Roth

Outlaw Sound

Retired