Studio 1 Sound Treatment and Improvements
I just wanted to write this blog to give a quick update about Studio 1. Studio 1 has been our main shooting space at River Wey Studios since we first started up in roughly July 2021. What started as an empty warehouse space with a few bits of furniture inside has now become a fully fledged high end premium studio south of London in Surrey. As myself and the River Wey Studios team look back on our journey, i can honestly say that the latest updates have made us all extremely excited and proud of the Studio and the business that we have built over the past year. We have been lucky to host some fantastic clients, talent and crews and we hope they will see the benefit.
Our first major update to the studio was the build of the large white cyc cove. Work on this was completed in December 2021. This was the first milestone we had hit, that really made the space feel like a studio rather than just a warehouse with some furniture in. This was a real turning point for the studio. The flood gates started to open, and we say more and more crews coming through the doors and making use of the large infinity cove. We spent a lot of 2022 with many happy customers and lots of repeat business, but there was always one recurring suggestion for improvement, and that was the sound. We had always been aware and fully honest with anybody coming to film at the space about the sound issues. The main culprits being rain, extreme rain and some reverb due to the large size of the studio. In November 22 we temporarily shut the studio doors, as we were finally able to get together the funds to attack the problem head on.
The first and worst problem we had was the rain. The building where River Wey Studios is located was originally a large industrial warehouse, meaning the tin roof that covers the property is a bit of a nightmare for sound during the rainy season. This roof was also susceptible to noise from extreme winds. This problem has been addressed and eradicated by fabricating a false ceiling on the underside of the roof. Special vibration isolating hangers were used to hang the boards ensuring no vibrations could be carried down into the false ceiling. The gap between the roof and the new ceiling was filled with sound deadening rock wool, and we are pleased to see the process was a success.
The first and worst problem we had was the rain. The building where River Wey Studios is located was originally a large industrial warehouse, meaning the tin roof that covers the property is a bit of a nightmare for sound during the rainy season. This roof was also susceptible to noise from extreme winds. This problem has been addressed and eradicated by fabricating a false ceiling on the underside of the roof. Special vibration isolating hangers were used to hang the boards ensuring no vibrations could be carried down into the false ceiling. The gap between the roof and the new ceiling was filled with sound deadening rock wool, and we are pleased to see the process was a success.
The next fix was the reverb. First of all we have hung baffles from the ceiling above the cove area, which have really made a huge difference to the sound when standing in the cyc. The baffles are placed there to break up flat surfaces and allow the sound to dissipate. The second change we had made was to hang large balck drape along each wall of the studio, acting as a soft surface to absorb sound. These drapes also double in use, as they play a large part in the cosmetic change and aesthetic of studio 1.
The drapes have helped reduce the possibility of unwanted fill light coming from the white walls that were present in the studio before. This paired with a black coat of paint on the ceiling and walls has made the studio feel a lot more focussed on the shootING that is happening in the cove. Another massive cosmetic change we have made is the floor. We originally wanted a concrete floor for the studio, as it is often a sought after texture to shoot against, but the floor had taken a bit too much of a beating from previous works in the space. We decided to paint the floor a nice neutral grey, to finish off the slick and sophisticated new look and sound of our Studio 1.
Studio 1 Video
Josh Bamber
Founder/Studio Manager
Josh@riverweystudios.co.uk
