Nigel Heath pours a glass of cold, bubbling lager; it clinks, foams and flows down the vessel with a satisfying, creamy fizz. Sitting in the hi-tech warren that is Hackenbacker Post Production, it’s easy to find reasons like this to celebrate nearly 30 years of audio post-production at the highest level, writes Phil Ward.
The company began as a sound transfer facility in the mid-1980s, drawing upon Heath’s experience in Soho transferring classic shows such as Minder from quarter-inch rushes to 16mm and 35mm film stock. Innovations such as stereo, time-coded 16mm, quite a feat, earned Heath a reputation among composers struggling to synchronise in a projector-driven world.
