Maybe it's the smaller, friendlier, indie-style vibe. Maybe it's the talented staff. Or maybe it's the fact that getting in and out is no hassle — unlike at many of the major film studios these days where just getting on the lot and parking can take half-an-hour. Whatever the reason, Wilshire Stages (www.wilshirestages.com) in the centrally located midtown section of Los Angeles has become known as a low-key, unpretentious and extremely tech-savvy place for film and television post-production and mixing.

With its three main Harrison console — equipped dubbing stages, ADR and Foley stages, and sound editorial rooms, Wilshire has amassed a string of cool credits and staked a claim as the foremost independent in town. “What's interesting about us is that, under one roof, we do so many different kinds of work,” comments senior VP Paul Rodriguez, “from IMAX movies to features to episodic television and ISDN ADR.”

“We're kind of under the radar,” adds chief technician Mike Morongell. “In our Studio B, we do feature film work and some of the higher-profile TV shows with more complicated sound. Our mixers have film backgrounds that they've adapted to television. A lot of TV shows have tons of effects these days, so that gives them an edge.

“With TV, it's about getting the level,” Morongell continues. “You've got to be able to not just mix, but also control dynamics and meet the criteria of the broadcasters and their different rules. Our mixers are really good at that. Also, everybody wants to make 5.1 stems for their DVDs, but shows are often broadcast in Lt/Rt stereo. Here, they can record and monitor in all of the different ways.

“There's a lot of information and media to be managed. The audio technician role has changed, in many ways, to being an IT job. We do all that, but we also really want our projects to sound great. I go to the movie theater and listen to all of our shows on the air. What comes out of here definitely holds up.”

Wilshire Stages' credits include feature films such as The Fast & The Furious, Far From Heaven, Disclosure and The Mighty Wind, as well as TV's The Shield and Las Vegas. Recent projects have included mixing for TV's The Inside, Family Guy and American Dad; on the film side, work includes ADR for War of the Worlds and mixing for The Wendell Baker Story, Mike Judge's Idiocracy and My Life in Idlewild.