Bell Media
Toronto
Post 207
A Streamlined Workflow in Two Unique Studios
W
By Kevin Young | Photos by Neal Burstyn, NTBCreative.com
hen it comes to
the ever-evolv-
ing production
spaces within
Bell Media’s
main Toronto
facility, accord-
ing to Michael Nunan, “The only constant
is change.”
Nunan would know. He’s spent 23-plus
years in production and post-production
sound and has held the position of senior
manager of broadcast operations, audio, at
Bell Media since August 2014. Suffice to say
he’s seen a significant amount of change
in various post audio workflows and the
technologies that support them throughout
that time.
In March 2018, Nunan, and Production
Audio Supervisor Howard Baggley discussed
the overhaul of CTV’s pre-existing main pro-
duction and Dolby Atmos-equipped room,
Post 207, and the creation of a new room,
ACR 7, with Professional Sound.
“These are projects that are related only
26 • PROFESSIONAL SOUND
insofar in that they have common technol-
ogy, but are themselves emblematic of a
larger, ongoing umbrella project here,” Nunan
shares about Post 207 and ACR 7 – “namely,
creating a standard and technological syner-
gy between various facilities.
“That’s directly related to the fact that
we undertook this large plan to create
common monitoring and metering every-
where in the company in all critical path
environments, both video and audio,” he
continues. “So it doesn’t matter whether
you’re a master control operator listening in
a master control or QC room, a video editor
or producer in a control room, or an audio
guy mixing in a post sound mix theatre
or control room – we want everything to
sound the same for everybody.”
That’s of key importance given that
any CTV clients, on any given day, will have
multiple experiences listening to the same
content in, for example, a video editing
suite, a mix room for post, and in the control
room when the show is being packaged.
“They’re going to get different experiences
of the same content as it moves through the
contribution, distribution, and production
pathways,” says Nunan, “so we want to elim-
inate as much of the variability as possible
and make sure everyone is hearing what’s
actually there.”
Given Bell Media’s status as a leading
Canadian content creator with a variety
of television properties – including TSN
and RDS, multiple pay TV services, and, of
course, the CTV network – both rooms are
and will continue to be used for a wide
range of content.
Work on Post 207 began as CTV sought
to beef up its infrastructure ahead of the
2010 and ’12 Olympic games in Vancouver
and London, respectively. The first step of
that was seeking new monitoring solutions
in 2008.
Following a shoot out of multiple man-
ufacturers’ products, the network decided to
go with Klein & Hummel loudspeakers. When
the brand was integrated into Sennheiser
and Neumann in 2009, however, they took
a second look and listen to ensure nothing
had changed that would affect their decision;
in fact, Nunan says, they were pleased to