Four-time Oscar-nominated Hollywood mixer, Dennis S. Sands, has leveraged his extensive experience and expertise in both orchestral recording and film score mixing into the evolution of Sound Waves SB, the world’s first and only private studio equipped with the revolutionary Dolby Atmos™ system.
With a resume that reads like a USC post-graduate film student’s thesis on the history of American cinema; if you’ve seen landmark films such as The Shawshank Redemption, Good Will Hunting, Independence Day, The Horse Whisperer, and Who Framed Roger Rabbit, plus recent blockbusters including Captain America—The First Avenger and Godzilla 2014; you’ve heard the remarkable artistry and signature sound of Dennis Sands.
Beginning his film career as scoring mixer for the feature, Movie Movie, Sands has racked up an impressive 282 credits to date. His Oscar nominations for Best Achievement In Sound Mixing include Forrest Gump, Contact, Cast Away, and The Polar Express. Sands also has six additional C.A.S, Golden Reel, and Satellite Award nominations, plus six wins, including a Primetime Emmy and a Grammy for Best Score Soundtrack Album for the film, American Beauty.
Always looking to bring his art to a higher level, Sands was recently introduced to the Dolby Atmos audio platform at an L.A. dub stage, and immediately recognized its potential to provide unprecedented control of sound placement, and in turn, a unique, immersive experience for filmgoers. That encounter prompted Sands to outfit his already impressive studio with the Dolby Atmos system, enabling him to deliver a film score in any format, including Atmos, 5.1, 7.1, and stereo.
The facility itself has a pedigree as impressive as Sands’ long list of illustrious credits. Originally built by action-film director, Andrew Davis (The Fugitive), the studio, now known as Sound Waves SB, was designed by Tomlinson Holman (the “TH” of THX) and outfitted from top to bottom by RSPE Audio Solutions of Los Angeles in conjunction with Ron Lagerlof of Visioneering Design.
While Sound Waves SB is a convenient and pleasant drive up the PCH for the LA film community, its Santa Barbara location makes Sound Waves SB a choice destination for the international film industry as well. A prime vacation spot on the California coast, Santa Barbara ensures beautiful surroundings, physical comfort, and great food—essential components for any creative endeavor.
We will let Dennis tell you about Sound Waves SB in his own words.