DPA Creates Behind-the-Scenes Audio Magic at Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge
Sound Supervisor for the reality competition relies on company's d:screet 4063 Miniature and variety of Shotgun Microphones for hosts, mentors and cast.
The Jim Henson Creature ShopTM, founded by leading puppeteer Jim Henson and British illustrator Brian Froud, has been a successful leader in special/visual effects for more than 30 years. Now, the company's famed effects designers are entering a new venture by bringing us Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge, an eight-week reality competition on the SyFy network. The series focuses on 10 creature designers from across the country, who compete in weekly challenges and screen tests with hopes of winning the grand prize, a job at The Jim Henson Creature Shop. To handle the ever-changing filming needs of the show, the sound crew selected a combination of DPA Microphones' d:screet 4063 Omnidirectional Miniature Microphones for ENG, as well as the d:dicate 4017 and 4018 Microphones for booming, to provide dynamic audio and a low profile.
Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge provides contestants with a unique and innovative creative environment. The show dares participants to design and build movable, articulate creatures that must perform and be camera ready for a Hollywood screen test in front of a panel of expert judges within a few days' time. Given the style of the programming, which requires live shots in the design room, interviews with the contestants and a live' stage setup during the judging, Daniel McCoy, sound supervisor, credits DPA Microphones and his audio crew for creating a solution that fit the complex environment on set.
We had a really solid audio crew that could go back and forth from web interviews, to a stage screen test, explains McCoy. We filmed at the Creature Shop where the contestants develop their creations, which is not on the Jim Henson lot, and on the Jim Henson stage, where there would be a new set every week to coincide with the theme of the week. There was a lot of behind-the-camera magic that happened seamlessly, a lot of versatility and multi-tasking, and all of the DPA mics handled the job beautifully. Even in the shop, where we had a lot of noise, or in some instances during screen tests when the judges wanted to hear the puppeteers perform in real-time, both the d:screet and d:dicate mics were able to give us live sound reinforcement without any feedback.
But the show isn't just a rare event for the contestants. McCoy knew that the opportunity to provide audio for such a legendary company meant that he needed a versatile microphone solution with professional sound quality to match the legacy. To do this, he needed to look no further than his own supply of DPA Microphones.
I was really excited to use the same DPA mics that I've been using on film sets in a reality setting, says McCoy, who has been an avid DPA user for many years. Most reality TV shows don't invest in high-quality mics, so it felt good being able to give cinematic tools to a reality show with a cinematic legacy. DPA mics help me be a better mixer and the d:screet 4063s were especially crucial as they are able to offer a higher resolution to the experience, which gives a more even response and a better dynamic range.
The d:screet 4063 was built to be used in a variety of settings including theater, television and close-mic instrument applications, as it is an easily concealable mic with the high-quality audio for which DPA Microphones are known. The low voltage omnidirectional capsule, which has low sensitivity, picks up sound with no need to be directly pointed at the audio source, perfect for creatures that are built with multiple layers of fabric, animatronics and foam. Additionally, the d:dicate 4017B Shotguns and 4018 Supercardioids, with B and C preamps, provide accuracy, clarity and musicality that is perfect for reality-style production.
The show goes beyond anything I've seen on reality programs and it has really sparked my imagination, adds McCoy. Having grown up with the Henson legacy, it was an honor to be able to give back as their sound supervisor for the show.
Hosted by actress Gigi Edgley, The Creature Shop Challenge airs Tuesday nights at 10/9 central. Judges include Brian Henson, chairman of the Jim Henson Company; Beth Hathaway, fabricate and costume specialist; and Kirk Thatcher, Emmy Award-winning writer and producer. Guest mentors include Peter Brooke, Julie Zobel and John Criswell.
The Jim Henson Company was founded in 1979 by puppetry master, Jim Henson, most notable for creating trademark characters for The Muppets. Now owned by Henson's children, the company continues to bring pre-eminent characters and visual effects to life for television, film, theme parks and advertising clients.
Currently the owner and operator of ToneMesa, Inc., a location and post audio company based in Los Angeles, McCoy started out as an assistant music engineer, working with legendary music producer, T Bone Burnett. His career evolved to film and TV, where he worked with film producer Peter Guber. He has received two Daytime Emmy Awards for Best Live Audio Mix to Tape for his work on the Ellen Degeneres Show and a Grammy Award nomination for Best Engineered Album for Brian Wilson's first self-titled solo project. In early 2008, McCoy became one of the youngest members of the Cinema Audio Society.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
08/05/2026
Liberty University on why broadcast technology isn't just a technical invest...
08/05/2026
COW Jobs: UGC, On-Camera Video Content
Brie Clayton May 7, 2026
0 Comments
UGC, On-Camera Video Content
April 17, 2026Documentary Editor - US,......
07/05/2026
Journalists reporting on Sudan are working in one of the most complex and fast-m...
07/05/2026
Multi-year partnership positions Victory+ as a free home for Dallas Cowboys orig...
07/05/2026
From sideline reporting to directing and producing, the talented sophomore is building a well-rounded foundation for a career in live sports production
In the ...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital has received two Future Best of Show awards at NAB Show 2026. The COBALT blueCORE platform was recognized by TV Tech, and the COBALT PACIFIC ULL-...
07/05/2026
ESPN analyst Mina Kimes will host the televised semifinals and finals of the 202...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI, the global film streaming platform, has selected Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner. Bitmovin's encoding infrastru...
07/05/2026
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises and the U.S. Soccer Federation have announced...
07/05/2026
Angel City Football Club (ACFC) and Victory have announced a regional broadcast partnership bringing live match coverage to fans across the greater Los Angeles...
07/05/2026
Spiideo has announced the launch of AI Highlights inside Spiideo Play, its automated sports production platform. AI Highlights combines video, event data, audio...
07/05/2026
Leostream Corporation has announced a unified remote access ecosystem for high-p...
07/05/2026
The Atlanta Dream has partnered with Victory to stream all locally broadcast Dream games for free, expanding the team's digital distribution strategy and g...
07/05/2026
Riedel Communications has announced the appointment of Marc Engroff as Chief Fin...
07/05/2026
SES and ARD, Germany's largest public broadcasting network, have announced a long-term extension of their satellite distribution partnership through 2039. U...
07/05/2026
UpLight Technologies delivers a flexible video and lighting system for a new televised sportLaunching the Pro Cheer League required more than creating a compell...
07/05/2026
Full Day Productions and GSE Worldwide have announced Spikes Under the Lights, a...
07/05/2026
Seit dem Start im Jahr 2023 hat DJ (Beta) das personalisierte H rerlebnis von 94...
07/05/2026
Da quando stata presentata nel 2023, DJ (beta) ha aiutato a definire un'esperienza d'ascolto pi personalizzata per 94 milioni di utenti Spotify Premi...
07/05/2026
Since launching in 2023, DJ (beta) has helped shape a more personalized listenin...
07/05/2026
Desde o lan amento em 2023, o DJ (beta) j ajudou a deixar a experi ncia de ouvi...
07/05/2026
From our earliest days, Spotify has been built on a simple principle: Great audio should be easy to reach. It's what's driven us to expand from music to...
07/05/2026
Asian and Pacific Islander artists continue to shape the global soundscape, pushing creative boundaries and connecting with fans worldwide. This Asian & Pacific...
07/05/2026
Company announce long-requested choir instrument
In the latest expansion of their Symphonic Elements series, UJAM have introduced an all-new vocal instrumen...
07/05/2026
Modular-inspired sound generation with digital control
Buchla have introduced Ziggy, a new compact synthesizer built around the company's complex oscill...
07/05/2026
Combines analogue voices with digital synthesis and sequencing
Polyend have announced Drums, a new hybrid analogue and digital drum machine that combines sy...
07/05/2026
Control surface now officially supports four DAWs
When Nektar launched the Panorama CS12 control surface, it worked exclusively with Apple's Logic Pro, ...
07/05/2026
In the first quarter 2026, SGL Carbon generated consolidated sales of 184.5 million, which was 49.8 million, or 21.3%, lower than in the prior year (Q1 2025: ...
07/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz and Greenerwave achieve precise and fast ESA antenna characteriz...
07/05/2026
Two multi-role L3Harris products - the Red Wolf launched effects vehicle and SK...
07/05/2026
L3Harris will be developing key features of a secure and resilient digital infra...
07/05/2026
Alysa Liu and Shohei Ohtani Help Drive Viewership as 91 of the Top 100 Broadcast...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
Cobalt Digital Wins Two Future Best of Show Awards at 2026 NAB Show
Manufacturer Recognized by TV Tech and TVBEurope for Innovation in signal processing
Cobal...
07/05/2026
Software and hardware platforms, AI power and user-friendliness on show...
07/05/2026
Intinor will demonstrate its latest technical enhancements for the Direkt series at BroadcastAsia 2026. With a continued focus on reliable contribution and remo...
07/05/2026
Bitmovin has announced that MUBI has chosen Bitmovin as its cloud VOD encoding partner, replacing MUBI's legacy on premises encoding setup to improve scalab...
07/05/2026
Meet Graduates from Berklees Class of 2026 Members of this years graduating class reflect on their proudest moments at Berklee and look ahead to whats next.
...
07/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
07/05/2026
At BroadcastAsia 2026, Interra Systems will demonstrate its latest innovations in automated quality control (QC), real-time monitoring, and captioning. The comp...
07/05/2026
At this year's Broadcast Asia, PlayBox Neo is set to unveil recent innovations across its PlayBox Neo Suite and integrated range of broadcast media solution...
DPA Creates Behind-the-Scenes Audio Magic at Jim Henson's Creature Shop Challenge
