Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Blackmagic Design s Fairlight Used By WWE For Audio Post Production

01/03/2017

World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) relies on Blackmagic Design's Fairlight DAWs with Xynergi controllers for all of its audio post production needs, including audio post production on the recent Smackdown Holiday Tour. The WWE's VP of Post Production, Chris Argento, and his team have used Fairlight to help deliver tens of thousands of broadcast, online and social media projects across the WWE's numerous properties.

WWE is an integrated media organization that delivers original content 52 weeks a year. WWE programming reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide in 25 languages. WWE Network, the first-ever 24/7 over-the-top premium network that includes all of WWE's live specials including WrestleMania and SummerSlam, as well as scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library, is currently available in more than 180 countries.

We've been using Fairlight at WWE since 1997. We've never lost a session and we are still able to open projects from 19 years ago in just a few clicks. That's something you just don't see from any other manufacturer, says Argento. This level of reliability is key for us as WWE never has an off season.' The content is all storyline-based, and the story continues 52 weeks a year on all WWE platforms.

Argento and his team handle all audio post for WWE out of six Xynergi-equipped audio suites complete with Fairlight PYXIS video recording and playback and CC-2 audio engines. The content includes long format shows, spots, social media, short format and dramatic packages, 17 pay-per-view specials, such as WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and Survivor Series, promotional packages, corporate videos, sales videos, roll-in material for the two weekly live shows, and more. Because the majority of the content is storyline-based, WWE relies on promo material, dramatic packages and cold opens to catch viewers up and explain the plots.

As we are telling different stories, we are showing histories of conflict between wrestlers or background on a wrestler. We might have to pull something from last week, last month or last year, and Fairlight makes that a seamless process, says Argento. Not only do I know the clips are there, but I can access them in just a few clicks. We also rely on this efficiency because our deadlines are short, and we need to deliver fast.

While Argento and his team may have a few days for a deliverable, the majority of the content is needed as soon as possible. Sometimes we have days before a deadline, or we are mixing a two minute package and feeding it to the truck over satellite five minutes before a show, he notes. The content will usually change too, so even if we complete it days ahead of time, we will make changes just before it airs. We are used to rapid adjustments and constant change, and we depend on Fairlight's reliability and efficiency to support our workflow.

As the shows are taped in various arenas around the country or transmitted live, the video content is ingested into WWE's library. As the producers cut packages and create shows from the raw materials, Argento receives AAF files and flattened MXF-wrapped video files for sound designing, editing music and mixing.

Argento and his team often make use of Fairlight's library file feature, which allows them to import multiple edits from another timeline across multiple tracks and clips in an instant, just by opening the project in the library.

When you sound design 30 seconds of something and that 30 seconds shows up as part of another show, it's not a matter of getting a mix of that 30 seconds, but you get that entire chunk of work in no time at all. Just open the library file, grab the portions you want and import them. You get all edits, all EQ, all level and more across multiple clips, essentially duplicating small portions of other projects, which is a huge time saver, says Argento.

Fairlight's audio base is the greatest thing ever. You can find and spot sound effects in its library faster than you can with any other program, continues Argento. We use a bunch of sampling to make crazy wrestling sounds, for example a person getting thrown through a wall, which we store in the library. As our shows are made, we are collecting bits and pieces of sound and put them right into the audio base so they are searchable and available in the library in all the audio rooms.

I'm able to play the AAF and flattened MXF-wrapped video files off of any server in the building with PYXIS. As changes keep coming in, I can layer the different versions of the video tracks, comparing them to see where things have moved. I can then make accommodations or alterations to match the audio to the newer more polished video. I mix to stems, combine them into the full mix and send back to the server to remarry with the video, says Argento.

The level of synchronicity between the video and audio, having control of the picture and it being so locked to the sound is astounding. In the middle of auditioning a sound effect, I can park on a frame and spot the sound effect to a sync point in the frame on the fly, says Argento.

I can also pull in almost any type of video from any server in the building and play it in real time, continuously updating it while keeping all versions of the video stacked on my timeline, says Argento. I can even pull off rough video edits right on the timeline, cutting audio and video together, and resume my session without worrying that the audio won't match the picture later. I can't overemphasize the importance of video because audio post is a process for video.

With so many international deliverables, Fairlight's ADR mode allows Chris and his team to bring the video files in with audio and make new mixes on the fly. Much of the international work that's not live is done in post. We r
LINK: http://www.sportsvideo.org/2017/02/28/blackmagic-designs-firelight-use...
See more stories from svg

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

01/06/2026

Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 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...

01/05/2026

NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to Integrate Dolby's Full Suite of Premium Picture and Sound Innovations

January 5 2026, 18:30 (PST) NBCUniversal's Peacock to Be First Streamer to ...

01/04/2026

DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION

January 4 2026, 18:00 (PST) DOLBY AND DOUYIN EMPOWER THE NEXT GENERATON OF CREATORS WITH DOLBY VISION Douyin Users Can Now Create And Share Videos With Stun...

08/01/2026

Richard E. Wiley to Step Down as Media Institute's Chairman

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

08/01/2026

Cineverse Acquires Giant Worldwide

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

08/01/2026

Maxon Introduces Cinebench 2026

Maxon's new release of Cinebench features performance enhancements and adds support for the latest Nvidia and AMD GPUs as well as Apple Silicon. Maxon is t...

08/01/2026

Zixi Accelerates Global Growth with Appointment of Heathe...

Zixi, the industry leader in IP-based video transport and orchestration, today announced the appointment of Heather Mellish as Vice President, Global Sales. In...

08/01/2026

Pebble future-proofs playout at Canal Sur

Pebble, the leading automation, content management and integrated channel specialist, has provided a complete update of its installation at Canal Sur in Spain. ...

08/01/2026

Panasonics success in US market with Flagship Z95B OLED T...

iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, proudly announces the success of its collaboration with Panasonic on the Z95B OLED TV, o...

08/01/2026

Secuoya Chile Invests in Ikegami UHK-X600 and UHL-X40 Cam...

Secuoya Chile, a leading provider of television content creation and supporting services, has invested in Ikegami UHK-X600 and UHL-X40 broadcast cameras as the ...

08/01/2026

Kiloview Highlights its Integrated AV-over-IP Ecosystem a...

Kiloview, a global leader in AV-over-IP solutions, will showcase its latest innovations at ISE 2026, highlighting the continued evolution of its complete, light...

08/01/2026

iWedia and Realtek Strengthen Collaboration to Shape the...

iWedia, a global leader in software solutions for connected TV devices, and Realtek, a leading global SoC design house, today announced the next phase of their ...

08/01/2026

CJP Broadcast delivers new pitch-side media facility for...

CJP Broadcast has completed a new pitch-side media installation for Cinderford RFC, creating a flexible production setup that supports match coverage, coaching ...

08/01/2026

PlayBox Neo CEO Defines Vision for 2026 after Record Year...

PlayBox Neo further drives momentum in Playout, Streaming, Media Management and Delivery "With a brand new year at PlayBox Neo already off to a flying start, I...

08/01/2026

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents Second Annual Commercial Dance BFA Concert

Boston Conservatory at Berklee Presents Second Annual Commercial Dance BFA Conce...

07/01/2026

SVG Summit 2025: All General Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAY

SVG Summit 2025: All General Sessions Now Available to Watch on SVG PLAYThe SVG Summit celebrated its 20th edition with a loaded agendaBy Brandon Costa, Directo...

07/01/2026

NBCU's Brings Rinkside Live' and Courtside Live' Features to Peacock for Legendary February'

NBCU's Brings Rinkside Live' and Courtside Live' Features to Peaco...

07/01/2026

A Defining Moment for Podcasts: Spotify Kicks Off Week of Festivities After Contributing More Than $10 Billion to the Industry

Spotify is launching a week-long celebration spotlighting creators at the center...

07/01/2026

Introducing Listening Activity and Request to Jam in Messages on Spotify

We know people use Spotify not just to listen, but to share the songs, podcasts, and audiobooks they love with their friends and family. When we launched Messag...

07/01/2026

Go Inside Spotify Sycamore Studios, Our New State-of-the-Art Podcast Studio in Hollywood

This week, all eyes are on the podcast industry as the Golden Globes recognizes ...

07/01/2026

Making It Easier for Video Podcasters to Earn on Spotify

Podcasts are stepping onto a new stage this week as the Golden Globes recognize the medium for the first time. To mark this milestone moment, we're hosting ...

07/01/2026

Invitation to Submit Proposals for Micro-Budget Film Projects 2026

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), in collaboration with a distributor, is commissioning new micro-budget fiction feature films and invites eligible...

07/01/2026

For L3Harris, the Action Starts Six Seconds Before Artemis II Lifts Off

NASA's Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at ...

07/01/2026

L3Harris ROVER and TNR Products Receive NSA Approval for International Sales

For the first time ever, new C' variants allow international users to interoperate with U.S. personnel via NSA-certified cryptography....

07/01/2026

ATSC 3.0 Home Gateways To Appear At CES 2026

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

SDVI Names Simon Eldridge Chief Operating Officer

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Globecast Promotes Chris Pulis to Group Chief Technology Officer

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

English Football League Secures Match Streams With Nagravision

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Kristy Santiago Named GM of Gray Stations in Missouri, Kentucky

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Proton to Feature New Zoom Capability for 4K Minicam at Hamburg Open

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Warner Bros. Discovery Rejects Latest Paramount Offer

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

NBCUniversal Sells Out Ad Inventory for Olympic Winter Games

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

New AES Technical Document Focuses on Dialogue Intelligibility

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

CTA: U.S. Consumer Tech Revenue to Hit $565 Billion in 2026

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

NBCUniversal Upgrades AI-Powered Guide for 2026 Winter Olympics

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Parks: Smart TVs Are Primary Streaming Device in U.S. Homes

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Clear-Com to Feature 4-Channel HelixNet Beltpack at ISE 2026

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Cable Center to Sell Its Building to University of Denver

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

CES: Aktas AI-First Video Platform Adds New Capabilities

Share Share by: Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Pinterest Flipboard...

07/01/2026

Space42 and Abu Dhabi Police Sign MoU to Advance Smart Autonomous Mobility and Security Solutions

Abu Dhabi, UAE 7, January 2026 - Abu Dhabi Police and Space42 (ADX: SPACE42), ...

07/01/2026

The Trailer of 'Paparazzi King': The 5-Episode Docuseries Coming Only on Netflix January 9

Back to All News The Trailer of Paparazzi King: The 5-Episode Docuseries Coming...

07/01/2026

Netflix Supports Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Commitment to Merger Agreement

Back to All News Netflix Supports Warner Bros. Discovery Board's Commitment...

07/01/2026

What Next? Netflix Reveals Series, Films and Games Coming in 2026

Back to All News What Next? Netflix Reveals Series, Films and Games Coming in 2026 Entertainment 07 January 2026 Global Link copied to clipboard Download ...

07/01/2026

From Warehouse to Wallet: New State of AI in Retail and CPG Survey Uncovers How AI Is Rewiring Supply Chains and Customer Experiences

AI has transformed retail and consumer packaged goods (CPG) operations, enhancin...

06/01/2026

Peacock Bringing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to Live Sports Content

Peacock Bringing Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos to Live Sports ContentPeacock is the first streamer to embrace Dolbys full suite of advanced picture/sound innovat...

06/01/2026

Milano Cortina 2026: Listening to the Sounds of Powder and Ice With a Behind the Scenes Tour of OBS and NBC's Audio Set Ups

SVG Europe Audio: Listening to the sounds of powder and ice at Milano Cortina wi...

06/01/2026

Quintar Meta Spatial SDK Integration Promises Next-Level XR Experiences

Quintar Meta Spatial SDK Integration Promises Next-Level XR ExperiencesBy Ken Kerschbaumer, Editorial Director Tuesday, January 6, 2026 - 9:41 am Print This...