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Gimlet Media is showcasing its new 28,000 square foot production facility based in downtown Brooklyn. Gimlet Technical Director Austin Thompson said this is a realization of what Gimlet has always strived to achieve, “The mission here is to be the best in class in podcasting. So when we outgrew our previous facility, I knew we had to get the best people we could get our hands on to design our new home.”
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Gimlet Technical Director Austin Thompson in Gimlet’s Studio 3.[/caption]
The studios were designed in tandem with the acoustic architectural firm Walters-Storyk Design Group.
The new Brooklyn facility features 12 podcast studios, custom designed for different production needs, with each aligning to a consistent sonic signature. The studios fit together in a honeycomb fashion, maximizing the use of the available space while providing comfort and an abundance of natural light.
Walters-Storyk Design Group Project Manager Romina Larregina says Gimlet’s needs grew very quickly. “When they started they had 30 people, and now they have over 100. Therefore, they required a space that not only allowed them to keep growing but remain on the cutting edge of what they wanted to accomplish.”
Each studio is outfitted with top of the line microphones and recording equipment, and all of the sound is routed digitally through a customized Q-SYS Platform, designed specifically for Gimlet’s unique needs by Thompson and Matt Gajowniczek of Chicago-based integrator SPL. This provides podcast producers with the ability to work in rooms specifically designed for their needs, taking advantage of state-of-the-art technological advances in soundproofing, digital recording, mixing, and monitoring.
In addition to the specially designed podcast spaces, the production facility also boasts a
traditional recording studio with additional soundproofing and a 375 square foot live room. The abundance of space allows ample room for unique needs – like Gimlet’s scripted fiction shows, while enabling in-house recording of music for their various podcasts. Thompson says, “Licensing music can get very expensive and good content is tough to find. Having our own studio allows us to compose custom music at a larger scale."
Photos credits to Cheryl Fleming Photography