On May 24 and 25, fans and concertgoers assembled at the Hollywood Bowl to witness a special live-to-film concert event of Disney’s film “The Lion King.” The immersive 30th Anniversary live-to-film event, also captured for viewing on Disney+, featured a cast of vocal performers alongside a live orchestra to bring the classic film to life for those in attendance. Key to ensuring that the delicate balancing act between the film’s existing soundtrack and the live performers was as spectacular in the broadcast mix as it was in the live mix was the work of HEAR and its Gemini audio mobile.

Arriving a few days before showtime in Gemini, HEAR principals John Harris, Jody Elff and Rob Macomber partnered with orchestra mixer Tommy Vicari and production mixer Paul Wittman. For a show of this size, Gemini’s two identical control rooms served as crucial headquarters for the two complimentary tracts of the show’s audio production, according to HEAR.

“The expectations when we are brought onto a project like this are superior results and high production values within a short time frame,” Macomber said. “Gemini is designed specifically with these high-level productions in mind and because it is two networked control rooms within the same vehicle, we can offer a level of seamless integration and control to the audio of these events that is frankly, unprecedented.”

“With a full orchestra and a voice cast of 77, this show is exactly what Gemini was made to support,” he said.

“There is much to be done in a very short amount of time which requires our team to be very in-sync with the team on site,” Harris said. “From a technical standpoint as we are living in the broadcast audio realm, this means maintaining the highest standards of audio quality, connectivity and sync to ensure that we are providing exactly what is needed for the video component of the show.”

Technology aside, HEAR says the main purpose of the work is fully creative — working alongside the performers to create an emotionally immersive audio experience for those listening along at home that complements and heightens the impact of the visuals.

“Ultimately our goal as music mixers in the broadcast audio realm is creating that feeling of experiencing this music live and all of the feelings that come along with that experience— and that’s more than just creating a competent FOH mix,” Elff said. “We are mixing with the performers and using our production experience to create a live-feeling experience that hits all the emotional high points.”

“For a show like the Lion King which has some truly beloved pieces of music in it, it’s incredibly important that we are contributing to that heightened experience for the viewers at home,” he said.

When it came time to raise the curtain on the performance, Vicari and Wittman each had a control room in Gemini to focus on the Orchestra mix and Production mix at the same time, with Macomber and Harris supporting them. HEAR says Gemini’s workflow and ease of use made it straightforward for both professionals to focus on delivering the best possible mixes.

“This was the first time that I had ever mixed in Gemini and it really was the best of everything we could have possibly had to work with,” Wittman said. “Everything was at our fingertips without any compromises in sound or capability despite budget or space constraints.”

“The pressure was on, but as soon as we started hearing sounds and things coming together, we knew it was going to work.”

Despite Wittman and Vicari working together on the same show at the same time, the workflow within Gemini allowed them to operate independently without unnecessary distractions or communication. HEAR says the seamlessness of the workflow and stability of the Gemini’s technology allowed them to focus fully on the critical creative work of the mixes without fear of technical mishap.

“Gemini is empowering to use as an integrated team, but because of how fluidly we can work within it it allows things to happen independently which often needs to happen on a show of this caliber,” Harris said. “Rob and I were quickly able to settle into a groove alongside Paul and Tommy and ensure that the quality of their work was coming across in the final product.”

“In doing so, we can deliver an audio experience that matches the expectations of what viewers are seeing in the show and maximize the emotional immersion of viewing it,” he added.

“The final product really was a masterpiece of collaboration, Orchestra, conductor, vocalists and the sound mixers all synchronized and created a truly magical experience,” Wittman said. “Blending it all together you get what the audience at these shows were seeing, and when it’s finally available on Disney+ it’s really going to blow people away.”

For more information about HEAR, please visit: https://hearmix.com/