New appointments and investment to the ADR department cement Molinare’s commitment and expansion of its recording facilities.
Molinare, the UK’s leading post-production facility, has announced the appointment of James Battley as Senior ADR Mixer. In addition to the appointment and in line with the department’s growth, the company also announces the promotion of Jed Milton to Lead Recording Engineer. The two appointments sit alongside the company’s continued development of its ADR and recording facilities, demonstrating its dedication in delivering the highest quality solutions across TV, film and games.
Battley brings nearly 20 years of experience to Molinare, starting his career in 2006 at the BBC in the company’s Outside Broadcasting outfit. Over the next six years, Battley started audio editing, moving into the mix, eventually recording voice talent and mixing for broadcast. In 2012, Battley made the move to SIDE, when the company had shifted its focus on providing ADR solutions for video games, cinematics and Head Mounted Camera (HMC) workflows for performance capture. After four years, Battley was tasked with setting up SIDE’s new Los Angeles office, overseeing the technical set up and leading the engineering department for its first five years of operation.
Since moving back to London in 2021, Battley has worked as a freelance ADR Mixer and Recordist, working with studios across London. Since 2021, Battley has contributed to titles from broadcasters and production companies including Netflix, HBO, the BBC, Channel 4, Blizzard, Square Enix, Ubisoft, linear titles such as The Watcher, Break Point, The Kitchen, The Simpsons, Jackdaw and Sexy Beast. Interactive titles include, Diablo IV, Valorant, A Plague Tale: Requiem and Final Fantasy XVI. In 2023, Battley was nominated for an MPSE Golden Reel Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Editing, for his work on Sony’s God of War: Ragnarök.
Joining Molinare in 2020, Milton has been instrumental in the company’s growing ADR department, implementing creative recording solutions, developing seamless and efficient workflows that are unique to Molinare. Redefining the landscape of ADR, the team, led by Jed have seamlessly blended traditional post-production excellence with an innovative, on-set style workflow that mirrors the exact signal chain of high-end productions. The approach extends beyond conventional ADR methods by employing the identical microphones and analogue mixing desks, like the esteemed Audio Developments AD149, used during filming. This meticulous replication of on-set audio environments, complemented by strategic microphone placement to replicate real-life audio perspectives, ensures studio-recorded dialogue indistinguishably matches the original on-location sound. Molinare’s unique capability to emulate the precise signal chain and workflow of high-end productions sets a new standard in audio post-production, offering a superior, authentic sonic experience that aligns with the most rigorous demands of today’s filmmakers.
Using his many years of experience developing innovative ADR and recording workflows, Battley will work closely with Milton to further develop tools and solutions for the company’s performance capture, HMC and ADR services.
James and Jed are core players of our audio post-production revolution leading our ADR and Voice department with a fresh, ground breaking approach that transcends traditional boundaries. Their adeptness in mic placement, signal flow and deep commitment to talent welfare aren’t just techniques; they’re transformative practices that breathe life into each project, ensuring every piece of audio not only meets but surpasses expectations. With James and Jed’s unmatched expertise and Carnaby Street’s legacy of creative breakthroughs fuelling us, Molinare is crafting audio experiences that push boundaries and set new standards. We’re not just keeping up with the times; we’re creating the future of sound, one innovative project at a time.
Glen Gathard, Sound Supervisor at Molinare
When looking at the vision of the department and the scope we are given to innovate, it’s a great time. James is an absolute key addition for us to continue pushing and building more efficient solutions, while delivering the best results. It is exciting to see how new innovations in tech can improve our experience and speed up workflows. Better EQ matching plugins, reverb matching plugins, Pro Tools SDK, and AI to automate the repetitive parts, but keep the creative parts alive for professionals.
Jed Milton, Lead Recording Engineer at Molinare
There were many things that drew me to Molinare. Their dedication to becoming a leader in training the next generation in our industry, and for that to be their legacy hugely resonated with me. It’s this and their ambition to becoming as diverse as the city we are based in. Hearing that was incredibly refreshing, and something I couldn’t be more on board with. I hope to be proud of contributing to this endeavour in the future.
The scale and ambition Molinare has for the department is admirable, but even more so the ethos of not being the largest but being the best. This is a continuing mission I couldn’t resist being a part of. I am truly excited to be on this journey with Molinare, contributing to the development of the department, whilst delivering audio excellence to our clients.
James Battley, Senior ADR Mixer at Molinare
