Halo Vision (Nugen), plugin for 3D audio design with Atmos

Composer and mixer Michael Phillips Keeley, a reference in the development of immersive narratives through audio with an extensive career in the film industry and together with such relevant institutions as the Griffith Observatory, integrates the Halo Vision plugin into his workflow. Nugen Audio, an essential 3D immersive analysis tool for your projects Dolby Atmos.

Since immersive formats like Dolby Atmos require precise placement of objects and careful management of bases, Keeley often resorts to 3D immersive visualization real-time Halo Vision to maintain a control total on the distribution of energy throughout the mixture. "For me, Halo Vision isn't just a meter, it's a spatial compass. The plugin's immersive 3D perception gives me instant visual clarity that helps me know exactly where the energy is for critical cinematic mixes."

Esa spatial perception becomes essential when it comes to ensuring that a mix translates to all formats, since Keeley He usually delivers projects in multiple formats. “These features give me a fast, creative workflow and translation I can trust, so my creative intent is preserved when moving from Atmos to 7.1, 5.1, stereo and binaural,” he explains.

Keeley uses Halo Vision in a number of high-profile projects, including cinematic trailers, streaming premieres and immersive mixes, as well as others specialized projects. Recently, in the Observatorio Griffith, Keeley used Nugen Audio solutions to mix the famous show Signs of Life of the planetarium in immersive 28.1 surround sound, navigating the unique demands of dome-based audio presentation. He has also recently worked on mixing Pacific Standard Universe, a show in Dolby Atmos for the Leonard Nimoy Event Horizon Theater.

Halo Vision takes on great importance in those immersive enclosures on a large scale, where the speakers surround and sit above the audience, as it allows me to visually see how the energy is distributed through the sound dome. "Visualizing the plug-in's 3D sound field allows me to confirm that percussive beats, ambient backgrounds, and moving objects remain balanced and cohesive throughout the space. It's also a great help in determining where and how to move certain objects around the room and how wide to give some of the backgrounds," says Keeley.

Halo Vision, in the movie Valley of the Horntak

Keeley also deployed the Nugen plugin on Valley of the Horntak, movie horror and suspense in which Keeley He participated as a composer and re-recording mixer. In his own words: "As a composer, I recorded the instruments directly into Dolby Atmos, capturing them spatially from the beginning. When it came time to mix, it sounded exactly as it had been recorded. By mixing powerful percussive elements into Atmos for this project, Halo Vision allowed me to visually track where the energy was building in the studio and in the room. It was very beneficial for the mix."

Keeley's creative process often incorporates unusual sound design elements. conventional, as was the case of Valley of the Horntak, where he recorded environmental sources, including a jackhammer and even the subtle internal textures of a mushroom using biosonification. These elements were manipulated and their tone modified before being mixed into Dolby Atmos: "Halo Vision was instrumental in this process. I used the Nugen Audio Halo Upmix plugin to mix the sources into Dolby Atmos, and finally I used Halo Vision to see how that base translated. That approach created an immersive pad in the room that looked great."