L.A. Studios’ location is just like its business across boundaries. The audio recording and mixing facility is located exactly in the Cahuenga Pass, meaning that its executive can claim it is located in both the San Fernando Valley and “over the hill.” But his business serves Hollywood. The firm’s ability to work on different kinds of productions mirrors its geographical presence. The production house offers state-of-the-art sound recording technology to producers of TV series, video games, commercials, and of course, feature films. Since 1979, when its Cahuenga Pass location opened, it has expanded by opening new facilities, exactly every decade. Margarita Mix in Hollywood opened in 1989 and Margarita Mix de Santa Monica debuted in 1999. “It just happened that way,” said Jesse Meli, the company’s “chief,” who resembles a wrestler or a bouncer with his large, muscular frame. Meli, who came from New York in 1997 to replace L.A. Studios’ previous chief executive who was involved in an auto accident, has steered the company through tough times that were outside of its control: the Screen Actors’ Guild strike, Sept. 11 terror attacks and runaway production chiefly among them. Throughout the slowdown in Hollywood-based productions and drop in advertising, L.A. Studios avoided losses and managed to post “flat” results when conditions were at their worst, Meli said. But the turnaround has come. This year, Meli expects revenues to grow about eight percent compared to last year, which was “flat” compared to 2002. In 2001, the company posted three percent growth over 2000, he said. The secrets to L.A. Studios success lie within its employees and what they offer to the Hollywood’s A-list talent that passes through their business’ doors. The firm is employee-owned, which gives it an element of pride that “mirrors family business (where) employees socialize with each other” and there is a “family vibe,” Meli said. And the company is unmistakably Valley. “The majority of the staff is Valley-based,” Meli said. The company’s almost “zero” attrition is further proof it is like a family, Meli said. The senior mixer “has been around” since L.A. Studios opened its doors in 1979, as was the receptionist. In addition to the good vibes, money is invested to make L.A. Studios’ facility feel homey. Couches and wall decorations have a part vintage coffee shop, part bookstore feel. Within that setting are high-tech sound recording and mixing consoles, located within six soundproof booths. There is also digital technology that enables recorded voices to be transmitted to other locations “anywhere in the world,” Meli said. For “talent” such as Robert DeNiro, who recorded his part of DreamWorks’ “Shark Tale” at L.A. Studios, and other actors and actresses, staff does everything it can. “We have people on staff to pamper talent,” Meli said. “Actors want to work here.” The accessibility factor led Los Angeles-based Automat Pictures to pick L.A. Studios and its two satellite facilities for recording and mixing director DVD commentary of John Carpenter’s “Ghosts of Mars,” “Elf” starring Will Ferrell and Jon Favreau, and several Jodie Foster films. “One of the great things about them is they have different locations around the town,” said Laura Nix, Automat’s co-president. “It’s very comfortable there, the people are very friendly and accommodating.” The accommodation of talent also played a big role, Nix said. The last, and most important reason, however, for selecting L.A. Studios was that it makes things “sound really good,” Nix said. “They’ve done it (DVD commentary) so many times I can really call up and don’t have to explain a lot,” Nix said. With all the pieces to success there, business has boomed slowly but surely. In 2004 Meli expects to see revenues top $10 million, an improvement over $7.5 million in revenues in 1997. The types of productions that are driving revenues have changed as of late, Meli said. L.A. Studios does more animation, DVD, music video and TV work than feature films. It worked on Glendale-based DreamWorks blockbuster hits “Shrek 2” and “Shark Tale” and recently was approached by The Disney Co.’s Walt Disney Television Animation to work on the sound for its upcoming “Super Robot Monkey.” With business going so well, Meli isn’t afraid of competition. In fact, L.A. Studios lends its equipment to other production houses on occasion. Manufacturers of sound equipment even allow L.A. Studios to try out their newest gadgets, Meli said. There are no plans to sell the company in any capacity any time soon, said Meli, who described “huge consolidation in the past six years” that “won’t work” for L.A. Studios’ interest. “The exit strategy may change down the road, but we’re content right now,” Meli said. Much like Nix, John Paul Rosas, a DVD producer at Burbank-based Rosas Productions, appreciates the staff, the facility locations and the quality that L.A. Studios presents. In fact, Rosas’ talent from such films as “Ali” (starring Will Smith) and “White Chicks” (Marlon and Shawn Wayans) has recorded at L.A. Studios recently. Rosas’ firm specializes in recording commentary for DVD versions of the feature films, and the flexible schedule offered by L.A. Studios allows him to schedule recording time around talents’ busy media touring schedules, he said. “They have three locations and they are accommodating, very client-based,” said Rosas. He said he recorded about 100 titles in six years of working with L.A. Studios.
