Wave, London’s most awarded commercial sound design studio, can now reveal its plans to open a new office in Amsterdam. Launch is scheduled for September 2008 and includes a high-profile new signing ‘ Alex Nicholls-Lee ‘ plus installation of the latest state-of-the-art Euphonix and Nuendo sound design kit.
The Amsterdam project is Wave’s most ambitious venture since opening in 1999. Comprising three new studios, Wave Amsterdam is being established to service Dutch, pan-European and UK markets. Clients will receive Wave’s usual high standard of service and creativity, but lower overheads means charges will be significantly reduced against Wave’s London ratecard.

Wave’s co-owner and creative director, Warren Hamilton, commented: “The only difference between Wave London and Wave Amsterdam is 500-miles; the two offices will offer the exactly the same service and personality.

“Several Dutch clients, like W+K, Amsterdam Worldwide [formerly Strawberry Frog], TBWA Amsterdam and 180, fly over to the UK to use Wave. So by setting up over there, we’ve got a ready-made client-base and we can save them the inconvenience and expense of travelling… a huge bonus in today’s cost-controlled climate.

“Plus, it will give London producers a great opportunity to get away from Soho life for a couple of days. Or, they can benefit from Amsterdam’s lower rates without leaving their office by briefing over the phone and approving work-in-progress via FTP.

“Perhaps more importantly, the opening will help us break into more territories and take the company in a new direction. We’re looking forward to learning about how Amsterdam’s creative community operates and we’re hoping to give something back.”

The Amsterdam studios will be helmed by a hi-profile new signing: Alex Nicholls-Lee, who previously worked at Scramble for over a decade. Alex regularly works with Dutch clients and is an experienced sound designer. His ear for big creative and music briefs makes him a natural fit for Wave. Alex’s sound design credits include BTTA winners Adidas ‘Last Man Standing’ and Coca Cola ‘I Wish’, plus the D&AD-winning Pepsi ‘Gladiator’. Alex will be working with fellow sound designer, Joe Mount, who moves over from Wave London. Joe recently won the 2007 Conch sound design award for his work on Skoda ‘Giggle’.

Wave Amsterdam additionally provides an opportunity to branch out into the latest state-of-the art sound design and Dolby 5.1 surround kit. The new studios are furnished with Euphonix 5-MC mixing desks, running Nuendo’s audio post production system. Both main studios will be HD surround sound compatible. The studios will be fully integrated into Wave’s London network, enabling instant job-swapping and data-sharing between London and Amsterdam. The Dutch studios will also be able to access Wave’s gargantuan sound effects library, including their bespoke database, “Project Harvest”, which is currently in Asia recording new effects.

Wave’s creative director and co-owner, Johnnie Burn, explained the thinking behind this new set-up: “This is a new system offering an incredible level of integration between audio editing, the mixing desk and more creative sound design.”

Wave Amsterdam is on the Herengracht; a street at the heart of the city’s plush and buzzing media centre. Facing the canal on one side and a central courtyard on the other, Wave is on the 2nd floor of a newly refurbished building and boasts over 600 square metres of floor space.