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Discovery Sells CSS Studios to Empire Investment Holdings

Private Investment Firm Picks Up Todd-AO, Soundelux, Sound One, and More

By Bryant Frazer   /   Sep 24, 2012

UPDATE 09/26/12: Sound One in New York was shut down almost immediately after the purchase by Empire, but the company suggested it may be temporary. Here's the full statement from Sound One: Sound One, LLC has announced that in response to the current market conditions in New York, the company is investigating strategic alternatives for its New York operations. As a first step, the company implemented a short-term temporary lay-off program, while the management team considers a variety of strategic options. This development pertains solely to Sound One, LLC in New York and does not impact CSS Studios’ operations in Los Angeles. 

Discovery Communications has sold the CSS Studios collection of audio post facilities to Empire Investment Holdings, a private investment firm headquartered in Miami, Florida. 

The CSS Studios conglomerate includes Todd-AO, Soundelux, Sound One, Modern Music, POP Sound, Soundelux Design Music Group, and The Hollywood Edge, making it the largest independent audio post company in North America.

"The Empire team understands and respects the importance of these companies to the creative community," said Empire chair and CEO David F. Alfonso. "We intend to protect and ehance the company's unique value proposition and creative leadership as the preferred destination for some of the most important filmmakers of our time."

Empire didn't announce any immediate plans for consolidation within the CSS Studios organization, which operates in a total of nine facilities in Los Angeles and New York City.  

The facilities are known for top-drawer sound work — sound editors and other artists from Soundelux most recently won an Emmy for Outstanding Sound Editing while a pair of re-recording mixers from Todd-AO won the Emmy for Outstanding Sound Mixing, both on the "Blackwater" episode of Game of Thrones.

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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000923428252 Mark Robins

    “The Empire team understands and respects the importance of these companies to the creative community,” said Empire chair and CEO David F. Alfonso. “We intend to protect and ehance the company’s unique value proposition and creative leadership as the preferred destination for some of the most important filmmakers of our time.”
    Except for Sound One.

  • Ascent Vet

    Believe the CSS units were only retained to keep the Disco / Ascent split tax “efficient” as is John Malones way. There was little symbiotic, creative or operational reason for Disco to own film sound companies

  • Dan

    So how long do you think it will be before Empire Investment Holdings LLC. of Miami, FL lays off the entire staffs of the CSS studio group, liquidates all the equipment, and then sells the properties to developers for demolition and new residential or commercial construction? When I hear the term “Investment Group”, I hear layoffs, closures, and liquidation auctions.

    It’s sad to hear, because as someone who would love the opportunity to work in any one of these historic studios like Todd AO, I will sadly never get the chance, because they are all being bought, sold, then shuttered. It looks like the trend will continue toward one man operations and small groups of creative minded people to meet the needs of the film industry. It’s sad that some people have appreciation for these studios, when they play an integral part in creating the great experience we enjoy when we go to a movie or watch a great television show. All they can see is the red and black on their financial ledgers.