A new sound editing company called Formosa Group is taking up residence on the former Samuel Goldwyn Studios lot in West Hollywood, the L.A. Times reports. Formosa will aim to land contracts with major films as well as some independent movies.
“The Samuel Goldwyn sound department was preeminent in its day, and we get to bask in it and bring it back to its former glory,” Formosa sound supervisor Mark Mangini told the L.A. Times.
Formosa has signed eight prominent sound industry artists, the Fort Mill Times reported on Tuesday. The company was launched by the owners of sound mixing company Audio Head.
Both Audio Head and Formosa are based at the location popularly known as “The Lot,” located at 1041 Formosa Ave. at Santa Monica. Formosa has two other facilities.
The Lot, one of the shooting locations for “True Blood,” has a long and star-studded history. Previously owned by Douglas Fairbanks and Mary Pickford, it has born the names Pickford-Fairbanks Studio, United Artists Studio, Samuel Goldwyn Studio and the Warner Hollywood Studio.
Last year, owners of The Lot announced redevelopment plans that involved demolishing several of its buildings. Some protesters turned up when demolition started. Several entertainment industry professionals opposed the project.
In April, WEHOville reported that lot owner CIM Group invoked a delay clause in its contract in order to extend its development agreement, which would have expired this March, until October 2014. CIM said that the worldwide economic collapse of 2008 prevented it from securing financing for its project.
