Hollywood
WB Sound acquires Digital Cinema New York
MUMBAI: WB Sound has acquired Digital Cinema New York, following its two-year relationship with the studio.
The addition of Digital Cinema New York adds to the full complement of sound and picture services Warner Bros. offers in Burbank, New York, and London.
“As the industry moves to a broader consolidation of picture and sound, Warner Bros. continues to expand and develop the full scope of our post production services. The volume of production in and around the New York area grows more and more robust, and we are fully committed to creatively serving the increasingly greater needs of the community,” said Warner Bros. Entertainment SVP, post production services worldwide Kim Waugh.
WB Sound New York, helmed by Oscar-winning sound supervisor and re-recording mixer Skip Lievsay, provides sound design, sound supervision, sound editorial, re-recording, and ADR services at its state-of-the-art Midtown Manhattan facility (formerly occupied by Digital Cinema).
“This acquisition is representative of our overall expansion of the post production services business at Warner Bros. We are pleased to meet our clients’ needs wherever they prefer to post their productions – between the greater Los Angeles, New York, and London areas, we’re truly able to creatively serve the industry at a global level,” added Warner Bros. Entertainment president, worldwide studio facilities Jon Gilbert.
Lievsay’s creative team includes sound supervisor and re-recording mixer Paul Urmson, supervising sound editors Eliza Paley and Ben Cheah, and re-recording mixer Michael Barry. Recent features edited and mixed at the WB Sound NY facility include Into the Woods, Rikki and the Flash, Family Fang, Miles Ahead, and Run All Night.
Warner Bros. began working from the Digital Cinema facility in May 2013. Together with Digital Cinema and Sync Sound veterans Bill Marino and Ken Hahn, Warner Bros. re-equipped the existing re-recording stage and built out eight new sound design and picture editing suites. Marino and Hahn will continue to operate Sync Sound, which was established in 1984.
Warner Bros. is planning a number of significant upgrades to the Digital Cinema facility in the coming months to bring it in line with the Burbank and London locations.
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
