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
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
