Sound Business: Dolby and the Cinema Experience. Guest: Mr. Ioan Allen

April 26, 2013.  Ioan Allen, Vice President of Dolby Laboratories. From the roar of TIE fighters and hum of lightsabers in Star Wars to the jingling and creaking of bridles and saddles in The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, sound is something we almost take for granted in a movie with a great story. Films have long had sound: even silent films featured some kind of live, musical accompaniment. After the first “talkies” and the huge commercial success of The Jazz Singer, however, nothing changed in the sound of films for decades—until Dolby Laboratories introduced noise reduction in sound recording. Ioan Allen, Senior Vice President, Dolby Laboratories will explore the role of sound in cinematic storytelling and the evolution of the film industry. Ioan led Dolby’s entry into the cinema in 1970 and helped to build a model that was successful in cinema, and relevant to other areas of entertainment – from broadcast to Blu-ray disc. Ioan will draw from his decades working with preeminent filmmakers and major studios to discuss both the growth of Dolby’s business and changes in the business of entertainment. Q&A Begins at: 48’31”.