How We Mix for Amazon Prime, Showmax, and Cinema: Our Audio Post Workflow Explained

🎬 How We Mix for Amazon Prime, Showmax, and Cinema: Our Audio Post Workflow Explained

As Nollywood grows in scale and reach, more films and series are making their way to streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Showmax, and Netflix. But getting your film accepted on these platforms isn’t just about story or visuals — it’s also about sound.

At Hovah Digital Sound, we specialise in broadcast-ready audio post-production that meets the technical and creative requirements of these platforms. From feature films like Big Love to chart-topping series like Grind, our mixes are tailored to provide a cinematic experience and ensure platform compliance.

 

🧠 What Makes Streaming Audio Different?

Unlike traditional broadcast or cinema, platforms like Amazon and Netflix have strict delivery specs for audio. These include:

• Loudness standards (e.g. -24 LKFS ±2)

• Stereo and surround mix options (5.1 / 2.0)

• Dialogue normalization

• Format-specific headroom and peak limits

• Channel assignments for L, R, C, LFE, LS, RS

Failing to meet these standards can result in rejection, playback issues, or inconsistent experiences for viewers on different devices.

 

🎧 Our Mixing Workflow (Step-by-Step)

Here’s how we handle mixing for streaming, from first cut to final delivery:

1. Pre-Mix Dialogue Pass

We clean up dialogue using iZotope RX to remove background noise, hum, clicks, and breaths. This ensures clarity and consistency across all scenes.

• EQ and De-ess each character

• Match tone across different locations

• Rebalance overlapping dialogue

 

2. Foley and Ambience Layering

We bring scenes to life by recording and syncing custom Foley (footsteps, cloth movement, props), and carefully layering room tones and ambient textures to enhance realism.

• Rural vs urban ambience

• Interior reverbs tuned per room

• Seamless audio stitching

 

3. Sound Effects and Transitions

From action scenes to emotional moments, we add or design cinematic effects for:

• Environmental sounds

• Transitions (riser/sting tones)

• Emotional cues like “subtle dread” or “tension crackle”

 

4. Music Integration

We work with composers or libraries to blend the music bed into the scene, using sidechain compression or EQ carving to avoid clashing with dialogue or effects.

 

5. Mixing and Spatialization

Using Pro Tools and Dolby Atmos tools, we balance each layer of sound into a dynamic, immersive mix.

• Pan effects for surround systems

• Create depth between foreground/background

• LFE (sub) integration for cinematic bass hits

• Adjust for headphones vs TV vs cinema playback

 

 

6. Mastering for Each Platform

Each platform has its own deliverables — we master accordingly:

We also export split stems (DX, FX, M&E) for international or dubbed versions.

 

🧑‍💼 Case Study Highlight: Big Love (Amazon Prime)

When Amazon acquired Inkblot Studios’ Big Love, we handled the complete final mix and mastering. The key challenges were:

• Maintaining emotional warmth in dialogue

• Ensuring consistent levels across romantic, comedic, and dramatic scenes

• Delivering clean 5.1 and stereo versions without compromise

Our final delivery passed Amazon’s QC on the first attempt.

 

🎯 Why It Matters

A beautiful film with poor sound is a missed opportunity. Mixing for streaming platforms:

• Futureproofs your project

• Makes it more attractive to distributors

• Improves audience experience, especially on mobile and headphones

 

🎬 Final Thoughts

At Hovah Digital Sound, we don’t just mix for loudness — we mix for emotion, impact, and compliance. Whether you’re releasing in cinemas or submitting to Prime Video, we make sure your sound stands out for the right reasons.

Need platform-ready audio post for your next project?
Let’s make it unforgettable.

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