Wylie Stateman starts working at WallaWorks, where Lon Bender is an original partner. This is the first time they meet which later transforms into a friendship. Both Wylie and Lon are innovative in how they hear sound and the process and are willing to create better ways to produce the best sounds efficiently.
Stan Gilbert, another partner at WallaWorks, who has the old school relationships with Paul Hirsch and John Hughes ("Ferris Buellers," "Planes & Trains," "Curly Sue"), sees these two young and ambitious guys and mentors them in their future.
After Stan's retirement, WallaWorks closes. This is when Wylie and Lon decide they should take a gamble and form their own company.
Projects
⦁ 1979 - Lon Bender and Wylie Stateman first team-up. One of their first shared feature-film credits is "Coal Miner's Daughter."
⦁ 1982 - Soundelux is officially incorporated. It becomes the most valuable independent audio post-production company in the entertainment industry. At its peak, the company generates more than $120M in revenue, manages over 500 employees, and operates facilities in Hollywood, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Orlando, and London.
⦁ 1984 - Audio Tracks was founded by Stateman, Bender, and Kim Waugh. Audio Tracks focused on top quality 35mm transfers and sound reprints.
⦁ 1988 - The Hollywood Edge is formed. The Hollywood Edge is an internationally recognized publisher and distributor of pre-recorded sound effects libraries.
⦁ 1989 - “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” is the #1 movie in America.
Awards
1981 - “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is nominated for an Oscar for Best Sound.
§ Richard Portman, Roger Heman Jr., James R. Alexander
90s is one of the booming periods of Soundelux. During this decade various divisions and groups are created and launched:
⦁ 1991 - Modern Music and Audio Publishing divisions are created.
§ Ken Harmon
⦁ 1991 - Soundelux Florida - Showorks is launched.
§ John and Tony Miceli & Daniel Burzlaff
⦁ 1993 - Soundelux Media-Labs is formed focusing on CD-ROM games, commercials and trailers.
⦁ 1995 - Signet SDX Studios is formed.
⦁ 1996 - Soundelux Entertainment Group (SEG) is formed.
⦁ 1997 - Soundelux purchases Ryder Sound and turns it into Vine Street Studios (dubbing, foley, ADR stages).
⦁ 1999 - SEG purchases Media Technology Source (MTS), a leading cinema technical consultant and equipment supplier that handles all aspects of theatre design and outfits for as many as 400 screens a year in the U.S. alone.
⦁ 1999 - Cyber-Buzz is launched.
§ Gina Cavalier
§ Alisa Chieves (now SVP Viacom) was ambitious and an obvious leader of the pack. She is now SVP at Viacom for Digital Production.
§ Frank Borin (now a bug video/commercial director)
⦁ 1999 - Liberty Media merger is announced.
Projects
⦁ 1997 - Mark and Brian Show "A Christmas Carol" was recorded at Signet Soundelux Studios which was produced by Wylie Stateman along with Glenn T. Morgan of Signet Soundelux.
⦁ 1999 - “The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man” in Universal Studios Orlando opened.
Awards
⦁ 1990 - “Glory” wins an Oscar for Best Sound.
§ Donald O. Mitchell, Gregg Rudloff, Elliot Tyson and Russell Williams II
⦁ 1990 - “Born of the Fourth of July” nominated for an Oscar, wins Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing.
§ Wylie Stateman, Mike Minkler
⦁ 1992 - “Last of the Mohicans” wins Oscar for Best Sound.
⦁ 1993 - “JFK” wins BAFTA for Best Sound.
§ Tod A. Maitland, Wylie Stateman, Michael D. Wilhoit, Michael Minkler and Gregg Landaker
⦁ 1994 - “Cliffhanger” is nominated for Best Sound at OSCARS.
⦁ 1994 - Advanced Data Encoding System (ADE) wins Academy Award for Scientific/Technical Achievement.
§ Lon Bender, Wylie Stateman, Kim Waugh
⦁ 1995 - “Legends of a Fall” is nominated for Best Sound.
⦁ 1995 - “Island of Adventures: Jurassic Tour” (Universal Studios Florida) wins International Monitor Award for Best Audio Post Production /Informative Non-Broadcast.
⦁ 1996 - “Braveheart” wins Oscar for Best Sound, Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing, BAFTA for Best Sound.
⦁ 1996 - “Jerry Maguire” wins Golden Reel Award for Best ADR Editing.
§ Chris Jargo (supervising adr editor); John Adams, Barbara Boguski, Mary Smith (adr editors)
⦁ 1996 - “Hunchback of Notre Dame” wins Golden Reel Award for Best Animated Sound Effects Editing
§ John K. Carr
⦁ 1997 - “Terminator 2:3D, The Battle Across Time” (Universal Studios Florida) wins Themed Entertainment Association award for Outstanding Achievement, Audio System Design/Build, and Sound Design.
⦁ 1997 - “Daytona USA” (Daytona Speedway, Florida wins Themed Entertainment Association award for Outstanding Achievement and for Audio System Design/Build.
⦁ 1997 - “Apollo/Saturn V Center” (Kennedy Space Center, Florida) wins Themed Entertainment Association award for Outstanding Achievement and for Sound Design.
⦁ 1998 - “Face-Off” is nominated for Best Sound Effects at Oscars.
⦁ 1998 - “Air Force One” is nominated for Best Sound at Oscars.
⦁ 1998 - FMPTA Achievement Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Motion Picture, Television, Recording and Electronic Media Industries in Florida is handed to Soundelux Florida - Showorks.
⦁ 2007 - Lon and Wylie together with High Waddell launched VocalStream, a technology solution for online delivery of customized content.
⦁ 2008 - Ascent Media Group's Creative Sound Services group spun off from Discovery Holding Company to create CSS Studios, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery Communications. This included the assets of Todd-AO, Soundelux, Sound One, POP Sound, Modern Music, Soundelux Design Music Group and The Hollywood Edge.
⦁ 2012 - On September 19, Empire Investment Holdings announced it had acquired CSS Studios, LLC from Discovery Communications, Inc. The New York offices (Sound One LLC) were closed after 40 years of providing post production sound services.
⦁ 2013 - In January 2013, CSS Studios announced it would rename the company as Todd-Soundelux.
⦁ 2014 - In May 2014, Todd Soundelux filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and was seeking to reorganize. As part of the bankruptcy proceedings, they closed their Hollywood and Santa Monica facilities, leaving only their Burbank location operational.
Projects
⦁ 2014 - Lon Bender sound designs Netflix logo’s sonic brand.
⦁ 2020 - Lon and Wylie regain ownership of the Soundelux brand.