Technisonic – A Legendary Production Facility

The long-time logo of Technisonic Studios (click on the image for a brief history of Tech found in a brochure from the 1970’s).

Hard to believe that it’s been five years since the largest and oldest production facility in St. Louis – and one of the oldest in the country – closed its doors forever.  Technisonic Studios opened those doors in 1929 and closed them 81 years later.  What an amazing run it was.  I was privileged to spend 20 years of my career as the only full-time Producer/Director at Technisonic.

Technisonic grew out of the audio lab of the Central Institute for the Deaf.  (Image courtesy of C.I.D.).

Film footage being edited on a flatbed editor at Technisonic.

Over the course of decades, Technisonic was the place to do any sort of production in St. Louis – from recording a hit record to filming a feature movie.  If you saw a slick commercial on St. Louis television, chances are it was created at Technisonic.  For anyone in the local production community – or hoping to work in production – Technisonic was the pinnacle.

Artists like blues legends Tommy Bankhead and Henry Townsend (left), Bob Kuban, Ike & Tina Turner, and Chuck Berry all recorded at Technisonic.  (Images from the Technisonic archive.)

The first time I worked at Technisonic  (“Tech” as everyone in St. Louis knows it) was many years before I became a full-time employee.  Someone told me they were looking for Production Assistants for a feature film.  The pay was $1 a day (my guess was that legally they were obligated to pay something) but I was ecstatic to have the opportunity.  Best of all, I was finally going to get to meet a Director of Photography whose name was infamous: Roel.  I remember when the day came to arrive on location and meet Roel, I thought to myself “I’m finally going to find out if ‘Roel’ is his first name or his last name!”  As I approached and shook his hand he simply said “Hi, I’m Roel.”  I honestly believe it wasn’t until years later when I was hired as a Producer/Director at Tech that I finally figured out why he went by his first name; his last name is so difficult to pronounce, let alone spell, that one name is enough!

Technisonic Director of Photography Roel Van de Wijngaard films a television commercial utilizing an Elemack dolly.  (Image from the Technisonic archive.)

I could go on and on about the many unique individuals I met during my time at Tech and the stories they told me.  But that’s a blog post for another day.  It is not hyperbole to say that at Tech I was blessed to work with some of the most talented, most awarded, and most giving people in the production business – not just the best in St. Louis; the best period!  I am happy to say that I still enjoy the privilege of working with many of them on individual projects today.

For more photos of Technisonic CLICK HERE!