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Need Advice on Contractor Dispute Over Soundstage Surfaces
Hey everyone. Hopefully this post is still on-topic with this forum. If not, please let me know and I’ll remove it.
I’m seeking advice on a dilemma we’re facing with a newly constructed production studio. Without being too specific, the project is in Norway and is/was managed by a government/military contractor, and built for a non-profit organization that operates in the public sector (my employer).
We recently had two soundstages built in a brand-new studio complex, and during the construction process, we didn’t specify a color for the walls. Our previous soundstage had dark gray walls, which worked well for controlling light reflection, so I/we made the wrong assumption that this was standard/known practice when building a soundstage, and that this contractor would do the same. For reference, we’re upgrading from a single 3M x 7M blue-screen soundstage to two soundstages. The first is 4.5M x 10M and will feature a green-screen cyclorama. The other is 9M x 10M and will predominantly feature a 7M x 4.5M x 4.5M LED Wall in an L along the back and side (photo attached for reference).
However, after the sound treatments were put up, we discovered that the contractor used a bright white, fragile foam paneling on the walls and ceiling, in addition to reflective off-white data floor tiles. These materials and color reflect all light shined onto it, creating significant issues for our lighting setups and affecting overall production quality. Unfortunately, this is a huge problem for us, and the bright white walls, floor and ceiling are far from the industry-standard dark or neutral colors typically used to minimize light reflection.
The project is broken up into two parts, the civil works (the building) and the equipment installation, which is expected to begin within the next two months. We’re now in a situation where the contractor is refusing to cover the cost of repainting or replacing the panels/tiles. They argue that because we didn’t specify a color, it’s not their responsibility. We are trying to argue that using dark or neutral-grey colors (and non-reflective surfaces) in soundstages is a well-known best practice and should have been followed by default. Once the major equipment installation starts we’ll be in a much more difficult position to find a resolution. Without some sort of official standard or guideline to point to, I have a feeling we will lose this argument.
My questions are:
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Does anyone know of any specific regulations, guidelines, or standards (national, international, or industry-specific) that could support our case that the soundstage surfaces should have been a non-reflective color?
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Has anyone dealt with a similar situation, and if so, how did you resolve it?
Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We’re hoping to resolve this issue without having to shoulder the entire cost ourselves or just having to make due with the insane-asylum aesthetic.
Thank you in advance for your help!
replied 1 year, 8 months ago 2 Members · 1 Reply
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1 Reply
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Hey Christopher,
I feel for you, I really do – and there is soo many wrong answers, and very few right ones.
My suggestion is to closely read all sales materials, emails, and contracts through.
If your contractor at any point has represented that they have done similar work before, then that should be your starting point.You should also look at the structure of decision making?
Did they ever contact you before ordering the panels?
Who was the person in charge of the contruction?
And, who was in charge of purchasing.Start from there and see where it takes you.
Don’t hesitate to reach out in private to discuss.
Atb
Mads
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