SAN FRANCISCO ― Students in the Technology and Applied Composition (TAC) program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM) gain rare, real‑world experience in professional film audio production by working directly with active filmmakers long before graduation. As part of the program, the school partners annually with SFFILM, the Bay Area’s premier film institution for nearly 70 years and host of the San Francisco International Film Festival—the longest‑running festival in North and South America. For this partnership, SFCM Adjunct Professor and Award‑winning Video Game Composer Lennie Moore incorporates NUGEN Audio Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix plug-ins directly into his curriculum, which focuses on multichannel workflows.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – April 27 – Atmosphere at SFFILM Festival Day 4 on April 27th 2026 at Festival Lounge in San Francisco, CA (Photo – Drew Altizer Photography 2026 for Drew Altizer Photography)
Known for his work on various video game projects, including “Halo Anniversary,” “Star Wars: The Old Republic,” “Outcast” and the “Rising Storm” series, Moore leads the department’s multi-semester scoring and post-production collaboration with SFFILM. The partnership pairs SFCM students with independent filmmakers who receive SFFILM fellowship support, which allows students to work on three to five independent films throughout the academic year. “The thing that’s great about the relationship we’ve had with SFFILM is that it gives students access to real projects with real directors,” Moore says. “Normally, that’s unheard of in a collegiate program.”
Each year, SFFILM curates a slate of independent films made by local filmmakers. Students pitch custom demos to the directors, who then select their lead composer and lead sound designer. Those students manage small teams responsible for every aspect of audio, including the original score, sound design, foley, ADR, 5.1 post-production mix and stereo downmix deliverables. The final films will be presented in a special showcase at the 70th San Francisco International Film Festival in 2027.
Moore’s class introduces students, many of whom have only mixed in stereo, to the complexities of multichannel film audio. To make that leap, he relies on NUGEN Audio Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix plug-ins. “NUGEN has really been the go-to for our class,” he says. “I’ve looked at a few others, and I find the user interfaces on the NUGEN tools to be very easy and accessible to students.”
Moore builds a full multichannel Pro Tools template for the class, with Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix pre-routed so students can immediately begin experimenting in SFCM TAC’s three ATMOS mixing studios. “This set-up easily allows them to access everything they’re going to need,” he explains. “I want them up and running where they can just start making content and use the tools immediately. I tell them continuously ‘Don’t just pick a preset and call it a day. Start messing with the knobs, start seeing what the tool does.’ ”
The first feature he finds students gravitate toward is the spatial control interface of Halo Upmix. “For them, the first impression is typically less than two words: usually a ‘whoa’ or an ‘ooh,’ ” Moore laughs. “They start moving sliders around, checking out presets, moving the spatialization around. That’s the main thing they go for.”
For downmixing, students learn to manage center-channel levels, L/R distribution and low-frequency energy, teaching them critical skills for real-world deliverables. “Those values—how many dB down you want in your center channel, how much subwoofer, etc. You’re trying to find a balance that keeps the excitement of the mix,” Moore says. “NUGEN makes that easy.”
Moore first discovered NUGEN Audio while researching professional upmix and downmix tools after working with other solutions on past game projects. Ultimately, he chose NUGEN for its clarity, flexibility and intuitive workflow. “The things I look for are workflow, speed, ease-of-use and how robust it is,” he explains. “With NUGEN, the presets are nice, but the real strength is how easy it is to go in and start moving things around. It’s just really flexible.”
He also values how well the tools support experimentation, which he claims is an essential part of the TAC program’s philosophy. “I always tell students I don’t care how crazy the idea is; go for it. Experiment,” Moore says. “Technology isn’t static. It’s always evolving. NUGEN fits perfectly into that mindset.”
NUGEN Audio Halo Upmix and Halo Downmix plug-ins have become central to the TAC department’s SFFILM collaboration, empowering students to experiment, refine their craft and deliver polished mixes for independent films showcased on an international stage. The completed films debut each spring at the SFFILM Festival, one of the most prominent in the United States. SFCM hosts additional screenings in its stunning Bowes Center recital hall, which overlooks San Francisco City Hall and has recently been upgraded for 5.1 playback. Currently, SFCM is also exploring future screenings at Dolby’s San Francisco headquarters.