Ray Art Studios Opens Its 6th Sound Stage

Continuing a $10-million expansion at its west San Fernando Valley production facilities, Ray Art Studios opened a sixth sound stage Thursday.

Ray Art specializes in renting sound stages for television productions but also hosts feature film productions.

In addition, the studio is producing a series of its own productions for theatrical, cable and network release.

Television producer Bob Papazian and partner producer-screenwriter James Hirsch bought the 189,000-square-foot facility in 1997 from a cosmetic company with the goal of creating a full-service studio in the West Valley.

In particular, the pair sought to serve producers looking for something between a high-end sound stage on the lot of a major studio and bare-bones warehouses that are cheaper but lack soundproofing or climate control.

“The beauty of this is that it’s built for producers by producers,” said Daniel Tibbets, vice president of development at Ray Art Studios. “It takes into account all the details.”

The new stages are built on what was a parking lot behind the Variel Avenue studio, just north of Warner Center.

Tibbets said Ray Art plans to build two more sound stages, post-production facilities and a live theater in the next three years.