The Focusrite Room in Mesa, Arizona, where John Aquilino hosts the Studio Console 005.
In 2025, Focusrite commissioned a new short-form documentary from filmmaker Chris Mayes-Wright — the director responsible for their Focusrite Studio Console film, which has now been watched more than half a million times. The latest project is a 20-minute feature that traces the full story of the company’s renowned ISA design, covering its origins and evolution, and exploring the impact it still has on today’s professional audio standards.
The film begins at the iconic AIR Studios in London, UK, where the studio’s CEO Simon Knee explains the legacy of the ISA 110 modules that were designed by Rupert Neve for Sir George Martin in 1985. It then moves onto the Forte consoles (of which only two were ever built) before covering the Focusrite Studio Console — only 10 were made, and most of them are still in active use!
Next, the crew visit The Focusrite Room in Mesa, Arizona, where John Aquilino hosts the Studio Console 005, originally built for Bop Studios in South Africa and the largest Focusrite Studio Console ever made. Another legendary facility follows, with the team visiting Peter Gabriel's iconic Real World Studios, where head engineer Katie May speaks about her use of the ISA 828 MkII in her recording process.
Restoration engineers Lincoln Fong and Ken Hirsch appear throughout the documentary, offering an insight into the skills an efforts required to keep the historic consoles operational. This film is well worth a watch.
More information can be found on the Focusrite website.
