How Lectrosonics keeps On Brand with Jimmy Fallon sounding sharp – and converted Ben Stiller on set

For NBC’s new unscripted reality hit On Brand with Jimmy Fallon, veteran production sound mixer Bryan Dembinski turned to Lectrosonics to tackle the show’s ambitious audio demands. Outfitted with a full suite of Venue 2 modular receivers, DCR822 and DSR4 portable digital receivers, SRc Series slot-mount ENG units, and UCR411a compact receivers – all paired with SMQV UHF transmitters – Dembinski’s setup ensures crystal-clear sound across every segment. He reveals why his setup is a game-changer, and why Lectrocinis won over Ben Stiller for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty and Severance.

Renowned for his work on large-scale competition and docu-follow series, Dembinski chose Lectrosonics for its reliability, seamless integration, and efficiency – all essential qualities for a production that moves between stage setups, control trucks, and fast-paced shoots all over New York City.

On Brand features host Jimmy Fallon and what the show calls "the most creative, clever, and competitive go-getters" as they develop marketing campaigns for major brands. The show, produced by B17 Entertainment, presents significant audio challenges due to its scope, diverse filming locations, and RF complexity.

Dembinski’s workflow for On Brand requires 12 matching audio packages and 24 tracks of wireless audio. 

“The production demands seamless transitions between a main stage, a control truck, and various outdoor locations across the New York City area, all while maintaining consistent control and multi-tracking capabilities,” Dembinski explained. “Lectrosonics was not only the easiest choice, it was the only choice given the project’s budget, tight timeline, and the availability of rental equipment.”

For the On Brand production, Dembinski’s Lectrosonics kit includes four interconnected Venue 2 modular receiver systems. Each ENG bag is equipped with two DCR822 digital receivers, and some bags also feature DSR4 and SRc digital receivers blended in to meet specific needs.

SMQv UHF transmitters and UCR 411a compact receivers are utilised for camera hops.

A critical tool for Dembinski in navigating the show’s complex New York RF requirements is Lectrosonics Wireless Designer software, which he integrated with the Venue 2 receivers. 

"With Wireless Designer, I can quickly get a handle on location scans. If things need to change, being able to look at real-time spectrum data is really nice," Dembinski notes.

"Wireless Designer accomplishes 90% of what I’ve learned about wireless coordination in my 15 years of experience,” he says, adding that it makes the process "so much easier.” This capability allows his crew to quickly set up control rooms and rapidly deploy frequency changes when needed.

Dembinski’s confidence in Lectrosonics products has been earned through their use on other high-profile projects throughout his career. On The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Dembinski helped his friend and mentor, Danny Michael, build a rig for shooting in Iceland, which ended up being all Lectrosonics wireless. Dembinski shared that a crucial aspect leading to this was Ben Stiller's headphone mix.

When Stiller expressed dissatisfaction with the sound quality of another brand’s transmitter, Dembinski advocated for Lectrosonics IFBs, assuring the team that they would "provide better frequency response and sound quality, while maintaining comparable range.”

Side-by-side testing confirmed the decision to use Lectrosonics, and at the end of their third day in use, Stiller returned the Lectrosonics unit, stating, "This new system sounds so much better.”

Dembinski also shares that Lectrosonics IFBs were deployed to meet Stiller's attention to detail on Severance, where, as director and executive producer, he wanted to follow along with the audio, and “expected it to sound on set exactly as it would on television.”

Dembinski concludes by saying that "Lectrosonics products hit ‘the everyman’ wireless niche,” because of their “affordability, ease of use, backwards compatibility, and accessibility everywhere in the industry."

On Brand with Jimmy Fallon phot credits: David Holloway/NBC / Kwaku Alston/NBC