Mexico’s The Office remake handles cast improv with Lectrosonics

Getting the call for La Oficina, the highly anticipated Mexican adaptation of the popular British TV series The Office, presented production sound mixer Sealtiel Alatriste with a tremendous opportunity. However, with its large improvisational cast and a busy RF environment, he found himself in something of an audio hot seat. He explains how his Lectrosonics setup ensured he could keep the audience cringing.

Alatriste’s passion for sound began early. "Like almost everyone in audio, I am a musician," he shared. “I started recording myself at age 12, and the first time I walked into a studio, I knew that was what I was going to do with my life."

After studying at Berklee College of Music and initially focusing on recording bands, he transitioned into post-production for commercials, then sound design for films, which eventually led him to location sound mixing for reality shows, movies, and documentaries. Today, his credits include over 30 films, along with Netflix shows such as Welcome to the Family and three seasons of El Niñero.

The opportunity for La Oficina came through a prior collaboration with the line producer from the Alazraki family, one of Mexico's largest production companies. Alatriste readily accepted the gig, unaware of its immense scale. 

“Early on, the showrunner told me that the show was following the same mockumentary format as the original BBC series and U.S. spin-off, and all 16 cast members would need to be continuously mic'd due to extensive improvisation,” Alatriste said.

"When you work in Mexico, the RF environment is wild and having that many live transmitters operating simultaneously could be a recipe for interference.”

Alatriste mastered the complex audio demands of the Prime Video series through the use of an extensive Lectrosonics Digital Hybrid Wireless system that included SMV, SMWB, HMa, HM, and UM400A transmitters, and SRc, SRA, and UCR411a receivers.

“Extensive preparation was critical for La Oficina,” said Alatriste. “In Mexican TV, it’s uncommon to have much time for sound pre-production. Fortunately, I was able to work closely with the art department while they were developing the set. We hid six antennas in plain sight, using many office materials to conceal them, ensuring they were always close to the transmitters so we would always get a strong signal.”

“Once the antennas were in place, Lectrosonics Wireless Designer was the key to our success," Alatriste said. “We used the software to analyse the frequency spectrum and coordinate frequencies for each transmitter. We were able to quickly dial everything in, and once set, we needed no changes during recording. It’s an incredibly nice tool for pre-production.

“Once we were in production, I used my entire Lectrosonics arsenal,” Alatriste stated. "To capture the cast members, I used eight SMWB and six SMV miniature transmitters. My mic team worked closely with the wardrobe department to find optimal lavalier placements for each actor, a task they had to accomplish in just a half-hour. 

"To make sure we had redundancy, I used two booms with HMa and HM plug-on UHF transmitters. I also used my two trusty UM400A transmitters daily. My receiver kit included SRc and SRA models, along with several UCR411A receivers. I love the UCR411A and still use it every chance I get. Those are solid."

"Mixing was the biggest challenge for me on La Oficina because there was constant improvisation," Alatriste recalled. “It could be a little unpredictable, but with Lectrosonics, I was confident in even the most challenging moments. Many times, actors said lines when a fader was down, but because I knew the lav was placed correctly and my transmitters are always reliable, it would still sound good, even though I didn't monitor it.”

Alatriste shares that his commitment to using Lectrosonics products began a decade ago and has been earned by their reliability. "I learned recording in school, but when I began doing production sound, I was self-taught and wasn’t sure what equipment to use.

“I researched how the professionals recorded and quickly discovered that Lectrosonics was the most accessible professional brand in Mexico. My first Lectrosonics kit was an SRA receiver with an HM and UM400A transmitter. In all this time, it has never failed me, not once. So, I'm married to Lectrosonics now," he smiles.

La Oficina is set to premiere on Prime Video in January 2026, with additional seasons planned.