Big Wheels Studio:
Over Three Decades of Sonic Innovation
artistic vision and technical execution.
A Legacy of Sound
Our Expertise:
From France to Asia
Dedicated to the art of sound, Big Wheels is a studio specializing in sound design and post-production services for video games, film, and television. Our priority remains unchanged: to cultivate curiosity, record with precision, and help you create the ideal atmosphere for your projects.
From France to China, Big Wheels officially embarks on a new journey. Rooting our French creative DNA here, we combine international standards with intimate, professional support. Our Chinese subsidiary is located in Shanghai and is jointly managed by Hélène Wu and Lydia Liu.
International Vision, Seamless Communication: Fluent in Chinese, English, and French, our team preserves the essence of every creative spark as it transcends borders.
Local Roots, Effortless Synergy: Skip the complexities of cross-border logistics. We support local contracting and RMB settlement for a seamless, worry-free partnership.
Harmonizing Time Zones, High-Efficiency Collaboration: With our teams in Europe and China working in sync, time zones are no longer a barrier, but a rhythmic baton passed between us for continuous support.
上海轮子音创科技有限公司
从法国到中国，Big Wheels跨越距离正式开启全新旅程。将法国总部的创意 DNA 植根于此，以国际化 标准提供更近、更贴心的专业支持。 我们的中国子公司位于上海，由吴海伦和刘莉娅共同管理。
国际视野，沟通无界：中、英、法三语的国际化背景团队，确保创意在不同文化间都能精准落地。
本地对接，合规省心：没有复杂的跨境流程，支持本地签约与人民币结算
跨越时区，高效协作：中欧同步协作，让时差化为接力的节奏。
« Working with Big Wheels isn’t just about getting sound effects; it’s about finding the soul of our world. Frédéric has this rare ability to turn a simple field recording into a cinematic moment. Professional, creative, and always on point. »
Frederic Devanlay,
Audio Director - Don’t Nod Studio
« Working with Big Wheels isn’t just about getting sound effects; it’s about finding the soul of our world. Frédéric has this rare ability to turn a simple field recording into a cinematic moment. Professional, creative, and always on point. »
Frederic Devanlay,
Audio Director - Don’t Nod Studio
« Working with Big Wheels isn’t just about getting sound effects; it’s about finding the soul of our world. Frédéric has this rare ability to turn a simple field recording into a cinematic moment. Professional, creative, and always on point. »
Frederic Devanlay,
Audio Director - Don’t Nod Studio
Award-Winning Excellence
30 Years of Noise:
Confessions of a Sound Obsessive
So, Frédéric, your career has been a « multidimensional sonic journey. » What does that actually mean? That you talk to synthesizers?
« Exactly! We have long discussions… More seriously, it mainly means that I’ve gone from composing music to being in the middle of the forest with a microphone in 20 years. My job is to blend the discipline of a composer with the « wild » side of field recording. Basically, I have one ear searching for the melody and the other checking if the noise of that old fridge would make a good spaceship engine. It’s a precarious balance between poetry and pure geekiness. »
You work on AAA blockbusters as well as small indie games. What’s the difference on a daily basis?
« The coffee budget, definitely! But deep down, my film and video game background is my universal translator. Whether it’s for a huge franchise that wants explosions everywhere or an indie game that wants to make the player cry with a creaking floorboard, I speak the same language as the sound designers. My goal is for every sound to serve the story. If the player forgets that it was me who recorded an old umbrella to make the sound of a dragon’s wing, I’ve succeeded. »
Why did you launch Big Wheels and Red Libraries? Didn’t you have enough work already?
« Apparently not, I must enjoy suffering! I created Big Wheels in ’91 because I wanted a lab for my own creative experiments. And Red Libraries came about from the need to share high-quality, clean, well-tagged sounds, to save colleagues from spending ages searching for them. It’s my way of saying, « Here, I already struggled through the mud for this sound, help yourself! »
You also head the sound department at ISART Digital. Is that to reassure yourself that the next generation is even more geeky than you?
« Absolutely! Seeing young people arrive with fresh ideas forces me to stay on top of things. And besides, after decades of dragging cables around and tweaking impossible mixes, I have quite a few war stories to tell. Passing on what I’ve learned is my way of giving back what the industry has given me. And incidentally, it lets me check that no one’s trying to use a fart sound to make an explosion noise (although, just in case…). »
