• Monday, Jun. 29, 2015
Avid supports Sundance Institute Directors Lab for the 23rd straight year
Storage Suite’s Avid ISIS 5500 shared storage solution.
BURLINGTON, Mass. -- 

Avid (Nasdaq: AVID) has renewed its support for the Sundance Institute Directors Lab at Sundance Resort in Utah as part of the company’s commitment to developing the next generation of creative professionals, a key element of Avid Everywhere. Emerging filmmakers taking part in the month-long Lab will use creative applications and shared storage solutions--all powered by the Avid MediaCentral Platform--to help them hone their techniques.

The Directors Lab is an immersive, hands-on process in which eight independent filmmakers rehearse, shoot and edit scenes from their screenplays under the mentorship of creative advisors--accomplished directors, editors, cinematographers and actors. This year’s advisors include Sundance Institute president and founder Robert Redford, directors Kasi Lemmons and Catherine Hardwicke, actor Ed Harris, actor and director Christine Lahti, DP Caleb Deschanel, and editors Dylan Tichenor, Affonso Gonçalves and Lee Percy. After the Lab, the filmmakers receive ongoing support from the Institute, including creative and strategic guidance, production and postproduction resources, and financial support.

“Every year, emerging writers and directors participate in the Directors Lab to gain insight and guidance from experienced filmmakers,” said Michelle Satter, founding director of the Sundance Institute Feature Film Program. “We’re very grateful for Avid’s continued support, which gives these singular filmmakers an invaluable opportunity to use the professional editing tools and workflows that the most accomplished film editors use.”

The 2015 Directors Lab is using the Avid Artist Suite’s Avid Media Composer, the non-linear editing solution, and the Storage Suite’s Avid ISIS 5500 shared storage solution.

“Avid is dedicated to developing the next generation of creative talent--a mission we share with Sundance Institute,” said Jeff Rosica, senior VP, worldwide field operations, Avid. “We’re immensely proud to once again support the Institute in developing directors, and we look forward to seeing how Avid Everywhere helps this year’s filmmakers bring their stories to life.”

Directors Lab alumni include Quentin Tarantino, Paul Thomas Anderson, Rodrigo Garcia and Kimberly Peirce. Creative advisors have included Alfonso Cuaron, Alexander Payne, Stanley Tucci, Kevin Tent, Barbara Tulliver, Sally Field, and Alfre Woodard.

  • Saturday, Jun. 27, 2015
Panavision’s recapitalization reduces debt, sets stage for growth
WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. -- 

Panavision, the designer, manufacturer and provider of state-of-the-art cinema lenses and high-precision camera systems, has announced the recapitalization of the company.

With the recapitalization, Panavision’s senior lenders unanimously agreed to convert a majority of the company’s long term debt into common stock of the company. This major reduction in Panavision’s debt enhances its capital structure and enables the company to explore growth opportunities.

“This transaction is very positive news for the company and gives Panavision more fiscal flexibility for the future,” said Panavision CEO and president Kim Snyder. “We now have a very healthy balance sheet, allowing us to accelerate our investment in equipment, technology and resources and further focus our efforts on meeting the needs and expectations of our customers.”

Panavision has recently extended its industry reach into the postproduction realm with the acquisition of Light Iron, a leader in digital workflow solutions.

The recapitalization was a private transaction that was formally completed on June 12, 2015. Panavision’s major shareholders have not changed, and the company’s Board of Directors and executive leadership team led by Snyder remain committed to the long term growth and success of the company.

  • Friday, Jun. 26, 2015
Aframe provides cloud video collaboration platform to BBC Worldwide
LONDON -- 

Aframe has supplied the BBC Worldwide’s Formats Team with a cloud video platform to help the process of hosting and sharing format screeners with its clients around the world. Aframe provides BBC Worldwide with a centrally managed portal that can be used as a central repository where different versions of screeners such as Strictly Come Dancing and The Great British Bake Off are stored and shared with clients across the globe to stream online or download.

Aframe’s cloud video platform removes the need to burn multiple DVDs and post them, which can prove not only costly and time-consuming for content owners, but also cause potential delayed discussions between the team and potential clients. Instead, all content can be shared in a cloud-based environment, which is accessible at any time, from any location.

David Peto, Aframe founder and CEO, said,  “Everything we do is focused on helping our clients manage the complexities of the video workflow – finding, sharing, and reviewing media faster and more cost effectively, wherever they are. And it is great that the BBC Worldwide formats team have also been able to benefit from this.”

  • Thursday, Jun. 25, 2015
TV2 Fyn goes HD with Snell Kahuna switcher, Maverik control and Sirius 800 router
Michael Jensen, head of production at TV2 Fyn.
NEWBURY, UK -- 

Denmark public broadcaster TV2 Fyn has purchased a Snell Kahuna switcher with two of the new Maverik configurable control panels to help drive its move into HD news production. Snell’s Kahuna Make M/E technology enables a single mainframe to support two independent studio operations, with both studios benefiting from full 2M/E production power, including super-keyers, eKeys and 3D DVEs, via Maverik control. The system also integrates a Sirius 800 router with built-in Advanced Hybrid Processing on every input and output, eliminating the need for external signal processing devices. The systems were supplied through AVIT-Systems, Snell’s partner in Denmark.

The Kahuna is fully integrated with TV2 Fyn’s Viz Mosart news automation system. Kahuna Watch provides automated loading of graphics to the on-board Clipstore to ease production workflows. Snell FormatFusion3 technology ensures that the system can handle SD, HD, 1080p and 4K simultaneously. The Kahuna also controls TV2’s on-air servers, providing instant access to multiple content streams via the Maverik panels.

“Switching and routing are the backbone of our news operations and we needed a system that would enable us to transition smoothly to HD,” said Michael Jensen, head of production at TV2 Fyn. “The Sirius router gives us the flexibility we need in a compact package, and the power of the Kahuna meant that we could provide full live HD and SD production capability to both news studios from a single mainframe, saving valuable rack space and cost; Snell was the only company that offered us this key benefit. The Maverik panels add flexibility, giving us exactly the control layout we need and enabling us to almost instantly reconfigure studio control if required to meet the needs of different productions.”

  • Wednesday, Jun. 24, 2015
Sprout By HP to grow via new applications
Ideum Origmi Apprentice for Sprout by HP.
PALO ALTO, Calif. -- 

HP has announced several new applications for Sprout by HP, billed as being the world’s first immersive computer, enhancing the user experience and expanding the 3D ecosystem for creative professionals and aspiring creatives.

The new applications that will be available this summer include Crayola Color Alive, Ideum Origami Apprentice, Mobile5 SizeUp, Mischief for Sprout, Sprout Stop Motion, Sprout Light Stencil and Sprout Video Capture, as well as HP’s own Sprout 3D Capture application, announced earlier this month.

“These new applications continue to expand HP’s immersive computing ecosystem,” said Eric Monsef, Highly Immersive Systems, HP. “Both small and industry leading app developers are drawn to the platform as it unlocks unique, immersive experiences for both consumers and professionals.”

HP also announced that Sprout is featured at the Crayola Experience in Easton, Penn. The brand new Color Magic attraction showcases Sprout as part of an augmented reality experience that allows kids to bring coloring pages alive by scanning artwork and animating the characters they colored.  Kids can create a unique memento by taking a selfie with their character and emailing it to themselves as a keepsake.

New applications bring art to life
As a new technology, Sprout expands the limits of creative possibilities and opens doors for consumer and creative professionals who want to create something completely new. When available, the new applications will be offered through the Sprout Marketplace.

Crayola Color Alive goes beyond the Crayola Color Magic Experience to also allow kids to apply animated effects thru special colors such as Fire-Breath and Ice-Blast.  Kids can also save their characters and bring them out to play in 4D anytime.  The app already includes 18 free Action Coloring Pages.

Ideum Origami Apprentice guides learners through the process of folding origami models. Projected instructions on the Sprout’s unique mat take the user step-by-step through the folds while the upper screen provides animated and verbal instructions. Users can create a variety of origami.

Mobile5 SizeUp demonstrates the power of Sprout by allowing users to measure objects in real-time using Sprout’s downward facing camera. The measurements are projected on the mat overlaying the real object and shown on the vertical screen. With the ability to change from metric to imperial systems and different unit measures, the app is expected to be ideal for crafters, makers, professionals and educators worldwide.

Mischief for Sprout is a creative sketching tool ideal for drawing, doodling, whiteboarding, or producing creative artwork or designs. The app integrates with the overhead cameras for quick capture and import of 2D objects. It also provides an unobstructed full screen preview of the canvas on the vertical screen. Mischief features an “Infinite Canvas” with pin-able views that adds a new level of brainstorming, drawing details or storytelling.

Sprout Stop Motion allows any user to easily create stop motion videos. Stop Motion captures real objects as digital assets by using the two Sprout cameras, then users mix them up with screen captures and edit using intuitive yet powerful features like frame duplication, image cloak and delays. Users can also record sound from a microphone or import an audio file to enrich the video production.

Sprout Light Stencil enables users to trace, etch or stencil on physical objects using an image or design of their own creation.  First, the app projects the image to the horizontal mat, then the user can apply effects, rotation and scale to the projected image.  Finally, the user traces, etches, or stencils the projected image onto their preferred material, for example: wooden blocks, t-shirts, leather or cake.

Sprout Video Capture provides a seamless and efficient workflow for recording video content from multiple cameras on Sprout and the live screen content at the same time.  Then the user can trim and create multi-shot videos that can share instructions, projects, presentations or special moments. It enables Sprout users to create their own video content, making it the ideal platform for makers and instructional video production.

HP is experiencing strong response from developers in both the consumer and professional areas. Sprout Emulator and Sprout JavaScript Framework make it easier for developers to create Sprout applications.

Sprout emulator enables developers to test applications on a non-Sprout Windows PC. It simulates the Sprout Workspace that allows developers to test Sprout specific APIs such as Capture, dual screen etc.

Sprout JavaScript framework allows developers to develop applications for Sprout using HTML and JavaScript. This helps developers to use their existing web application source code and assets to create Sprout applications more quickly.

The Sprout Software Development Kit is available at www.sprout.hp.com/developer.

  • Tuesday, Jun. 23, 2015
Avid completes acquisition of Orad Hi-Tec Systems
Louis Hernandez, Jr., chairman, president and CEO of Avid.
Avid MediaCentral Platform adds 3D real-time graphics, live production, and workflow management solutions
BURLINGTON, Mass. -- 

Avid (Nasdaq: AVID) has further advanced its Avid Everywhere vision by completing its acquisition of Orad Hi-Tec Systems, a provider of state-of-the-art 3D real-time graphics, video servers, and related workflow management solutions. The Orad product lines are highly complementary to the Avid MediaCentral Platform, and allow Avid to further deliver on its commitment to give media organizations and creative professionals more comprehensive workflows with greater choice, flexibility, and operational efficiency.

More than 600 customers worldwide currently rely on Orad’s cutting-edge technology to produce graphics, live events, and sports broadcasts. Avid plans to expand its portfolio and distribution network with Orad’s comprehensive line of news, channel branding, sports production and enhancement, elections and special events, virtual studios, video walls, and virtual advertisement products. With this expanded capability, media organizations on the Avid MediaCentral Platform should be able to reduce the burden of piecing together disparate fragmented workflows in their production environments, resulting in less complexity, fewer interoperability challenges, and greater efficiency and productivity.

“Orad has built an incredibly talented team of visionaries and product experts as well as a culture of customer success, and we are thrilled to have them as part of the Avid family,” said Louis Hernandez, Jr., chairman, president, and CEO of Avid. “Many of Avid’s and Orad’s solutions are already well integrated and widely used together by the world’s top media organizations, and we are working aggressively to bring all of Orad’s product lines into the Avid MediaCentral platform quickly. We look forward to keeping the community updated on our progress in the coming weeks and months.”

The transaction at today’s exchange rate translates to approximately $65 million net cash based on what Avid paid for each share of Orad common stock.

The combination of Avid and Orad is expected to deliver a number of significant benefits for customers of both companies, including:

    Enhanced integration —Key Orad solutions are already integrated with products on the Avid MediaCentral Platform including graphics integrations with Avid iNEWS newsroom management and Media Composer, as well as video server support for ingest and playout with DNxHD. In the near future, customers should experience enhanced integration between more Avid and Orad solutions.
   
     More comprehensive workflows — Tightly integrating Orad’s products into the Avid MediaCentral Platform is intended to provide media organizations with a more comprehensive, efficient set of on-air graphics and live production capabilities.
   
     Improved efficiency — With less complexity and fewer interoperability challenges, media organizations can be more productive and operate more efficiently when more of their critical workflow solutions are integrated onto a single platform.
   
     Complete choice with an open ecosystem — While the MediaCentral Platform will now include its own line of on-air graphics and live production solutions via Orad, customers will continue to enjoy complete choice over which solutions they want to use in their environments.

    And more options for workflow management — Orad’s workflow management solutions are highly complementary to Avid’s asset and workflow management (MAM) solutions, and Avid is working to align the two product lines to provide a more comprehensive workflow management solution for customers of both product sets.

  • Monday, Jun. 22, 2015
Sony PCL Inc. purchases a Pablo Rio 8K
Pablo Rio 8K
Tokyo event and video production company to launch world’s first 8K facility with Quantel
NEWBURY, UK -- 

Sony PCL Inc., the Tokyo-based event and video production solutions provider, has placed an order with Quantel for a Pablo Rio 8K editing, color correction and finishing system. The Pablo Rio 8K will be the backbone of Sony PCL’s 8K post pipeline when the company launches the world’s first commercial 8K production service from its Creation Center in August 2015. Sony PCL Inc. will also move its existing Pablo Rio 4K HFR system into a new suite alongside the Pablo Rio 8K, further increasing customer choice and convenience.

Sony PCL Inc. delivers complete solutions for event and video production. The company already has extensive experience with 4K productions, offering clients a complete production package from production planning, shooting, editing, sound design and mixing to grading and delivery, with the emphasis on high quality content, delivered to short deadlines. Pablo Rio 8K’s realtime operation will enable Sony PCL to continue to offer its clients interactive finishing sessions at 8K, where full resolution imagery is reviewed and changes made in realtime in the finishing suite.

Kunihiro Takeda, President of Sony PCL Inc., said, “Sony PCL Inc. is dedicated to delivering state-of-the-art productions for our customers; we are therefore always looking for highest quality, highest resolution video and audio solutions for large scale productions. Pablo Rio 8K will take us to a whole new level, and its ability to handle multiple resolutions on the same timeline will further increase our creative options. We are looking forward to further development of the system by Quantel over the coming months that will enable us deliver even more immersive experiences for our customers.”

“Sony PCL’s purchase of Pablo Rio 8K shows the potential of this exciting new format,” said Tim Thorsteinson, Quantel and Snell CEO. “8K opens up new creative possibilities on even the biggest stages as well as delivering superlative images for viewers in fixed environments.”

  • Monday, Jun. 22, 2015
Prime Focus Technologies joins Media & Entertainment Services Alliance (MESA) advisory board
Ramki Sankaranarayanan
LOS ANGELES -- 

Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the technology arm of Prime Focus, a media services leader, has joined the advisory board of the Media & Entertainment Services Alliance (MESA). PFT will be working with MESA on its mission to support service providers in building efficiencies in the creation, production and distribution of physical and digital media and entertainment.

“As a prominent Cloud solutions provider in the M&E [Media & Entertainment] industry, Prime Focus Technologies is constantly looking for ways to advance the development of supply chain infrastructure, content securities and innovation in the industry,” said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, PFT founder and CEO. “Forums such as MESA are critical to the M&E industry as a whole through advocacy efforts, market research and opportunities to interact with other key members.”

MESA’s expansive range of services includes the development and support of special interest groups, events, media and numerous initiatives. Through these pillars, MESA provides support to its members throughout the year in multiple ways while facilitating collaboration and ongoing discussions.

This new partnership comes shortly after the announcement that PFT has signed a deal with HOOQ, a joint venture between Singtel, Sony Pictures Television and Warner Bros. Entertainment. PFT’s Operations Cloud, part of the CLEAR Media ERP Suite will help package and deliver content on HOOQ. CLEAR Operations Cloud helps M&E companies deal with volume and speed needs to service content demand from the growing number of digital outlets globally.

“Prime Focus Technologies is making great strides in advancing the way media and entertainment companies adjust to the digital consumer and we are thrilled to have them join us,” said Guy Finley, executive director, MESA. “Their presence will be key as conversations about the digital age and developing technologies continue to move forward.”

PFT’s clientele includes The Walt Disney Co., 21st Century Fox-owned STAR TV, Warner Bros. Television Studios, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Relativity Media, Legendary Pictures, Starz Media, Lionsgate, A&E TV Network, Crown Media Family Networks, and FX Networks.

Prime Focus is listed on the NSE and BSE in India.
 

  • Thursday, Jun. 18, 2015
MAXON Cinema 4D Inspires VFX/Animation artistry on "Avengers: Age of Ultron"
"Avengers: Age of Ultron" Heads Up Display (HUD) from Cantina Creative.
Cantina Creative and Territory Studio’s fictional UI designs leverage 3D toolset for enhanced visual realism and complexity
FRIEDRICHSDORF, Germany -- 

MAXON, a developer of professional 3D modeling, painting, animation and rendering solutions, announced that creative, design and visual effects studios--Los Angeles-based Cantina Creative and London-based Territory Studio--leveraged its cornerstone 3D software solution, Cinema 4D, as a pivotal digital content creation tool to create numerous visual effects to advance story point elements that appear throughout Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Age of Ultron superhero film sequel.

The Age of Ultron stars Robert Downey Jr., who reprises his role as Tony Stark (Iron Man), as he tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program that goes awry. With help from fellow Avengers: Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, they attempt to thwart the evil Ultron from enacting his plans of destruction.

The Cantina Creative VFX team members working on Age of Ultron, headed by VFX supervisor Alan Torres, worked directly with Christopher Townsend, VFX supervisor at Marvel Studios, to create more than 95 visual effects shots including a number of new Heads Up Displays (HUDS). Cantina Creative, which also designed HUDS and interface graphical designs using Cinema 4D in the blockbuster films Iron Man 3, Iron Man 2 and Marvel’s The Avengers, was asked to push the photographic quality the studio achieved in Iron Man 3 to the next level in the development and execution of 3D HUDS as well as story point elements and monitor graphics designs.

The technical evolution in the HUD designs in Age of Ultron required Cantina to introduce new creative techniques and approaches that demanded a heightened visual sense of space and lighting within all four of the new HUDS, namely the Mark 42, Mark 43, Mark 44 and Mark 45 armored suits worn by Downey Jr. “As Tony Stark continues to evolve, so must his toys,” said Torres. “Cinema 4D helped us conceptualize, develop and ultimately solve the creation of several challenging new assets to tell the story the way we intended and create elaborate, 3D photoreal and dimensional environments in the HUDS so that Stark can maneuver in a truly interactive manner.”

“A film project of this magnitude makes the creative process extremely fun and necessitates that our tools provide us with maximum flexibility so that we can stay focused, conceptualize new designs and push the envelope on existing material,” added Stephen Lawes, creative director, Cantina Creative. “We relied on numerous features in Cinema 4D to generate, animate and render HUD assets on many of the most challenging shots we delivered in Age of Ultron for an efficient and intuitive workflow. In a key point-of-view sequence for the Mark 45 where Stark scans a church key that runs through the rising section of earth, we needed to transition from a live action plate to a CG schematic. Using the camera and tracking data in Cinema 4D allowed us to import the church key model (supplied by ILM) and after developing the schematic look of the key we were intuitively able to animate and then render passes into After Effects for compositing.”

Under the direction of creative director David Sheldon-Hicks, the Territory team also worked closely with Townsend, Age of Ultron production designer Charles Wood and the art department to craft a visual language and bring an unprecedented level of realism and emotive depth to the film’s super heroes and their technology. In total, Territory designed more than 200 screens and 80 minutes of unique animations, across 11 sets, to create new visual identities and user interface designs for the technology seen in Avengers Tower, including Stark’s lab, Banner’s research lab, the Quinjet aircraft as well as the fortress of Baron Von Strucker and Dr. Cho’s advanced medical lab.

To achieve a fresh level of authenticity in elements such as 3D holograms and computer screen diagnostics, Territory researched details from the fields of military, robotics and avionics technology. “We approach our 3D work from a design perspective with the intention that our screen graphics will serve as a hero piece of content, a story specific element,” said Sheldon-Hicks.

“In Age of Ultron our 3D visuals needed to tell a story in the blink of an eye while retaining enough detail for close scrutiny on a cinema projection. Cinema 4D allows us to think like designers, work quickly and creatively and push ourselves technically to discover new techniques. Its tight workflow with other tools such as After Effects is also an essential aspect when working against tight deadlines, and allowed us to render an element while compositing and animating continuously.”

Territory drew upon various toolsets within Cinema 4D including Thinking Particles, Mograph and Sketch and Toon for quick render passes, mesh organization, and for creative experimentation. “For the Leviathan screens, created for the Fortress set, we took a highly detailed CGI model received from one of the main vendors to organize the mesh into manageable chunks and to experiment with different setups,” outlined Peter Eszenyi, head of 3D, Territory Studios. “Cinema 4D gave us the flexibility to explore using the mesh as an emitter as well as placing several other emitters around it. For other passes we used the mesh as a collider object, and of course we did quite a few different setups with turbulences, wind, surface modifiers--the whole works. In parallel we also used the Sketch and Toon module to experiment with different contour settings, lights and shadows and also ‘played around’ after rendering the passes with shadows, ambient occlusion, tessellation methods, and projection so we could start producing the different screens.”

“MAXON is honored that Cantina Creative and Territory Studio--studios that are constantly pushing technical boundaries--continue to trust Cinema 4D to meet the demanding 3D content creation challenges required to bring Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, one of the world’s most beloved film franchises to life,” said Harald Egel, managing partner at MAXON Computer, GmbH. “We applaud the studios for their outstanding vision and commitment to innovation on this substantial project.”

  • Thursday, Jun. 18, 2015
Chris May named sr. director of East Coast For Levels Beyond
Chris May
DENVER -- 

Levels Beyond, creators of Reach Engine--a software platform providing streamlined media management, distribution, optimization and monetization capabilities--has hired Chris May as sr. director of East Coast operations, effective July 9. May comes to the company from Turner Sports in Atlanta, where he was media operations manager for more than seven years.

May brings a wealth of experience to his new role at Levels Beyond, having served in a number of key positions during his tenure at Turner Broadcasting System. Throughout a period of rapid technological change and expansion of content offerings and opportunities, May successfully shepherded the network’s efforts to manage and capitalize on an ever-growing array of content. He was integral to the development and success of systems, purchasing products and services enabling media content publishing to CMS applications, and was a key player in the design of an award-winning, end-to-end media server system. May also developed the metadata schema for Turner Sports and was essential in streamlining operations to work more efficiently, while bringing added value through technology.

To satisfy growing customer demand, Levels Beyond is in the midst of a significant expansion of services. In his new role, May will serve as the executive in charge of the company’s new Manhattan office, slated to open in October of this year. Reach Engine, the company’s media inventory platform, serves a number of content creation and distribution businesses, including advertising, sports, media and entertainment, and publishing. The diverse client list includes Kroger Foods, New York Times, The Mill UK, The Sundance Institute, Craftsy, and The Philadelphia Eagles.

Christy King, COO of Levels Beyond, said of May’s appointment, “Chris brings an important depth of media business experience to Levels Beyond and to our clients. His knowledge gives him important insight into the evolving business of media management. Chris is very used to managing a huge amount of content, as well as addressing rights management issues related to a large and varied media archive. We’re looking forward to putting his expertise to work for our expanding roster of East Coast customers.” 

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