The Briefing Room

Charlie Mitchell Joins EPS as VP of Sales

SANTA MONICA, CA — For 15 years Electric Picture Solutions (EPS) has been catering to the editorial needs of L.A.’s motion-picture and television studios and production companies, with devoted clients in need of Edit Suites traveling to the EPS headquarters in Studio City where there are 21 suites to experience “Technotherapyâ€? – EPS’ world-class, 24/7 technical support and service. Now, clients in West Los Angeles have an editorial base closer to home with the opening of EPS’ newest location at 1831 S. Centinela in Santa Monica, less than three miles from the beach.

Having a “hip� Westside aesthetic, the newly remodeled, two-story, 5,200-square-foot structure features 20 edit rooms, a full kitchen, multiple lounges and a complete machine room, plus ample parking. Each room has multiple fiber-optic runs and Internet connectivity. EPS can set up clients with a full line of Avid systems from Adrenaline to Symphony Nitris DX, Apple Final Cut Pro systems as well as Lightworks Alacrity and Touch systems. Currently, the Showtime series Tracey Ullman’s State of the Union is at the new facility, as is the feature film Stone, starring Robert De Niro and Edward Norton.

“We will do whatever is necessary to fulfill the client’s needs,� says EPS General Manager David Goodman. “We are a full-service, nonlinear editorial company, meaning we’ll rent you something as simple as a cable or we’ll take care of everything turnkey and all things in between.�

EPS has had a Westside presence for several years, but the space was booked by one client for three years, sending other clients to temporary installations or to the Studio City facilities. The new, convenient Centinela site rectifies that with a dedicated, full-service facility. “We decided to have a long-term, permanent presence on the Westside,� says Goodman.

The nine-room second floor is especially attractive to clients because of its access. “The upstairs has a separate entrance tailor-made for large productions,� says EPS CEO David Pincus, an Emmy Award-winning editor himself. “If you have a big production needing lots of rooms and have an actor or director that wants a private entrance, the second floor is ideal.�

EPS isn’t just expanding into West Los Angeles; the company also is expanding its services into new media.

A key component in EPS’ service expansion is the recent hiring of industry vet Charlie Mitchell as VP of Sales. With a breadth of experience that stretches across the entertainment industry, Mitchell brings a unique outlook and skillset to EPS. As the senior VP of sales at Origin Digital, he reached beyond standard Hollywood accounts to service such clients as the National Football League, Nike and Cisco. He co-founded Streamsign Media, a full-service advertising and digital signage company handling such clients as Princess Cruises. While at Picture PipeLine, he developed custom plans for The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, enabling each production to transfer daily cuts and visual effects from Australia to Burbank, and while serving as senior VP at Runway Media, he often called on EPS as a customer for editing equipment rentals.

“He is a seasoned veteran, having been in and around this business for well over 20 years, and he fits our personality – he is open, with a great outside-the-box mentality,� says Goodman. “Besides having a base of experience with what we already do, he brings a fresh perspective for the new business ventures that we are pursuing.�

“EPS’ devoted customer base is the cream of the crop in Hollywood, and the company has done a phenomenal job of providing for them,� notes Mitchell. New media outlets such as internet channels and mobile phone platforms are exploding in popularity, but studios are struggling with the variety of formats and delivery systems, often having to go to separate facilities to repurpose assets. I look at the technical expertise and facilities we have here, and I believe we can offer ancillary and complementary services to our clients. We are somebody they already trust and now we will be their one-stop shop.�

Mitchell plans to launch these additional services in a matter of months. Longer term, he foresees EPS helping clients distribute their new media content as well.

“I’m not here just to increase revenue with the current set of services but really to add additional services that benefit the client and fit in with their existing workflow,’ he says.

ABOUT EPS
EPS was established in 1994 and its founding partners are pioneers in Avid, Lightworks and Final Cut Pro rentals. In addition the company provides hardware, software and other resources for studios, feature film and television clients such as Paramount Pictures, Miramax, Warner Bros., Sony, Lionsgate, Walt Disney and independent production companies. EPS consults for their clients to plan standard and high-definition workflow and is a resource for DI workflow. EPS is headquartered in Studio City, CA and has offices in Santa Monica, CA, New York, and Baton Rouge, LA., and has affiliates worldwide that can help with software and hardware installation and support. For more information, visit www.picturesolutions.com.