ASSIMILATE (www.assimilateinc.com) today announced that SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab version 6.1 have achieved never-before-seen performance levels in the playback of RED EPIC Stereo content. SCRATCH Lab now provides DITs, DPs and Directors with dailies playback and review of RAW Stereo EPIC streams, direct from the camera at a full 48 FPS. SCRATCH 6.1 finishing systems can achieve the same 48 FPS playback rate of EPIC Stereo content even after sophisticated color grades and VFX have been applied.

Now, Directors and DPs that are planning the next generation of stereo feature films can have the confidence of knowing that they can maintain the integrity of their shot from on-set QC and review, all the way through post-production. And best of all, they can eliminate the costly and time-consuming step of transcoding.

“48 FPS Stereo EPIC feature films are the next holy grail on the moviemaking horizon”, said Ted Schilowitz of RED. “Directors are constantly pushing the envelope to deliver the highest quality cinematic experience possible, and EPIC is the camera of choice for the majority of the top stereo productions in 2012. We’re delighted that these productions now have the benefit of 48 FPS playback, review and QC of stereo EPIC shots, on-set and in realtime, with an industry-leading tool like SCRATCH Lab. The ability to achieve 48 FPS Stereo EPIC support in a world-class dailies workflow system for less than $5,000 is astonishing”.

Jeff Edson, CEO of ASSIMILATE, said, “SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab have been at the leading edge of digital moviemaking since the original RED One camera. Today’s announcement is just another example of how SCRATCH and Lab and RED continue to set the pace for the industry. ASSIMILATE is dedicated to delivering the highest quality, most consistent artist experience for file-based content – from image acquisition, all the way through DI and post. We’re committed to continue working in lock-step with RED as we consistently deliver the technology that changes the way the world watches movies”.

SCRATCH Digital Workflow Tools

ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab deliver the industry’s most comprehensive toolset for data-centric digital cinema and broadcast productions for 2D and 3D stereo projects at up to 5K resolution and beyond. New 6.1 versions of the software, running on Mac OS X and Windows 7, feature SDI output via AJA Kona 3G graphics cards, wicked-fast dailies rendering, improved metadata and timecode handling, and enhanced RED workflow support.

ASSIMILATE is the premier provider of digital workflow and post-production tools, that have proven essential to the successful creation of thousands of studio and independent features, television shows, music videos and corporate video productions. The company’s SCRATCH products, running on Windows and Mac OSX, are the heartbeat of today’s most demanding digital post-production and dailies workflows for 2D and stereo 3D productions. They equip Directors, DPs and Artists with the state-of-the-art, intuitive, data-centric solutions they need to meet the continual challenges of increased creativity and productivity amid ever-shrinking budgets. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH data-centric DI system, is the most comprehensive, end-to-end cinema and broadcast imaging tool for playback, conform, editing, color grading, compositing and finishing of RED and other digital workflows. SCRATCH Lab delivers a comprehensive toolset for the review, versioning, color correction, conform and output of on-set or VFX dailies. ASSIMILATE a privately held company, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, USA, offices in London, UK, Groningen, NL and Beijing City, CN and markets its products worldwide via a global reseller network. www.assimilateinc.com.

They say everything is bigger in Texas, and with the installation of award-winning Christie® digital cinema projectors at two of the Lone Star State’s most popular drive-in theaters, they are now also the brightest. The Big Sky Drive-In in Midland and the Stars and Stripes in Lubbock, both featuring outdoor screens up to 90 ft wide, now offer a superior movie viewing experience thanks to Christie’s DLP Cinema® projectors, which are recognized as the brightest and most powerful in the industry.
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“Drive-in theaters have always been a romantic business venture that faced many technical challenges,” noted Craig Sholder, vice president, Entertainment Solutions at Christie. “The limited amount of light that can be projected on the screen from even the most powerful film projectors is not always sufficient to compete with the ambient light of the outdoors. This has often seriously affected the quality of the projected image and undermined the movie-viewing experience for many patrons. Christie projectors are ideally suited for the outdoor environment where ease of operation – especially to focus and scale images – and high brightness levels are critical.”
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Thinking Big
As a major sponsor of the 12th annual convention for the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association (UDITOA), February 6 – 9, in Kissimmee, Florida, Christie is partnering with dealers such as Sonic Equipment Company to help lead America’s drive-in theaters into the digital age. Backed by more than 80 years in the exhibition industry, Christie is offering complete, turn-key solutions that include design, consultation, installation and support services. As well, Christie can provide interested customers with 24/7 support and maintenance through its Network Operations Center (NOC), located in Cypress, California.
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Among the first drive-ins in the country to “see the light” of digital technology were the
Stars & Stripes and the Big Sky drive-ins – the first multi-screen drive-ins in the country. Christie projectors, rated at 30,000 ANSI lumens of brightness, covered their entire screen surfaces with the sharpest digital images ever seen in a drive-in theater.
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A Big Improvement at The Big Sky
Big Sky owner Sam Kirkland opened in October 2005 with two screens, both using 35mm projectors. He added a third screen in 2007. Two of Big Sky’s three screens are 45 ft by 90ft, with parking spaces for 436 cars and 382 cars; the third screen, at 35 ft by 70 ft, can handle 198 cars. The conversion to Christie digital projectors was done by Sonic Equipment Company, of Iola, Kansas.
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“When a drive-in goes to digital movies, it’s a big difference from film, and audiences see the difference immediately,” said Sam Kirkland, owner of The Big Sky. “Our Christie projector gives us a gorgeous picture and our customers love it!”
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Lamont Furlow, the 60-year old general manager of Big Sky, whose parents managed a local drive-in theater, recalled that he was virtually born into the movie theater business.
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“Directly or indirectly, I’ve been in the exhibition business all my life, and have a special passion for the drive-in,” he said. “I’m not real computer literate, but when we had some initial challenges the first week, we called our Christie representative and he talked us through the situation right over the phone. The show started on time and the entire system has worked beautifully every since!”
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Most importantly, Furlow noted, “Now that we’re digital, lighting the screen is no longer an issue. Our patrons enjoy even the darkest scenes in a movie.”
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In the past, Big Sky also had serious problems getting the picture focused when running 35mm projectors. “With Christie digital projectors, it’s now in perfect focus,” he said. “My immediate reaction when we showed our first movie in digital was, ‘That can’t be my screen!”
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He added: “We couldn’t be more pleased with our new Christie projectors.”
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A Bright Idea at the Stars & Stripes
Ryan Smith had fond childhood memories of working in his grandparents’ indoor theater, as well as nights spent at the local drive-in. In 2003, at the age of 24, he opened the Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theatre with two screens and two used 35mm projectors, assisted by his parents.
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Today, with two screens that measured 35 ft by 70 ft, and one measuring 45 ft by 90ft, the earliest lesson he learned about drive-in theaters, said Smith, was that, “you just can’t get enough light on those big screens.”
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Smith selected Christie projectors, financing the cost of the digital conversion himself. Sonic Equipment Company of Iola, Kansas, supervised the installation and helped to train Smith and his staff.
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The impact was instantaneous. According to Smith, in the first week they opened, “People noticed that something was different. They realized the picture was brighter. And I was thrilled to provide my customers with ‘indoor-movie’ picture quality.”
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Smith is now eager to explore the expansion of his business with new kinds of content, such as sporting events, concerts, and cultural performances. “We were always constrained by film,” he said. “With digital, there are no limitations. We are very pleased with our Christie projectors.”
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“Our customers have all praised the outstanding image quality of Christie digital projectors and we love their ease of use, and their low cost of operation,” said Steve Zimmerman, director of business development at Sonic. “As a Christie certified partner, we look forward to helping America’s drive-ins enter the digital age and bring a new level of entertainment to the next generation of moviegoers and beyond.”

CRASH+SUES, the hybrid VFX, animation, color correction and creative editing company, has signed executive producer Sven Shelgren. With over 20-years of experience, the industry veteran has executive produced spots for such iconic directors as Jim Johnston, John Pytka, Peter Kagan, and Paul Dektor, and worked for a prestigious list of production companies, including Dektor Film, Jon Francis Films, and Stiefel & Co. Shelgren, whose work has garnered numerous Clios, as well as awards at Cannes and MOMA, is skilled at helming productions with budgets that run the gamut from modest to millions of dollars. He brings this broad range of experience to his new position heading the Minneapolis-based company’s multi-disciplined collective of talent, and working with C+S president/owner, Heidi Habben to provide advertising, film, broadcast and emerging media clients with expanded creative resources.

 

Shelgren’s career has traversed the commercial, film and television arenas. He began working in the industry in 1978 as a repair technician and teamster dispatcher for a grip and lighting company in NYC, and then made the leap to high volume commercial producing for Jim Johnston, John Pytka, Ed Barnett and Andrzej Karpinski. In 1985, he helped launch Stiefel & Company in NYC, and as executive producer for Richard McCarthy, Steve Tobin, Peter Kagan, and Jon
Francis, he expanded Stiefel to LA and produced a long roster of memorable spots, including the multi-million dollar

 

Merrill Lynch “Bull Across America” campaign. In 1988 Sven began a six-year stint working exclusively with director
Jon Francis as executive and line producer. Their prolific partnership generated numerous award-winning spots, including multiple Little Caesar’s campaigns for Cliff Freeman Partners, SF Examiner spots for Goodby Berlin, and many others.

 

Shelgren opened his own production house, RCR Inc. in 1994, which debuted with the highly acclaimed Saturn campaign, “Mt Rushmore” and “Yellowstone” for Hal Riney/SF. That same year Sven was offered an executive and line producer position with Paul Dektor at Dektor Film, which continued for the next 13 years, where he supervised dozens of major national accounts including Michelob, Nike, AT&T, Wachovia, Huggies, and Dove. Throughout this period, Sven also produced RCR Inc. projects, working with public service agencies such as Amnesty International, as well as corporate clients like Epson, Clarion Hospitals, and the Indiana and Illinois Lotteries.

 

“I first met Sven when CRASH + SUES hired Dektor Films to produce an innovative spot for WE Energies and Laughlin Constable/Milwaukee. That was over a decade ago, and we’ve been friends ever since,” notes Habben. “I think it’s Sven’s love of the industry and passion for his craft that consistently propels his work to the next level. He brings the full breadth of his experience to every job and knows how to elevate a collaboration into a creative partnership that pushes a project farther than expected or imagined. I’ve always said he could spin more plates than anyone I know. He’s an extraordinarily talented executive producer, and I’m honored that he’s joined the CRASH+SUES team.”

 

“Sven is also a tenacious creative problem-solver who knows how to amp up the production value of a projects – whether the budget is $5K or $5M,” adds Habben. “Working in a mix of major markets – from Los Angeles and New York to Vancouver and the Mid-West – has given him a national and global perspective of the industry, which is invaluable to CRASH+SUES as we expand and diversify,” continues Habben.

Habben also recognizes the value of Shelgren’s keen eye for talent and has tasked the executive producer with recruiting talent and expanding C+S’ diverse team of animators, designs, VFX artists, creative editors, color correctors, digital strategists, illustrators and mixers.

 

Sven Shelgren’s ability to conceptualize and produce inspired media content continues to draw him into long-form work. His recent feature documentary film, A Single Woman, premiered in a session of the US Congress, as well as being recognized with screenings at both the Smithsonian Institution and at the United Nations. It tells the true story of the first US Congresswoman and lifelong pacifist, Jeannette Rankin, and earned Shelgren an Exceptional Merit in Media Award, the highest honor presented by the National Women’s Political Caucus. His short film, My Husband’s Son, was honored as a festival selection in Edinburgh, London, Los Angeles, South by Southwest, and others, also garnering Best Actress for Kathleen Wilhoite at the Festival du Cinema de Paris.

 

“Once I had the delightful experience of working with CRASH+SUES as executive producer for Dektor Films back in 2001, Heidi and I became fast friends,” says Shelgren. “She’s built a high-end multi-disciplined creative resource for providing a blend of all formats of media content – from spots and broadcast to films and emerging media – in a collaborative environment driven by a team of talent that brings a fresh aesthetic and cutting-edge creative solutions to their work. It’s a business model that has no boundaries, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to work together with such a talented team to make clients and collaborators all proud of the work we do together.”

 

About CRASH+SUES:
CRASH+SUES (is a seamlessly integrated creative editorial, animation, FX, motion design, color correction, finishing and multi-media company. Its collaborative team of talent is dedicated to providing advertising agencies, brands and filmmakers with fresh, innovate and cost-effective creative content. For additional information about CRASH+SUES, contact executive producer Sven Shelgren at 612.338.7947 or (sven@crash-sues.com) or visit www.crashandsues.com.

Continues Commitment to Offering Innovative Power Solutions for Industry’s Hottest Cameras

SHELTON, CT, FEBRUARY 6, 2012—Anton/Bauer®, part of Vitec Videocom, a Vitec Group company and a premier global provider of batteries, chargers, lighting and other mobile power systems for the professional broadcast, video and film industries, is pleased to introduce its QRC-CA940 Gold Mount® solution for the new Canon EOS C300 camera. This latest introduction furthers the company’s commitment to developing power solutions for the industry’s top cameras. more

Credits also to Local Hero Post, Cinecolor Digital, Studio L’Equipe for their 2012 Sundance Film Festival Entries

At the Sundance Film Festival 2012 in Park City, Utah (January 19 – 29), several films were on the roster for filmmakers whose post-production companies used ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH DI tool in their digital workflows. ASSIMILATE is extremely pleased to congratulate Chilefims for its post-production of Violeta Went To Heaven (Violeta Se Fue a Los Cielos) (2011), winner of the Sundance 2012 World Cinema Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic. ASSIMILATE also congratulates Local Hero Post (Santa Monica, CA) Cinecolor Digital (Buenos Aires, Argentina), and Studio l’Equipe (Paris, France) for their high-quality post-production of the following films accepted by the Sundance Film Festival 2012, the premier showcase for independent American and international filmmakers.

World Dramatic Competition

Winner – Violeta Se Fue a Los Cielos (Violeta Went To Heaven) (2011) directed by Andres Wood: Like a Chilean Edith Piaf or Bob Dylan, Violeta Parra was a folksinger and pop culture icon whose songs expressed the soul of her nation and protested social injustice. Violeta Went to Heaven tells Parra’s extraordinary story, tracing her evolution from impoverished child to international sensation, to Chile’s national hero. The full DI, from conform to color grading and finishing for this film, was done in ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH.

Post-production facility: Chilefilms, Santiago, Chile; www.chilefilms.com.cl

“We of course are thrilled and honored that Violeta Went to Heaven is the winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize, Dramatic at Sundance 2012. As with every film we undertake at Chilefims, we put our heart and soul into it,” says Cristian Aguilar, Chilefilms’ business development director. “We’ve been using SCRATCH since 2004 when we were a beta for version 1. Since then, SCRATCH has become an integral tool in our daily workflow for countless films and projects. The sophistication of SCRATCH continues to ‘ripen’ over the years so that we’re able to do post-production at the speed of thought to achieve the highest quality of DI, many of which are award-winning films and documentaries.”

Wrong (2012) directed by Quentin Dupieux: Dolph Springer wakes up one morning to realize he has lost the love of his life, his dog, Paul. During his quest to get Paul (and his life) back, Dolph radically changes the lives of others. In his journey to find Paul, Dolph may lose something even more vital – his mind. This film was conformed and color graded in ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH.

Post-production facility: Studio L’Equipe, Paris, France; www.studio-equipe.com

The Last Elvis (2011) directed by Armando Bo: In the unique world of the Buenos Aires celebrity-impersonator scene, “Elvis” Gutiérrez is a star. By day, though, he must contend with a dead-end factory job and an ex-wife who worries about how his obsessive behavior affects their young daughter. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH was the tool of choice for the full digital intermediate – conform, color grading, and finishing —- for this film.

Post-production facility: Cinecolor Digital, Buenos Aires, Argentina; www.cinecolor.com.ar

“This film was captured in RED and required intense color work because the film had to have a style or look of Las Vegas, with its dramatic different climates throughout the film,” said Lucas Guidalevich operations manager at Cinecolor Digital. “This is not a VFX film, so the importance of post-production lies almost entirely in the color correction. Thanks to the features that SCRATCH offers in working with infinite layers, we could do a lot of tweaking to squeeze the most out of the captured images. The results were excellent, both in the DCP and in the film copy negative, which was printed on an Arrilaser.”

US Dramatic Competition

Filly Brown (2011) directed by Youssef Delara and Michael D. Olmos: Majo Tonorio, a.k.a. Filly Brown, is a raw, young Los Angeles hip-hop artist who spits from the heart. When a sleazy record producer offers her a crack at rap stardom, Majo faces some daunting choices. Gina Rodriguez’s performance as Majo is considered by many to be the breakout performance of the festival. Filly Brown was conformed, color graded, and finished using ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH.

Post-production facility: Local Hero Post, Santa Monica, CA; www.localheropost.com

Leandro Marini, founder and DI producer at Local Hero Post said, “For us, working in SCRATCH is almost a magical experience – we have all the needed DI tools at our fingertips to bring out the best in imagery, no matter the format or size of the project. It’s extremely satisfying to exceed the expectations of our clients, actually bringing their vision to life.”

“ASSIMILATE congratulates Chilefilms and the entire family of SCRATCH artists whose films competed at Sundance 2012″, said Steve Bannerman, VP of marketing at ASSIMILATE. “We have been the heartbeat of digital filmmaking since the original RED ONE camera, and we are proud to have empowered so many of the independent film and documentary makers who have fueled this revolution. Audiences around the world are continually amazed and delighted by their work, and ASSIMILATE is honored to have played a role in their craft.”

SCRATCH Digital Workflow

ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH and SCRATCH Lab deliver the industry’s most comprehensive toolset for data-centric digital cinema and broadcast productions for 2D and 3D stereo projects at up to 5K resolution and beyond. New 6.1 versions of the software, running on Mac OS X and Windows 7, feature SDI output via AJA Kona 3G graphics cards, wicked-fast dailies rendering, improved metadata and timecode handling, and enhanced RED workflow support.

ASSIMILATE is the premier provider of digital workflow and post-production tools, that have proven essential to the successful creation of thousands of studio and independent features, television shows, music videos and corporate video productions. The company’s products, running on Windows and Mac OSX, are the heartbeat of today’s most demanding digital post-production and dailies workflows for 2D and stereo 3D productions. They equip directors, DPs and artists with the state-of-the-art, intuitive, data-centric solutions they need to meet the continual challenges of increased creativity and productivity amid ever-shrinking budgets. ASSIMILATE’s SCRATCH data-centric DI system, is the most comprehensive, end-to-end cinema and broadcast imaging tool for playback, conform, editing, color grading, compositing and finishing of RED and other digital workflows. SCRATCH Lab delivers a comprehensive toolset for the review, versioning, color correcion, conform and output of on-set or VFX dailies. ASSIMILATE a privately held company, with headquarters in Santa Clara, California, USA, offices in London, UK, Groningen, NL and Beijing City, CN and markets its products worldwide via a global reseller network. To learn more, and find your local reseller, please visit www.assimilateinc.com

Inspiring Demonstrations, Collegial Atmosphere and Unparalleled Sessions Bring Experts from Entertainment, Government and Research Together in Vibrant Exchange

(Los Angeles, CA) The Hollywood Post Alliance(r) – the trade association for the post production community – has announced the lineup for the HPA Tech Retreat(r), set to take place February 13 -17 at the Hyatt Grand Champions in Indian Wells, CA. The HPA Tech Retreat is the annual conference that brings together thought leaders from digital and content creation, media and entertainment, forensics, medicine, digital imaging, to academic research.

The event consists of three days of sessions, and two days of additional conference programming including an all day super session, seminars presented by ATSC and by imaging-guru Charles Poynton, a demo room with groundbreaking technologies, cocktail receptions, a welcome dinner, and three days of breakfast roundtables, fireside chats and opportunities for networking throughout each day. The Tech Retreat is designed to foster ideas and information sharing among industry experts.

Leon Silverman, President of HPA, notes, “Our industry’s incredibly accelerated pace of change makes it extremely difficult to know to whom or where one can turn to make sure you’re plugged into the knowledge and people you need to know to survive and navigate in this environment. The Tech Retreat is a yearly way to literally get into the heads and private conversations of the people who are driving and leading our industry through this transformative change. There really is nothing like it anywhere. A ticket to the Tech Retreat is a front-row, up close & personal seat on the cutting edge.”

Mark Schubin, who has led the programming for the Tech Retreat for 15 years, sums up the event, “There will be someone there who knows the answer, whatever the question is!” And, that fact, he contends, is why the Tech Retreat remains a mandatory event for many in the industry. “It doesn’t matter what you are dealing with – movies, television, media for the physically impaired, forensics, optical issues for 3D – there are experts here who want to discuss their latest findings, show you what they’ve been working on, and share. It’s the place where questions are explored in depth.”

The Tech Retreat is also an event where technologies, chosen by a committee of experts, are presented in a carefully curated demo room. “This year I am particularly excited about the Demo Room. There are a number of truly interesting technologies and companies debuting here. We are presenting a technology that makes any camera a stereoscopic 3D camera, a 360-degree camera from which HD images can be extracted, demos of how depth perception varies with viewing distance, high frame rate tests, Ethernet AVB, and more. It’s inspiring to say the least.” Schubin concluded.

Registration for the HPA Tech Retreat is limited. Information and registration is available at http://www.hpaonline.com/mc/page.do?sitePageId=130712. The Tech Retreat is sponsored by the Hollywood Post Alliance(r), serving the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content.

A complete schedule of the event is available online by clicking here: (http://www.hpaonline.com/mc/page.do?sitePageId=130539). A summary of speakers, panels, and participating companies follow.

Expert speakers confirmed include:

o Andrea Kalas
o Andy Maltz
o Annie Chang
o Arjun Ramamurthy
o Bob Liodice
o Brian Zents
o Bruce Devlin
o Chris Lennon
o Clyde Smith
o Craig Merkin
o Craig Todd
o Curtis Clark
o Dan Germain
o Debra Kaufman
o Edgar Shane
o Geoffrey Tulley
o Henry Gu
o Jenny Read
o Jerry Pierce
o Jim Berger
o Jim DeFillipis
o Jim Taylor
o John Hurst
o Larry Thorpe
o Leon Silverman
o Mark Aitken
o Mark Lemmons
o Mark Schubin
o Masayuki Sugawara
o Michael Koetter
o Mike Krause
o Paul Chapman
o Peter Putman
o Peter Symes
o Phil Squyres
o Rob Hummel
o Sean Cooney
o Skip Pizzi
o Steve Kochak
o Steven Poster
o Tim Claman
o Tom Burn
o Wendy Aylsworth

Also joining the line-up are the filmmakers from the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and an announcement of additional speakers is expected shortly.

Panelists representing studios, companies, and organizations include:

ABC
Adobe
ATSC
ARRI
Barco
Belden
Canon
CBS
CNN
DECE
Deluxe
Digital Domain
Digital Projection
Disney
Dolby
DVS
Fox
Harris
ICG
JVC
Laser-Illuminated Projector Association (LIPA)
Light Iron
NAB
NBC
Newcastle University
NHK
Oracle
Panasonic
PBS
RE: Vision Effects
RED
Rods & Cones
Sinclair
SMPTE
Sony
Sony Electronics
Technicolor
The Association of National Advertisers (ANA)
Vision Research
Warner Brothers
Walt Disney Company

More programming, panelists and organizations are to be announced shortly.

The HPA Tech Retreat is known for presenting topical, latest-knowledge panels and presentations. Among others, this year’s presentation topics include:

o Forecast for SuperSession 2012: Snowflakes with an Increasing Chance of Clouds
o 4K Cameras and their Workflows
o The Image Interchange Framework Demystified: What It Is and Why It Matters
o High-Dynamic-Range Acquisition
o Optical Temporal Filtering
o Broadcasters Panel
o The Current State of Connected TV
o The Home Ecosystem: What Will Make It Work?
o CES Review
o HPA Monitor Symposium Recap
o Next Generation Projection Systems
o Getting Creative Intent to the Viewer
o Digital Commercial Slates: a New Era in Commercial Workflow – a bicoastal live presentation
o Washington Update
o CALM Down? Stereo vs. Surround Loudness
o VFX Panel
o IMF Moving Forward
o What Happened to Dailies?
o Digital Preservation: An Ecosystem
o Perceiving 3D
o Increasing Resolution by Covering the Image Sensor, and much more.

Sponsors of HPA Tech Retreat in 2012 include: AJA, Dolby, DataDirect Networks, and Testronic Labs and Media Sponsors Createasphere, Post Magazine and LA 411.

About the Hollywood Post Alliance(r)
Hollywood Post Alliance (HPA) serves the professional community of businesses and individuals who provide expertise, support, tools and the infrastructure for the creation and finishing of motion pictures, television, commercials, digital media and other dynamic media content.

# # #

Media Contact:
Chris Purse, 818.303.8088
ignite strategic communications
chris@ignite.bz or mimi@ignite.bz

3D Film Factory Introduces the All-New, Handheld 3D Rig Designed to Capture Incredible, Accurate Stereoscopic Images on the Move

Hollywood, CA – 3D Film Factory, the leader in professional, affordable 3D camera rigs, introduces the world’s lightest, most affordable, hand-held 3D rig – the 3D Bullet Rig. Ready to “Load & Shoot”, this versatile 3D system is literally unshakable for handheld, Steadicam, Easyrig, or tripod filming.

Priced at a fraction of other professional 3D rigs (under $5K), this compact beam-splitter rig is the perfect solution for location, reality, or action 3D filmmaking. It’s features actually surpass that of other more expensive rigs. For more information on the 3D Bullet Rig visit www(dot)3DFilmFactory(dot)com

“The 3D Bullet Rig is going to take 3D production to a whole new level. I love this rig. It’s incredibly light, rock steady and most of all – it’s really easy to shoot with from your shoulder, or tripod. This rig is a 3D filmmakers dream, very versatile“, said the company’s veteran stereographer Keith Driver. “Most 3D rigs are bulky, expensive and worst of all – tripod bound. They require a crew to operate. We’ve shot 3D projects in Africa, the Middle East, Hollywood soundstages, you name it we’ve done it in 3D. And we realized we needed a more mobile 3D rig. A 3D rig you could just pick up and shoot with. This is the 3D Bullet Rig.”

The 3D Bullet Rig makes handheld 3D filming effortless and smooth by transferring the weight to your waist and shoulder. Each 3D rig includes a spring-loaded suspension rod, comfortable weight displacement belt and adjustable, padded shoulder mount. The result is hours of mobile, handheld 3D filming capability. In addition, the rig features detachable rubber hand grips for easy manoeuvring and a standard tripod mounting plate (¼-20 and ?-16 holes).

Weighing approx. 13 lbs. (5.8 kgs.) the Bullet Rig accommodates the Red Epic, Canon DSLR 5D, 7D, XF105
XF305, XH-G1, Sony F3, EX3’s, HDCP1, X5U, Z1U, Panasonic AF100, HPX250 and many other professional HD cameras.

The rig also features custom camera mounts that easily lock and load cameras into place using a standard quick-release plate from Bogen/Manfrotto. The horizontal camera mount offers IO (inter-ocular) adjustability from 0” – 3.5” (0 – 89 mm) and simple convergence movement from 0°-3°. Both functions are easily controlled using smooth, accurate finger knobs, with calibration markings. The vertical camera mount adjusts for perfect stereoscopic picture alignment by elevating and performing full x-y-z rotation (yaw, roll, tilt).

The light-weight, mirror box housing is constructed using space-age foam core plastic that’s durable, corrosion-free and substantially cooler than a metal matte box. This ensures your beam-splitter glass with its expensive coatings will stay cool on hot days. The rig itself is hand-milled employing a nearly indestructible aluminium alloy frame.

Perfect for traveling light, the entire 3D Bullet Rig is ingenuously designed to set-up and break down in a matter of minutes, packing into a small, water-tight pelican case.

As a bonus, the horizontal rail easily detaches, along with the camera mounts, transforming into a side-by-side rig 3D for wide and landscape stereography.

Our opti-prime, 50/50 beam-splitter glass is optimized to meet the demands of 3D filmmaking. See specs. Within the matte box, a simple adjustment tool allows stereographers to fine tune the glass angle from between 43° to 47°.

The outcome is simply the world’s most affordable, professional handheld 3D rig.

It should be noted that using our simple Lanc system camera operators can now synch start/stop, focus, alignment, lens shift and many other vital functions thru both cameras or individually.

The 3D Film Factory offers a complete line of 3D beam-splitter rigs intended for HD camcorders, as well as larger ENG and broadcast style camera. In addition, we offer several inexpensive side-by-side rigs and real-time 3D viewing solutions. To learn more about 3D camera rigs, 3D viewing systems, 3D production services, or 3D training workshops visit – www.3DFilmFactory.com

About the 3D Film Factory
Established in 2008 by award-winning filmmakers and veteran stereographers, the 3D Film Factory has been the worldwide leader in professional, affordable 3D camera rigs and real-time 3D monitoring solutions. In addition we provide a host of 3D production services worldwide including, stereographers ‘for hire’, 3D camera rig rental, 3D viewing systems, and 3D post, as well as intensive 3D training workshops. Former clients include ESPN, NASA, Disney, HD Cinema, Pinewood Studios and Discovery. For more information visit www.3DFilmFactory.com

New 3D BULLET RIG shown with Panasonic HPX250 and Canon XF305 cameras, is the most affordable, modular 3D beam-splitter available today. It features adustable IO (3.5?), convergence (0-2 deg), XYZ axis, camera elevation and mirror angle (44 to 46 deg) for perfect image alignment in every situation. Fits easily on Steadicam, in handheld mode (shoulder mount incl), with EasyRig, on a jib and any tripod. Weighs just 15 lbs. and is 15? wide. Accomodates Red Epic, Scarlet, Sony EX3, F3, Canon XF305, XF105, 5D, Si-2K, & many other professional cameras. For more information visit www.3DFilmFactory.com

New 3D BULLET RIG shown with Panasonic HPX250 and Canon XF305 cameras, is the most affordable, modular 3D beam-splitter available today. It features adustable IO (3.5″), convergence (0-2 deg), XYZ axis, camera elevation and mirror angle (44 to 46 deg) for perfect image alignment in every situation. Fits easily on Steadicam, in handheld mode (shoulder mount incl), with EasyRig, on a jib and any tripod. Weighs just 15 lbs. and is 15″ wide. Accomodates Red Epic, Scarlet, Sony EX3, F3, Canon XF305, XF105, 5D, Si-2K, & many other professional cameras. For more information visit www.3DFilmFactory.com

New high definition (HD, 2K, 4K) royalty-free stock footage timelapse shot in Milan, Italy have been added in different categories (Architecture, City and Clock) on HDtimelapse.net website.

Some of the locations from Milan, Italy are Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano), Duomo Square (Piazza del Duomo), Vittorio Emanuele II Gallery (Galleria), Christmas Tree, Sforzesco Castle, The Central tower, Torre del Filarete, Fontana del Castello, Piazza Castello, Shopping Area, Clock Tower, Milan Central Train Station (Stazione di Milano Centrale), Via Vittor Pisani, Il Naviglio Grande, Piazza Cavour, Roman Arches (Archi romani di via Manzoni), Old Trams, Piazza Cordusio, Via Mercanti, Sempione Park in Lombardy, Lombardia.

HDtimelapse.net library contains 7000+ time lapse video clips from 127 locations in 40 countries.

Many other clips are in post production from locations such Paris – France; London – England; Verona, Rimini, Genoa, Turin – Italy; Budapest – Hungary; Brussels – Belgium; Bukovina – Romania. If interested in details about one of these locations (short descriptions, snapshot pictures), customers should use the Contact section on HDtimelapse.net website.

Timelapse royalty-free stock footage here: http://www.hdtimelapse.net