In the face of demanding deadlines, Wink Inc., a full-service media company with facilities in Denver and Jackson Hole, installed GraniteSTOR ST-RAID, a cost-effective, Ethernet-based shared storage system from Small Tree, to improve workflow at both locations. System performance improved immediately, leading the company’s founder and owner, Jason Winkler, to wonder why he hadn’t made the switch to Small Tree’s shared storage sooner.

“I don’t think you realize how much time you’re spending duplicating and moving media until you stop doing it,” Winkler said, in reference to his company’s previous practice of swapping around drives to share media. “Our workflow improved immediately with ST-RAID in that you bring media into the system and everyone is able to access it at the same time. There are no more outputting and compressing files for viewing and approval. All of that can be done while the editors are still working on the project.”

Wink Inc. is a new age, Final Cut Pro, post-production company, featuring seven permanent work stations handling editing, color and graphics. Much of the company’s work revolves around mainstream factual programming and digital asset management, delivering programming throughout the world in a variety of formats.

According to Winkler, a surprising benefit of the Small Tree technology was that it allowed Wink to develop a “mobile server.” By utilizing Small Tree’s shared storage, Wink can view RAID-protected media and have up to six editors working concurrently in the field.

Impressed by Small Tree’s system performance, Winkler was just as pleased by the company’s commitment to customer service.

“Small Tree’s customer service is great,” Winkler noted. “We’ve rarely had any issues with the system we installed, but in those instances where we have, they were able to take control of our work screen and make the necessary adjustments. They also spent time teaching us how to make the adjustments so that we could go into the system and take care of the situation on our own. There’s tremendous peace of mind in dealing with a company that has such technological expertise and cares about its customers.”

As Wink Inc. continues to grow, scalability was a major priority for Winkler when considering which storage solution to commit to. The ability to easily add to their current system was crucial.

“The scalability of Small Tree’s shared storage is awesome,” Winkler commented. “The ability to add single work spaces or another SAN is huge – it’s been easy and really cost-effective for us. I just can’t believe that we are able to move media this effectively over Ethernet. That you can literally be on a high-speed Cat5 or Cat6 network and plug in and work immediately is mind blowing to me.”

Company will announce plans for “breakthrough” technology to be introduced this year
 
Paris, France – February 7, 2012 – Dalet Digital Media Systems will showcase enhancements in Dalet Enterprise Edition, their advanced Media Asset Management (MAM) platform, along with their technology solutions packaged for different production workflows at NAB 2012 in Las Vegas, NV from April 16 – 19 (stand SL4615).
 
On the NAB floor, Dalet will demonstrate several enhancements in Dalet Enterprise Edition, the MAM platform which unifies disparate systems to improve workflow productivity and to facilitate content distribution to multiple platforms, including broadcast, web, VOD and mobile. Dalet Enterprise Edition will be shown in combination with Dalet’s tailored production suites for news (Dalet News Suite), sports (Dalet Sports Factory) and radio (Dalet Radio Suite). In particular Dalet will be demonstrating several new, integrated modules for Dalet MediaLife which is focused on workflows for Program Preparation, MAM for Production and Archives. These new modules are focused on the many steps involving media transformation and content enrichment in the production chain.
 
“Our MAM offering transforms multisystem linear workflows into a fully integrated, federated and centralized workflow. And our specially packaged toolsets simplify the workflow for different types of production,” says Kevin Savina, Director of Product Management, Dalet “We’ve integrated tools in Dalet Media Life that include ingest, QC, clip creation, storyboarding, subtitling and closed captions. Tailored work-facilitating tools are also available for our news and sports solutions. Everyone works more efficiently which is especially important at a time when we all need to produce more with less.”
 
Dalet will also reveal the development roadmap for the year-end release of the next version of Dalet Enterprise Edition that will include new, breakthrough technology and major enhancements to the product.
 
“The market has been incredibly receptive to the benefits of our technology and MAM-centric approach. Our customers have been able to leverage our systems and know-how to realize genuine productivity gains,” says Stephane Schlayen, COO of Dalet. “Now we’re prepared to make yet another technology leap. At NAB 2012 we will announce the next major version of our Enterprise platform that will include many new features and advanced technology to improve workflow performance and agility. The new version, which will be released later this year, will further accelerate the productivity curve and provide additional value to our customers.”
 
Several new features in the current Dalet product line will also be shown shown on the booth. These include: enhanced multimedia editing capabilities, highly configurable usage restriction rules and rights management, streamlined metadata forms, expanded glossary and genealogy support, more powerful search capabilities and the ability to expose Dalet applications in 3rd party portals. Visitors to the booth can also see integrations with EVS, Avid and Adobe products.
 
Full demonstrations of Dalet Enterprise Edition and the Dalet MAM-driven workflows for News, Sports, Program Preparation, Archives and Radio will be available on the booth.
 
Dalet Enterprise Edition
 
Business-driven, Cross-System Metadata, Media and Workflow Management
 
Dalet Enterprise Edition is a full-featured, end-to-end media, metadata and workflow management system with multiple integration paths that unify different systems to deliver maximum flexibility for managing content production and distribution with business systems. Built-in production modules manage ingest, logging, production, distribution and archiving across systems and workgroups. The multimedia content catalog, customizable metadata forms and enterprise search engine makes content readily available to everyone who needs it – whether for editorial review or repurposing for new media distribution. Built as an open platform, Dalet Enterprise Edition can integrate easily with a wide range of non-linear editors, including Avid, Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premier. Graphics, archive, automation and other systems can also be integrated using a variety of methods, including using SOA compliant tools such as Web Services APIs. The highly scalable architecture and modern, flexible design of Dalet Enterprise Edition delivers a strong ROI and the assurance that new technologies can be added in the future.
 
Dalet News Suite
 
Collaborative News Production and Playout
 
Dalet News Suite, the only integrated, end-to-end, MAM-based newsroom production system on the market, improves efficiency, productivity and collaboration with its advanced design and smart tools. With fully integrated desktop scripting, video, graphic and multimedia tools, journalists are engaged in a smooth and intuitive workflow that allows them to concentrate on producing high quality content for broadcast and new media outlets. Content and metadata are enriched at every step — from ingest through automated playout, archives and multiplatform delivery. Dalet News Suite facilitates story-centric production and fosters collaboration between different departments — from the news desk, planning and production, to the control room and new media units. The Dalet MAM platform tracks it all and the workflow engine automates many background tasks. With full media and metadata tracking, the MAM platform provides a robust framework for managing assets and leveraging content to take advantage of new business opportunities.
 
Dalet Sports Factory
 
Fast Logging, Highlights Creation and Replay
 
Dalet Sports Factory offers fast sports production tools, fully integrated within an enterprise MAM platform. Sports Factory’s highlights and replay components cover logging, play-by-play highlights and playback, and instant replay with multiple camera angles and slow motion. Media is logged once and immediately available for use in programs and packages. Unlike typical sports production products, Dalet Sports Factory integrates both production archives and media management, ensuring all enriched media assets are at your fingertips both during and after the game. Designed on the open Dalet MAM platform, Sports Factory integrates with industry standard NLEs and other broadcast and sports production systems to provide a cohesive, fluid workflow.
 
Dalet Sports Logger features one-button logging and “intelligent” team rosters for fast highlight creation. One click denotes the type of play (goals, penalties, etc.) and the start of the highlight. Add player info with a single click on the roster display. Plays and metadata are accurately entered into your pre-configured MAM fields, adding value and consistency to game logs. Highlight starts can be set a few seconds before mark-ins, so that you’ll never miss a key play; all clips are immediately available in Dalet Hilites Espresso for fast assembly of multiple playlists.
 
Dalet Media Life
 
MAM and workflow automation for program prep and promos
 
Dalet Media Life leverages IT standards and infrastructure to meet the complex production and asset management needs of multiplatform content providers such as networks, thematic channels and promo departments who deal with high volumes of video and audio programming — from movies, documentaries and TV series to cartoons, promos and jingles. It has a flexible, comprehensive data model, a workflow engine to manage human and automated tasks, and a complete set of functional tools that are all accessible from the same user interface. Media Life is designed to integrate with third-party systems such as NLEs, automation devices, archives and business systems. It is an open platform with a variety of data exchange and integration paths, including using SOA compliant tools such as Web Services APIs.
 
Dalet Radio Suite
 
Radio …and more
 
Dalet Radio Suite is the only radio production and automation software that incorporates music workflows, news workflows, media asset management and multimedia distribution within the same system. Designed for the era of media convergence, Radio Suite is built on the powerful Media Asset Management (MAM) platform of Dalet Enterprise Edition and streamlines every aspect of the digital production chain for news and music channels. Stations can optimize their programming efforts for traditional over-the-air broadcasts as well as streaming, VOD, Podcasts and other platforms.
 
Combined with modular, task-specific tools, Dalet Radio Suite meets the comprehensive demands of large-scale newsrooms as well as the needs of multichannel music networks. Journalists have all the desktop tools they need to ingest audio, create scripts, record and edit audio, and build and manage rundowns. DJs can exercise their creativity with easy-to-use playlists, multitrack editing, and Carts for jingles and liners. Remote voice tracking tools facilitate contributions by off-site talent. Dalet OnAir is a proven and highly reliable automated solution used in some of the world’s largest multi-channel operations. Dalet Radio Suite is designed for outstanding scalability with hundreds of simultaneous users.
 
About Dalet Digital Media Systems
 
Dalet solutions enable broadcasters and media professionals to create, manage and distribute content to both traditional and new media channels, including interactive TV, the Web and mobile networks. Dalet combines into a single system a robust and proven Asset Management platform with advanced metadata capabilities; a configurable workflow engine, and a comprehensive set of purpose-built creative and production tools. This integrated and open environment enables end-to-end management of the entire News and Sport and Program content chain, and allows users to significantly improve efficiency, and to maximize the use and value of their assets. Dalet’s solutions are delivered through a dedicated Professional and Integration Services Department to ensure the highest possible standards. Dalet systems are used around the world by many thousands of individual users at hundreds of TV and Radio content producers, including public broadcasters (ABS-CBN, BBC, CBC, DR, France TV, RTBF, RFI, Russia Today, RSR & TSR, RT Malaysia, VOA, WDR), commercial networks and operators (Antena 3, Canal+, FOX, eTV, Mediaset, Orange, Time Warner Cable, Warner Bros., Sirius XM Radio) and government organizations (Queensland JAG, Canadian House of Commons, The European Commission). Dalet is traded on the NYSE-EURONEXT stock exchange (Eurolist C): ISIN: FR0011026749, Bloomberg DLT:FP, Reuters: DALE.PA.
 
For more information on Dalet, visit www.dalet.com
 
Press contact:
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
(p) +1 617-817-6595
(e) janice(at)zazilmediagroup(dot)com
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Plans include enhanced end-to-end tapeless workflows and new versatile capabilities for high-performance, collaborative storage solutions
 
Boston, MA — February 3, 2012 — EditShare®, the technology leader in shared media storage and end-to-end tapeless workflow solutions, today announced its plans for the NAB 2012 exhibition held in Las Vegas, NV from April 16 – 19 (stand SL9020). EditShare will showcase its entire product line-up and highlight advancements in storage performance, seamless file migration across storage tiers, enhanced file and metadata management, and new enterprise capabilities, including distributed processing for large-scale file ingest and proxy rendering, and system-wide workflow monitoring from ingest to archive. “Collaboration, high performance, efficiency and cost-effectiveness are at the heart of everything we do, starting with our shared storage platform. The newest features and capabilities in our end-to-end workflow build on that approach. Whether you are ingesting or archiving, searching for media or playing it out, our integrated production tools make it easy to get your job done and to manage any format and any workflow. This gives our customers a tremendous competitive edge,” comments Andy Liebman, Founder and CEO of EditShare. “We are looking forward to sharing our latest innovations at the big show and celebrating alongside our customers, the successes of their projects powered by EditShare.”
 
Highlights of the EditShare Tapeless Workflow
EditShare seamlessly integrates high-performance shared storage solutions – XStream, Energy and Metro – with video capture / asset management – MAM (EditShare Geevs/Flow), editing (Lightworks), archiving (EditShare Ark) and playout (Geevs) – to offer broadcast and post-production professionals a productivity-enhancing, end-to-end tapeless workflow. With powerful capture, logging, searching, sequence creation, project sharing and easy archiving, the workflow becomes streamlined and more efficient. From start to finish, metadata and media are easily searchable and accessible from EditShare’s central storage or archives; background processes are transparent to users, allowing them to focus on their creative efforts.
 
Highlights of the EditShare tapeless workflow
• Geevs records Avid DNxHD or ProRes directly to EditShare’s shared central storage and produces proxy files in real time for the Flow MAM, with user-level security, mirror copy and automatic backup to EditShare Ark. During ingest, users can log shots, create subclips and even create sequences that cut between inputs.
• Integrated with Geevs, the Flow MAM allows users to view proxy file content on their desktops as well as ingest media from file-based sources such as P2 and XDCAM. Simple editing tools and metadata templates let users add details to clips, make rough cuts, and drag and drop clips and sequences into their NLEs – all without requiring access to full-resolution media.
• EditShare’s high-performance, shared-storage media-management workflow offers an advanced Project Sharing feature with patented bin and project-locking capabilities. Lightworks, Avid and Final Cut Pro (v6/7) editors can see, copy and revise the work of colleagues with the assurance that no bins, sequences or projects will be accidentally deleted or overwritten.
• Ark Disk and Tape offer facilities for tiered storage infrastructure with nearline and offline archiving options and automation capabilities to keep media safe. When combined with Flow, users can browse, delete and restore (including partial restore) archived materials from any desktop on the EditShare network.
 
NAB 2012 – EDITSHARE NEW TECHNOLOGY SNEAK PEEK
 
EditShare XStream and Energy Series – Shared Production Storage
EditShare’s best-in-class storage infrastructure delivers high performance and workflow-engineered features, such as Avid and Final Cut Pro project sharing, to optimize collaboration for post-production, Digital Intermediate and broadcast production workflows. Fully integrated with EditShare Flow, Lightworks, Geevs and Ark, EditShare’s shared storage solutions are scaled to petabytes, outperforming comparable solutions at an unbeatable price point.
 
New capabilities shown at NAB 2012
• Advanced project sharing with Adobe Premiere Pro
• Support for Final Cut Pro X
• Enhanced networking configurations to maximize performance and throughput across the EditShare tiered-storage platform
 
EditShare Flow – Production Asset Management
Flow offers comprehensive media management with production tools to log, track, browse, retrieve and edit assets. Advanced features such as Multichannel SDI Ingest, Edit-While-Capture, and Bandwidth-Controlled File-Based Ingest add a level of control over productions that set Flow apart from its peers. Fully integrated with EditShare’s full lineup of products, Flow facilitates a tapeless workflow from ingest to archive.
 
New capabilities shown at NAB 2012
• Ability to drag and drop clips into Adobe Premiere
• Support for creating group (multi-cam) clips during ganged capture
• Ability to delete and restore files by individual users
• Proxy-node worker for distributed rendering of proxy files
• Closed-caption support
 
Lightworks – Non-Linear Editing | Open Source
Academy® and Emmy® award-winning Lightworks was introduced in 1989 as the first and most advanced professional editing system on the market. Its intuitive controls, real-time synchronization and editing features remain unmatched by top industry alternatives. Notable and recent films edited on Lightworks include the Academy-Award® winning The King’s Speech, edited by Tariq Anwar; Hanna, edited by Paul Tothill; Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, edited by Jill Bilcock; and the multi-nominated Hugo, edited by Thelma Schoonmaker.
 
On the NAB stand, EditShare will host a “Lightworks Edit Bar,” with which attendees can hands-on test-drive the latest Lightworks release.
 
EditShare Ark – Archiving and Backup
Developed on the same rock-solid architecture as the shared storage solutions, EditShare Ark Disk and Tape offers advanced backup and archiving capabilities managed from the same intuitive interface. Because Ark is directly integrated with EditShare’s tapeless workflow and collaborative-storage products, archived content can be easily searched using EditShare Flow MAM tools, retrieved, and quickly brought back onto the EditShare shared storage systems – XStream, Energy and Metro.
 
New capabilities shown at NAB 2012
• Partial Restore from Ark Disk
• Extensive system-activity reporting
 
Geevs – Broadcast Ingest and Playout
Geevs Broadcast Servers are crafted to support a wide range of demanding workflows, including simple ingest, complex newsroom integration, live sports with instant replay, multi-camera studio ingest and 24/7 scheduled playout. With over 1,000 channels on-air, Geevs meets the needs of every broadcast production workflow with its unmatched codec support, including DVCPRO HD, Apple ProRes, Avid DNxHD, XDCAM HD and AVC-Intra 100.
 
New capabilities shown at NAB 2012
• Support for Live Preview
• 23.98 Support
• Upscale from SD to HD
• Multiviewer support
 
About EditShare
EditShare is the technology leader in networked shared storage and tapeless, end-to-end workflow solutions for the TV and film industry. Our groundbreaking products improve efficiency and workflow collaboration every step of the way. They include video capture and playout servers, high-performance central shared storage, archiving and backup software, media asset management, and the world’s first 3-platform (Windows, OS X and Linux) professional non-linear video editing application.
 
©2012 EditShare LLC. All rights reserved. EditShare® is a registered trademark of EditShare LLC. All other trademarks mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
 
Press Contact
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
Email janice@zazilmediagroup.com
Tel +1 (617) 817-6595
####

Morgan Hill, Calif., February 2, 2012 – From multi-site ministries to small- and medium-sized churches, houses of worship and religious groups across the U.S. are increasing the use of video, radio and television messages to reach their followers and spread the word. These organizations are adding information to their databases, such as images and video and audio files, at increasing and unprecedented rates. The result is much more data, many more different file types and many much larger files that need to be archived.

Faced with this challenge, many of these organizations are embracing Cache-A’s archive appliances to preserve, distribute, repurpose and protect the audio and video-related data they generate each day. Cache-A’s complete product line – including the award-winning Pro-Cache5, Prime-Cache5 and the new Power-Cache — is designed to meet the needs of digital media professionals for safe, reliable and cost-effective content archiving, access and interchange.

“We are delighted that so many houses of worship and religious groups are choosing our line of archive appliances to preserve their video content,” said Phil Ritti, President and CEO of Cache-A Corporation. “We have specifically designed our complete product line to be cost-effective, while offering our customers the benefits of safe, long-term archival storage and fast, easy access to their content whenever they need it.”

Here is a list of some of the houses of worship and religious organizations that are using Cache-A’s archive appliances:
* Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Virginia Beach, VA
* Church Communities International, Rifton, NY
* City On a Hill Productions, Louisville, KY
* Community Christian Church, Naperville, IL
* Cottonwood Christian Center, Los Alamitos, CA
* Desiring God, Minneapolis, MN
* Fraternite Notre Dame, Chicago, IL
* International Mission Board, Richmond, VA
* Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness, Los Angeles, CA
* Self-Realization Fellowship (Yogananda-SRF), Los Angeles, CA
* Vision.org, Pasadena, CA
* Word of Life Christian Center, Lone Tree, CO
* Wycliffe Bible Translators, Orlando, FL

The Cache-A Product Family
Simple to deploy, Cache-A’s archive appliances offer the most integrated networked archiving solution to help increase productivity. Tape interchange, for example, is easy because every tape has its own table of contents, and the built-in searchable database of every tape makes it easy to keep track of – and access — every asset.

The most efficient and easily deployed way to manage multiple terabytes of archived data, Cache-A’s Pro-Cache5 offers many of the advanced features demanded for content archiving, interchange and access. Pro-Cache5 takes advantage of the latest generation of LTO-5 data tape technology to offer 1.5 terabytes (TB) of storage per LTO-5 cartridge, while also providing significantly faster archiving speeds. It writes data on low-cost, secure, portable, interchangeable and IT industry-standard LTO-5 tape cartridges with a 30-year archival life.

Introduced at IBC 2011, the new high-performance Power-Cache Archive Server combines Cache-A’s noted appliance functionality with more disk speed and better throughput. Power-Cache combines a high-performance blend of LTO-5 tape drives, 8 TB of RAID and 10Gb Ethernet technologies to provide digital media professionals with faster archive and retrieval transfers as well as greater flexibility for staging content, making duplicate tape copies and working with Cache-A Library and Expansion units.

The cost-effective Prime-Cache5 is a new version of the well-established LTO-4 based Prime-Cache and has been upgraded with an LTO-5 tape drive and a 2TB hard disc drive in an improved chassis. It now features 10 times faster direct-attached transfers with USB 3.0. Optimized for desktop applications, Prime-Cache5 is compact and quiet in the Prime-Cache tradition.

Cache-A’s new software adds the emerging LTFS (Linear Tape File System) capability as an option to the industry standard tar format for its family of LTO-5 based archive appliances. Based on open source software, LTFS enables users to interchange content across different operating systems, software applications and physical locations.

About Cache-A Corporation
The winner of Creative COW’s Blue Ribbon Award for NAB 2011 for “Best Archiving System,” Cache-A is a leading supplier of network-attached archive appliances for the media and entertainment industry. Cache-A’s archive appliances can easily archive source masters for production or entire projects for post-production using the secure, portable, interchangeable, industry standard LTFS or tar format on LTO-5 media.
www.Cache-A.com

Contact:
Randy Savicky
Strategy+Communications
W: (203) 226-6156
randy@strategypluscommunications.com

New 3D BULLET RIG shown with Panasonic HPX250 cameras. The most affordable, modular 3D beam-splitter made. Adustable IO (3.5″), convergence (0-2 deg), XYZ axis, camera elevation and mirror angle (44 to 46 deg) for perfect image alignment. Fits easily on Steadicam, handheld mode (shoulder mount incl), EasyRig, jib and any tripod. Weighs just 15 lbs. Accomodates Red Epic, Scarlet, Sony EX3, F3, Canon XF305, XF105, 5D, Si-2K, & many other cameras. Visit www.3DFilmFactory.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

Solid Reports Put Xytech into Dominant Position in Market

(MISSION HILLS, CA) Xytech, the global leader in facility management software for the broadcast and media services industries, has announced its end of year results. The categorically positive report indicates solid growth and market penetration, and also marked the third consecutive instance of year over year increased profitability. 2011 proved to be an historic year for the Los Angeles based company, which finished its best period ever for profit, growth, and the posting of record sales. Independently owned and operated, Xytech exceeded its projected forecast, with a 23% jump over 2010.

The past year was one of expansion and market domination for Xytech, winning significant business from competitors in the US, Europe, and Australia. Broadcasters, major studios, production companies, religious organizations, government entities, video transmission giants, and distribution companies all deployed Xytech solutions in 2011. Xytech’s current bid to sales ratio is nearly 90%, a rare statistic of success.

Richard Gallagher, CEO and Founder of Xytech, stated, “Early in 2011, we had a clear indication that the upward growth that began in 2010 was going to continue and accelerate. During the past 18 months, we enlarged our staff and implemented successful new solutions for a wide array of customers, from major cable networks and studios to global religious organizations. Concurrently, our operations in Europe have expanded significantly, with the addition of key personnel appointments, marking 2011 as the year that we have seen the global market fully come on line. In 2012, we expect continued significant growth in all of our business sectors and we are forecasting another record year. I am proud to note that this significant market penetration is the result of the hard work, ingenuity, and dedication of the best team in the industry.”

Xytech’s product line, anchored by the ground-breaking MediaPulse platform, is widely respected and deployed throughout the media and entertainment industries. The company has also had significant deployment in the enterprise and governmental environments. The secret to their success is the Xytech company culture of constant listening and improvement, says Greg Dolan, Xytech Executive Vice President. “There is an absolute focus on putting the very best products and solutions into place for our customers. We ask them questions and listen to what they say and use that information to continually improve what they receive from us. It is what makes us different, and why we are leading the market. We never stop the evolution of our products and or the invention of new solutions. That is the crucial Xytech difference. We won’t ever stop getting better.”

About Xytech
Xytech Systems Corporation(tm) is the leading global provider of facility management software for today’s media and broadcast companies. Leveraging a 25 year history of innovation and market expertise, Xytech brings unparalleled proficiency to its customers with flexible, transparent and evolutionary solutions that set the standard for successfully managing the continuous business realignments that define today’s marketplace. Xytech’s collaborative MediaPulse platform and suite of solutions enable craft workflow and asset management systems to work seamlessly with the company’s renowned planning, scheduling and financial management tools. Xytech has over 450 software deployments in more than 20 countries around the world and is headquartered in Mission Hills, California, with regional offices in New York and London.

For more information, please visit www.XytechSystems.com or call +1.818.698.4900 (US) or +44 (0)20.7903.5170 (UK).

Media Contact:

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 interface and expanded tape library support offer users more archiving options and comprehensive automation for EditShare tiered storage and tapeless workflows
 
Boston, MA — January 26, 2012 — EditShare®, the technology leader in shared media storage and end-to-end tapeless workflow solutions, today announced the availability of a new version of EditShare Ark, the company’s backup and archiving solution. “Back up and archiving is critical in every type of production – from news, sports, motion picture, and episodic TV – to corporate and advertising production. Protecting your assets is essential, but accessibility is equally as important,” comments Andy Liebman, founder and CEO, EditShare. “Because Ark is directly integrated into our tapeless workflow and collaborative storage products, archived content can be easily searched in the EditShare Flow Media Asset Management tools, retrieved, and quickly brought back onto the EditShare production storage.”
 
The new Ark release features numerous enhancements including a new user interface that displays extensive information about Ark system activity, support for additional tape loaders, and more options for configuring network interfaces to maximize performance across the EditShare tiered storage platform. Liebman adds, “The new EditShare Ark interface also provides real-time updates on archive performance and continuous system health monitoring, ensuring both the safety and accessibility of your valuable media.” The new release supports tape libraries from Quantum, Dell and Spectra Logic.
 
The EditShare Ark V2.1.3 update is free to existing EditShare Ark V2 customers with a valid maintenance contract.
 
About EditShare Ark
Developed on the same rock-solid architecture as the shared storage solutions, EditShare Ark supports both disk and tape as a backup and archiving medium, all managed from the same intuitive interface. Ark provides a tiered storage environment that is fully integrated with EditShare tapeless production and shared storage systems. When combined with Flow, the EditShare asset management solution, users can access all the metadata about their archived content directly in the Flow database and browse low-res proxies of their archived media.
 
About EditShare
EditShare is the technology leader in networked shared storage and tapeless, end-to-end workflow solutions for the TV and film industry. Our groundbreaking products improve efficiency and workflow collaboration every step of the way. They include video capture and playout servers, high-performance central shared storage, archiving and backup software, media asset management, and the world’s first 3-platform (Windows/OS X/Linux) professional non-linear video editing application.
 
©2012 EditShare LLC. All rights reserved. EditShare® is a registered trademark of EditShare LLC. All other trademarks mentioned herein belong to their respective owners.
 
Press Contact
Janice Dolan
Zazil Media Group
Email janice@zazilmediagroup.com
Tel: +1 (617) 817-6595
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Visionary Ed Lantz Talks Immersion, Transmedia, Strategy in the Vortex Dome

(Burbank, CA) Createasphere’s Spring Entertainment Technology Expo – the top gathering of entertainment and media professionals, technical innovators, and content experts on the West Coast showcasing emerging media trends in production, post, animation, VFX, advertising, and streaming content – will take place on Thursday, March 1st, 2012, at LA Center Studios in Los Angeles. The industry summit will feature trend-setting keynotes, immersive demonstrations in the Vortex Dome, a full exhibition area, networking opportunities and education.

Ed Lantz, founder of Vortex Immersion Media, will share his vision during a keynote entitled, Dive Into Immersive Entertainment and the Transmedia Hub, which takes place in the Vortex Dome. Lantz’s keynote is unique in content and location. He will explore the role that immersive entertainment will play for attendees at work in studios, networks, venues, and content creation. Lantz will also introduce a number of immersive projects and conversations with content creators and experience-makers that combine live action, VFX, 3D, digital asset management and more.

Another keynote, which is slated to include Oscar-caliber creative team members and cinematographers, will be announced soon and will also take place in the Vortex Dome.

Early registration for both keynotes is required, as space is limited. This one-day event is designed as a technology summit with top-level presenters, offering a unique and engaging opportunity to explore the intersection of future technologies in service to creativity.

Kristin Petrovich, president of Createasphere, notes, “We are all looking forward to hearing what Ed Lantz has to say about the future of entertainment and content creation. His work is inspiring and thought provoking. Needless to say, we are very happy to be able to present these keynotes in the Vortex Dome, one of the most compelling venues in the city! The day is shaping up to be an incredibly valuable one for our attendees, and a rare opportunity to mingle with thought leaders.”

For further information and registration, visit www.createasphere.com/ete or call 818.842.6611.

About Createasphere
Createasphere is a global community builder for the entertainment technology industry, advancing technologies and careers through Expos, Conferences, and online offerings.

Createasphere was founded in 2001 as HD EXPO, and over the past decade has grown into a global company that develops and presents influential events for the content creation community, on line and face to face. Founded by Kristin Petrovich Kennedy in Los Angeles, Createasphere became part of Diversified Business Communications in 2009, now driving their entertainment strategies and properties division. Currently, Createasphere is presenting the Entertainment Technology Expos in Los Angeles; the Digital Asset Management Conference in New York, Los Angeles, and Europe; The DAMMY Awards in New York; the online news and content portal CreativeProCoalition.com; 3D Road Shows; and Post Production Master Classes.

Connect with Createasphere on:
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/createasphere/120410987973181)
Twitter (https://twitter.com/createasphere)
LinkedIn (http://www.linkedin.com/company/createasphere)
Vimeo (http://vimeo.com/createasphere)

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