Sundance Film Festival

After following the production story for the feature film Fix via conversations with director Tao Ruspoli (see the Dec. 11, 2007 article “Slamdance’s HD Fix” from our HD Focus Newsletter), I was excited to see the world premiere of the movie albeit in the cramped conference-room-turned-theater at the Treasure Mountain Inn. Seeing the resulting footage from Ruspoli’s hand-held and Manfrotto Fig Rig-stabilized Panasonic HVX200 shots on a larger screen–along with Ruspoli’s excitement and gratitude–added significantly to my experience.

While sitting in anticipation of the film, I found myself seated next to a couple gracious attendees who also play significant roles in both Sundance and Slamdance–head honchos of Playa del Rey, Calif.-based animation and design house The Ebeling Group.

The Ebeling Group created the motion graphics for the opening sequence which is the lead bumper for every screening during the Slamdance festival (see it at slamdance.com) and also lent a hand to Kansas City, Mo.-based collective MK12 for the Sundance 2008 short film A History of America. Additionally, they recently completed work for Delta Airlines–animated shorts based upon the perceived impediments of flying–which can be seen at the SKY360 by Delta venue at 449 Main St.

In talking with Mick Ebeling, executive producer of The Ebeling Group, about the creation of their projects for Park City ‘08, his response was a humorous yet serious “Maya, Alias, barbed wire, duct tape…you name it.”