Industry News :: Encore Brings Full Service DI to Hollywood

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Adds Award Winning Colorist Steve Porter (December 12, 2005)
Encore Hollywood has launched a new Digital Intermediate Theater and enhanced other feature film services at its facility in Hollywood . The new resources will allow studios to complete post-production work for feature films with unparalleled creative flexibility and efficiency through a uniquely “integrated” approach to managing visual imagery throughout the production process. Encore’s integrated approach builds upon its existing visual effects and feature marketing services, and its experience in mangaging complex workflows. 

The new state-of-the-art Digital Intermediate Theater features a Kinoton FP30 ECII Studio Series electronic 35mm film projector , a Barco DP 100 2K DLP digital projector , and a da Vinci 2K Plus color correction system.  A recently added Spirit 2K data scanner supports high resolution scanning.  The facility has also developed a  high definition data dailies service based on MTI’s revolutionary Control Dailies product. The DI Theater also leverages Encore’s extensive data infrastructure.

The combination of these expansive services allows Encore to work with film clients from start to finish. Directors and cinematographers are able to collaborate with a single DI colorist in establishing their desired “look” from HD dailies through final delivery.  

Additionally, Encore’s ability to create a variety of deliverables including previews, marketing materials, film outs, D Cinema, and DVDs  from a single high-resolution, color-approved file eliminates redundant processes, speeds time to market, and ensures the the imagery remains consistant with the director ’s vision.

“Our DI service is unrivaled in the depth of its technical and creative resources,” said Barbara Marshall, Encore Hollywood Managing Director . “We are utilizing a workflow that spans the post process and makes DI a viable choice for a broad spectrum of film productions.” Encore has already begun work on its first DI project, Night Watch 2.
Additionally, Encore Hollywood has expanded its creative team, bringing on two-time Monitor Award-winning Colorist Steve Porter. Porter has a broad range of experience in digital intermediate work for features and color correction for episodic television . His DI credits include Racing Stripes for Warner Bros. and The Pink Panther for MGM. His television credits include the hit ABC series Lost.

Most recently at Technicolor, Porter is making his return to Encore. He was previously on staff at the facility from 1989 through 2004. “Steve is one of the industry’s most talented artists,” said Marshall. “He lends experience and leadership to our DI department, and we are thrilled to have him back.”

In discussing his return to Encore, Porter cited its newly established DI division. “Encore has created a beautiful environment to do DI work, with state-of-the-art resources and support,” he said. “With its commitment to the highest quality of service, I am confident that Encore will attain the same leadership role in feature films that it currently enjoys in episodic television .”
Encore is the second Ascent Media company to add feature Digital Intermediate services in the U.S.  Company 3, led by Stefan Sonnenfeld,  has two DI theaters and has been a pioneer in the field, servicing many of Hollywood ’s biggest directors.
Encore’s new services represent a continuation of Ascent Media’s approach to DI for features and are targeted to maximize the opportunities available in the DI process while managing to today’s tighter budgets.  In combining DI with HD digital dailies, the facility brings a new level of efficiency to the process, as color decisions made during the early phases of the production process can be retained and reapplied during later stages of post and distribution.

“Previously, color values set in dailies were, in effect , thrown out, and you simply started over when you completed your DI,” explained Bob Solomon, Ascent Media Creative Services Group President. “Our DI colorist works with the film’s creatives to set the look in dailies and then transfer those decisions to each successive production process for further refinement. Color values are refined further as temporary or final visual effects are added, and then finalized in DI. Encore can then apply our propriety LUT’s to the color corrected 2K DI file, which translates the imagery to different color spaces.  That allows the master to be used in countless ways.  In our process, each stage builds on the previous stage and eliminates time consuming redundancies. It also assures quality and consistency for our clients.”

Directly linking DI to a full-service visual effects operation is also new. The ability to produce, modify or complete visual effects shots within the DI environment can be a boon to filmmakers, allowing more room for creative experimentation while avoiding costly production delays.

With its own team of artists and relationships with other Ascent Media companies, Encore has an almost limitless talent pool to draw from for DI assignments. “There are more than 80 colorists in the Ascent organization, each with his or her own director and DP relationships, and all are available to work through Encore in Hollywood ,” noted Marshall. “Our DI suite employs the same color correction system and software tools as our video color correction suites, allowing artists to move from one to the other effortlessly.”

Marshall added that Encore’s expertise in episodic and long-form television also gives its staff project management skills that can be directly beneficial to DI work. “We have years of experience in managing very intricate workflows and meeting deadlines,” she said. “We know how to deliver maximum creative value within the constraints of today’s schedules and budgets.”

Encore Hollywood is located at 6344 Fountain Avenue, Hollywood , California 90028. For more information, call Cliff Dugan at (323) 466-7663 or visit www.encorehollywood.com.
About Ascent Media Group

Santa Monica, California-based Ascent Media Group, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Discovery Holding Company (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB), which through its Creative Services, Creative Sound Services, Media Management Services and Networks Services groups, provides creative and technical media services to the media and entertainment industries.  Through more than 70 facilities in the regions of Southern California, New York, London and Singapore and at locations throughout the world, Ascent Media provides effective solutions for the creation, management and distribution of content to major motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies and other companies that produce, own and/or distribute entertainment, news, sports, corporate, educational, industrial and advertising content.

Ascent Media Group’s family of companies includes Company 3, Encore Hollywood , Level 3 Post, R!OT, Method, Digital Symphony, Todd-AO, and Soundelux and Sound One.