Archive for September, 2011

Blackmagic Design today announced that the University of Washington’s School of Oceanography used Blackmagic Design’s ATEM 1 M/E Production Switcher, Micro Videohub and OpenGear Converter Audio to SDI products as part of the ocean going VISIONS’11 Expedition. The University relied on the Blackmagic Design products to capture, route and stream footage from the ocean floor, 400 kilometers offshore, back to the University and online at www.ooi.washington.edu/visions11/live.

VISIONS’11, a cooperative effort between the University of Washington and the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), commenced on August 11 in Seattle, Washington, aboard the 274 foot Research Vessel Thomas G. Thompson. The purpose of the expedition was to continue to prepare for, survey and assess the ongoing installation of the OOI’s high power and high bandwidth cabled ocean observatory. For the expedition, the University of Washington provided technical support for video operations and management of a number of cameras on more

BRANSON, MISSOURI SPECIALTY CHANNEL ADDS SOPHISTICATED
TRAFFIC, SALES & SCHEDULING MANAGEMENT

Northampton, MA – Myers Information Systems – a leading developer of broadcast traffic, business, and content management software – today announced a successful implementation of the company’s flagship ProTrack suite by The Vacation Channel. Based in Branson, Missouri, TVC offers a mix of news, weather and information focused on the lifestyle and rich variety of entertainment options available in and around Branson with coverage to some 50,000 in-home and hotel/motel room viewers.

“For the last couple years, we’ve searched for a traffic system that would provide the right kind of tools,” said Gary Leach, the channel’s director of operations. “We have very specific and unique operating needs; the more we saw of ProTrack’s diversity and flexibility, the more we knew we’d found the more

NEW YORK: “This year’s Lunchtime Keynote events will offer attendees options designed to appeal to a wide range of interests,” states Convention Chair Jim Anderson. “Our guest speakers run the gamut from mp3 innovator Karlheinz Brandenburg to celebrated jazz bassist Ron Carter and noted broadcast journalist/engineer and futurist Skip Pizzi. Each is guaranteed to provide an information-packed respite from the busy Exhibition Hall and crowded Event Presentations. Attendees are reminded to ‘bring their own lunches.’” The 131st AES Convention will be held at NYC’s Javits Center October 20-23. Lunchtime Keynotes are set for 1:15 – 2:15PM Fri.-Sun.

LUNCHTIME KEYNOTES:

KARLHEINZ BRANDENBURG, THE MP3 STORY: One of the original developers of mp3, Brandenburg has been researching digital audio compression since 1977. The Internet’s evolution from text-based medium to major carrier for sound heralded dramatic payload changes and, new dangers more

Toronto, Canada – September 28, 2011 – Southpaw Technology announced today that KB Media, a Toronto-based media company, has licensed Southpaw’s production asset management system TACTIC and leveraged its flexible architecture to simplify the management of digital signage campaigns. KB Media is now using the system to more efficiently manage multiple campaigns across hundreds of advertising venues throughout Canada.

KB Media specializes in the creation of backlit and digital mirrors and the placement of advertising on those mirrors in venues throughout Canada. The campaigns that KB Media manages for its large client base vary in length, size, audience, creativity, and value. In addition, KB Media’s mirrors include patented motion sensor technology that tracks consumer interaction with the mirrors so advertisers know exactly how many consumers engaged with their ad and for how long. To more efficiently manage all of this information in one place, KB Media more

B-REEL FILMS LAUNCHES LONDON OFFICE AND TAPS PHILIPPA ALLEN AS NEW EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Philippa Allen, new B-Reel Films Executive Producer

LONDON, U.K. – September 28, 2011 – International film production company B-Reel Films (www.b-reelfilms.com), announced today the formation of a new office in London in order to fortify its U.K. presence. To helm B-Reel Films’ operations here, the company tapped Philippa Allen as Executive Producer. With the new office, B-Reel Films now features four offices spanning the globe, including Los Angeles, New York City and Stockholm. B-Reel Films works in close collaboration with digital production company B-Reel (www.b-reel.com).

“The best creatives are to be found in London, and of course we want to be where the best work is,” said Johannes Ahlund, managing director B-Reel Films. “We also see that the need for integrated productions in the U.K. continues to grow and as a global brand it’s critical to establish more

KNOXVILLE, TN, September 27, 2011 — Waves Audio, the industry-leading developer of professional audio digital signal processing technologies and the recipient of a 2011 Technical GRAMMY® Award, unveils its Bass Rider, an innovative, easy-to-use plugin that rides bass levels automatically. A companion to Waves’ popular Vocal Rider plugin, Bass Rider delivers perfect bass levels, without changing the natural sound of users’ bass. Optimized especially for the frequency range and envelope characteristics of bass instruments, Bass Rider covers all the “basses”: DI, amplified, acoustic, synth, upright, etc.

A real timesaver with dedicated studio and live components, Bass Rider keeps bass levels in check and solid throughout a mix. Unlike a compressor, Bass Rider works note by note, without disturbing their inner dynamics, so they sustain and decay naturally. Best of all, since Bass Rider keeps levels steady with automatic gain adjustment, now users can more

Soundelux Creates “Emotional Truth” for Nicolas Winding Refn’s Cerebral Action Film

Hollywood— Drive, the new film from FilmDistrict and Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn, tells the story of a Hollywood stunt car driver (Ryan Gosling) who moonlights as a wheelman and discovers there is a contract out on him following a robbery gone bad. The movie is violent, yet stylish and emotionally gripping, and is being hailed by critics for its brashness and its brilliance.
For the film’s sound team, led by Supervising Sound Editor/Designer Lon Bender and Supervising Sound Editor Victor Ennis from Soundelux, Drive presented many unusual sonic challenges. Although tacitly an action tale, the film is also highly cerebral, alternating between moments of intense realism and surreality as the audience is drawn into the main character’s head.

The relationship more

MOSCOW, RUSSIA – What began six years ago as simply a “creative outlet” for rising filmmaker/animator Ian Chisholm, Clear Skies III, the third film in the machinima series about the space adventures of the crew aboard the battleship Clear Skies, has steadily built a huge online audience thanks to its memorable storyline and characters, and creative use of the iPi Soft’s Desktop Motion Capture system, which played an integral role in bringing Chisholm’s vision to life.

“I started the Clear Skies series about six years ago,” Chisholm says. “I’d just started doing some basic video work when I discovered I could use blue screening to composite video footage together. I’d always wanted to tell a full story, and by using the Eve Online graphics engine for exterior space and ship shots, and the Half Life 2 more

Leading Hollywood DI house adds more 4K capability and builds ‘an army of talent’ with Quantel

Hollywood-based DI facility Light Iron has purchased a third Quantel Pablo 4K color correction and finishing system together with a Pablo PA workflow assist station. These will be connected via their GenePool to Light Iron’s two other Pablos, creating a truly collaborative and highly efficient digital workflow. The systems are installed at Light Iron’s new 10,000 sq. ft. facility in Hollywood, which includes three DI theaters.

Light Iron CEO Michael Cioni explains, “With 4K content and significant client deliverables, compression of time is more important than compression of files. Having a project tied to a single system, when artists need to simul-task multiple deliverables, is a bottleneck for post production. In situations where facilities copy 4K media through a network or (in some cases) physically move it from one system to more

Scharff Weisberg, Inc. helped capture the sizzle that comes with the steak by supplying a complement of wired and wireless microphones for the next season of Food Network’s “Iron ChefAmerica” series and an episode of the “The Next Iron Chef” reality show.

Scharff Weisberg Vice President Scott Schachter reports that the company provided Sennheiser 3K and 5K series wireless mics, AKG audience reaction mics and assorted Sennheiser shotgun and gooseneck mics to support existing audio gear at Food Network’s 8,000-square-foot Chelsea studio. Over the course of about a month, the network shot sequences for “The Next Iron Chef” of the popular reality show that will premiere its fourth season this October then lensed 25 episodes of “Iron Chef: America” plus specials to commemorate upcoming holidays.

“Every time we do the show we don’t have enough mics in-house to accommodate our needs,” says Jon Piereth, studio supervisor for Food more