Archive for May 16th, 2012

LONG ISLAND CITY, N.Y., May 17, 2012 — Commercial production house SFI (Simpson Films), headed by founder/director Jerry Simpson, has hired David Nelson to serve as executive producer. Recent projects from SFI have included producing spots for Pepsi/TBWA/Chiat Day; Joe’s Crab Shack/ Slingshot; Avon/Ogilvy & Mather; Calvin Klein Fragrance/Baron & Baron,
and 7Up/mcgarrybowen.

Said Mr. Simpson, “Executive Producer David Nelson is an established NY based production veteran with a good deal of experience in all aspects of production. He has worked closely with me on a freelance basis during the past few years. He has the proven expertise to develop creative and cost-effective solutions for agencies and their clients, so as to provide them with the highest level of production services, even as budgets and schedules continue to tighten.”

ABOUT DAVID NELSON:

With over 25 years of experience, David Nelson has worked in production on countless TV spots, television programs and multi-media content. Prior to joining SFI, Nelson has been line producing for Director Greg Ramsey on tabletop productions and VFX/green screen shoots out of production house Curious Pictures. Concurrently, he has been working as a DGA First AD for various production companies, including Jerry Simpson at SFI.

Earlier, as a Line Producer/Assistant Director, his commercial production clients have included: Bully Pictures, Celsius Films, Chelsea Pictures, Curious Pictures, Czar US, Eyeball NYC, Freemarket Films, Go Film, Humble TV, Propaganda Films, @radical.media, Shilo, Stardust TV, and Stun Creative.

Nelson has collaborated with such major directors as Anouk Besson, Christian Charles, Charlie Cole, Brett Froomer, Lionel Goldstein, Gary McKendry, Rob Meltzer, Errol Morris, Edouard Nammour, Vadim Perelman, Greg Ramsey, Michael Shapiro, Lieven van Baelen and Bruce Van Dusen.

Nelson also worked as assistant director on the Cheech & Chong feature film “Hey Watch This,” produced the half-hour documentary “Your Skin and How to Save It” for pharmaceutical company Beiersdorf, produced a half-hour DRTV infomercial for The Hoover Company, served as an Executive Producer with Geoffrey Mayo Films, and as Head of Production with Ulick Mayo Productions.

Nelson attended New York University’s Graduate School of the Arts, and also holds a B.A. degree from the University of Maryland’s Dept. of Radio, Television and Film. In addition, he is a member of the Directors Guild of America

ABOUT SFI:

Located in Long Island City in Queens, NY (recently dubbed “Hollywood East” by the NY Times,) SFI has created a studio and production facility that includes two shooting spaces each with its own industrial kitchen, functional work spaces for visiting clients, as well as post-production rooms for color grading and editorial services.

SFI was founded in 1993 by acclaimed Director/Cinematographer Jerry Simpson and has since become known for its creative and innovative tabletop productions. With Jerry at the helm and behind the camera, SFI has produced countless campaigns for many of the world’s best known products and brands. His work as included shooting spots and campaigns for Anheuser-Busch, Applebee’s, Burger King, Campbell’s, Dominos, Dr. Pepper, 7UP, IHOP, Maybelline, McDonald’s, Miller, and Olay, among many others.

SFI is a collective of artists and producers that offers a wide-ranging set of creative skills to its clients. The company embraces the art of digital cinema and the future of integrated marketing, and constantly pushes the limits of technology and innovation in order to provide a seamless workflow from production through supervised dailies. SFI offers the ability to take projects from conception to finish, by providing graphics, design, color grading, VFX and editorial services.

With its specialization in tabletop work, SFI has always stayed responsive to the needs of its clients and collaborates extensively in the preproduction process to ensure a successful shoot. SFI has recently expanded to offer an integrated approach to its clients that includes digital cinema, still photography, and post production services. In addition, SFI is developing a documentary film and a digital food magazine. For more information, please see:

http://www.simpsonfilms.com/

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The New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment has released its latest Reel Jobs campaign, and the message is clear: this is the place to be, to live, and to work if you want to make TV or movies. The five-spot effort, directed by Artists Company’s Mike Rowles, features a skillful edit from Fluid Editorial and beautiful color grading, conform and mastering from Nice Shoes (all three companies are – no surprise – based in NYC).

Each of the five :30s explores a different facet of the city’s vibrant film industry, unfolding in a rippling split-screen montage of stunning city scenes, interviews, and action shots. The Kirshoff family talks about the city’s gorgeous scenery while calmly blowing up an SUV. Christina discusses her Queens, NY roots and the network of NYC-based suppliers who help her create sets for Gossip Girl. Manny, a self-styled special-ops soldier of the TV and film industries, prowls the streets in a full-body steadicam mount while waxing poetic about New York’s diverse culture. Damon scours New York for shoot locations, reinforcing his claim that the production armies overtaking the streets comprise mostly New Yorkers. John and Lisa explain how local vendors make the elaborate period pieces in the expansive wardrobe they design for HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

“We had some big stories to tell in just 30 seconds,” stated Fluid EP Laura Relovsky. “Using a dynamic split screen gave us an awesome vehicle to tell each story and show how magical the city can be for a commercial or film backdrop – plus it allowed us to use as much of Mike’s amazing footage as possible. At Fluid, we are constantly pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling, and the delicate balance of multiple images simultaneously appearing onscreen was enormously fun challenge that delivered something most people haven’t seen before.”

The editorial team of Peter Sabatino, Zeke O’Donnell, Michael Equi and Heather Danosky worked with Nice Shoes’ color and finishing artists Chris Ryan, Russ Bigsby, and Vin Roma to deliver the full complement of very complicated spots, a process streamlined considerably by the hands-off, let-the-talent-work attitude of the mayor’s office.

As Fluid assembled, Nice Shoes worked on color grading, conforming and mastering the spots, preparing various versions for play in Cinemas, on TV and in NYC taxis. The studio’s powerful pipeline allowed them to breeze from color to conform and deliver the finished spots very quickly.

“The biggest challenge for us was trying to deliver a cohesive look to the campaign from so many different editors,” said Nice Shoes Senior Producer Pat Portela. “Integrating the small variations within each edit and finessing the montages requires attention to detail and creative insight, but luckily we have the technology and the talent to handle just about anything,” said Nice Shoes Colorist and Partner Chris Ryan. “The Baselight is the only system that allowed us to simulate this complex editorial piece and color correct them all at the same time. Being able to work like this was really helpful in executing Mike’s vision.”

Fluid and Nice Shoes had both worked with Rowles in the past, and the edit company worked especially closely with him throughout the creative process this time, from writing the script to stitching the final spots together. “We have an implicit trust in each other’s instincts and talent,” noted Fluid Editorial Editor Peter Sabatino. “Mike not only is a great director, but he also respects the insights of the editor, which makes for a very creative and efficient process. He had a vision for these spots and knew that it would be realized by letting the amazing editors at Fluid get to work.” Ryan added, “I’ve been working with Mike since Nice Shoes opened its doors. I’ve always loved his photography and his aesthetic; he’s always interested in experimenting with multiple looks within a single spot. We’ve always had a good relationship. Even though he’s a Detroit Red Wings fan.”

Ultimately, the project, with its opportunities to showcase such a broad range of industry talent, delivered a level of personal satisfaction for the production-oriented minds behind its creation. “This is our industry, it’s what we do, and what we love,” stated Relovsky. “This project felt personal and we were very happy to have a part in telling this story.”

Manny first aired at the TriBeCa Film Festival, with the full package of spots running in taxis and in theaters across the city, among other places.

Visit FLUID
View Media

Credits
Client: Office of the Mayor
Spot Titles: Manny, Kirshoffs, Damon, Boardwalk, Christina
Air Date: May 2012

Prod Company: Artists Co.
Director: Mike Rowles

Editorial: FLUID
Editor(s): Peter Sabatino, Zeke O’Donnell, Michael Equi, Heather Danosky
Executive Producer: Laura Relovsky
Producer: Carolyn Maher

Post/Effects: Nice Shoes
Colorist: Chris Ryan
Flame Artists: Vin Roma, Russ Bigsby
Sr. Producer: Pat Portela

Audio Post: Mr. Bronx
Mixer: David Wolfe
About FLUID
Fluid, comprised of a team of award-winning editors, provides editorial services complemented by a family of in-house creative partners: graphics and CG from Platige; VFX, retouching, and finish from Wes Waldron; and audio post from Mr. Bronx, and original composition and sound design from Butter. All located in their Soho loft studios, this wealth of creative and technical resources allows for a uniquely collaborative environment.

About Nice Shoes:

NYC-based Nice Shoes is a full service, artist-driven design, animation, visual effects and color grading studio specializing in high-end commercials, web content, film, TV and music videos. Since its inception in 1996, the studio has prided itself on consistently reinvesting in its talent, technical backbone, and client experience to set the standard of excellence both creatively and technically. Key company principals include: CEO/Partner Dominic Pandolfino, Colorists/Partners Chris Ryan and Lez Rudge, VFX Artist/Partner Rich Schreck, MD Kristen Martini, CD Brian Bowman, CIO Robert Keske, Senior Producer Pat Portela, and Brand Director Justin Pandolfino.

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

jumP NY editor Luis Moreno walked away from this year’s AICE Awards having scored top honors in the “Best Montage” and “Best of New York” categories for his distinctively outrageous, boundary-pushing work on spots for Paco Rabanne and Benetton.

The title of “Best Montage” was awarded to Black XS, a bawdy :90 created for the eponymous fragrance by Spanish fashion house Paco Rabanne. Black XS jump cuts with a twitchy, frenetic energy across scenes of rock n’ roll debauchery laid out in stark black & white—acts of public indecency, wanton destruction and more than a few saucily bared body parts abound. The “Best of New York” award went to Milk & Honey, a more delicate but equally visceral :90 for Italian clothing retailer United Colors of Benetton’s “UnHate” campaign. “Milk & Honey” guides the viewer through a stunning array of the many forms of human contact—from underwater kisses to military wrestling through riots and mosh pits and into the bedroom—all boasting a mix of film lenses and formats to highlight the diversity on display.

Moreno’s AICE Award wins come as jumP expands its talent rosters with noteworthy additions on both the east and west coasts-an exciting sign of many new triumphs to come in 2012.

Visit jumP

About jumP
Bicoastal jumP is an award-winning creative editorial boutique focusing on commercials, features, short films, music videos, and emerging media content. The firm works with a wide-range of top-tier brands, directors, and agencies continually delivering powerful and efficient results for each of its clients. The company roster includes Partner/Editors: Luis Moreno and Michael Saia, Editors: Lin Polito, Troy Mercury, Terence Ziegler, Richard Mettler, Patrick Griffin, David Trachtenberg, Mark Imgrund, Richard Cooperman, Wendy Rosen, Jonathan Edwards, EPs Betsy Beale and Alexandra Leal, and Partner/Managing Director Dee Tagert.

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

Smartphones are taking over, changing not just the way people communicate with one another, but the way they access information and interact with products. Don’t be left behind, focusing your digital efforts on those old-fashioned computer thingies – mobilize your staff to attend ClickFire Media’s May 17 mobile interactive panel at Internet Week New York.

About the Panel:

When presented with a mobile interactive need, you face a thicket of tools and issues: “mobilize” a site, create a mobile app, or, instead, launch a cool digital tactic that works on mobile. ClickFire Media’s panel will discuss the intricacies of the mobile space, exploring the benefits and pitfalls of each choice, empowering agencies and digital development companies to make the right decision for a project to be successful.

About the Panelists:

Click 3X founder and interactive legend Peter Corbett will introduce the panel of mobile pioneers. Cheil USA Group Creative Director and prolific blogger Adam Wohl, who has been championing guerilla online marketing campaigns before blogs or social networking portals existed, will moderate the panel. Panelists include ClickFire Media Senior Interactive Producer Matt DeSimone, Brisk Mobile CEO Gary Toste, Unilever AVP of Interactive and Communications Jeremy Goldman, and Undercurrent Production Director Matthew Carlin.

Join Us:

To attend the panel, tune in to the live stream here: clickfiremedia.com/iwnymobile
When: Thursday, May 17, 2012, 1-2 p.m.

Learn more about Internet Week New York at internetweekny.com (Hashtag: #iwnymobile).

Visit ClickFireMedia

About ClickFireMedia
ClickFireMedia is an interactive design studio specializing in multi-platform, media-rich creative campaigns. CFM partners with agencies and entertainment industry clients in the conceptualization, design and development of fully-integrated, consistently branded experiences. Through insight and innovation, CFM combines that latest interactive technologies with the best design, video, animation and live action skills from Click 3X to deliver integrated solutions in the ever-developing media landscape.

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

When Brooklyn’s Tiny Victories wanted a music video that gave their breakout track, Mr. Bones, a visual life, they turned to Nice Shoes’ creative director Brian Bowman. In it, the band performs while bathed in pulsing lights and colors referencing the LSD-lased imagery of the 1960s. But for an unconventional touch, Bowman constructed two giant screens that served as the backdrop. These custom creations acted as canvases for his moody projections and were personally controlled through the director’s haptic iPhone interface.

“The song for me is about the memory of somebody, not necessarily the reality of somebody,” detailed Bowman. “The projections became about those memories living in an illuminated space.”

Creating that space was not without its challenges. The screens needed to be large but featherweight so that they could be hung from the ceiling. Bowman also personally ensured that the massive screens were seamless so that the gorgeous backlit projections filled the entire surface during the performance.

The projections themselves were controlled during the shoot using VDMX haptic technology. Originally intended for VJs, the highly customizable platform worked in junction with Open Sound Control (OSC) and the iPhone to transmit touchscreen command signals over Wi-Fi to a computer. This allowed the projected memories to react in real-time to the swipe of a fingertip, resulting in a dynamic visual experience. Bowman’s hands-on approach was later replicated at Tiny Victories’ EP release party.

Bowman’s deep involvement reflected both his love for layered electronic music and a passion for all things practical.

“I wanted the video to reflect that in some way,” he explained. “Different ways of layering up images that were kind of retro without using plugins. The particles are practical. That’s eye shadow glitter flying into the camera. We did a lot with LED flashlights or shooting into the projector to create the lens flares. It’s a DIY aesthetic that’s meant to be experimental.”

Visit Nice Shoes

Credits
Music Video Title: Mr. Bones
Artist: Tiny Victories

Starring: Harpreet Shinger

Production Nice Shoes
Director: Brian Levi Bowman
Producer: Jen Cadic
Director of Photography: Rod Lamborn
Editor: Tony Dolezal
Designer: Kit Lam
Colorist: Ron Sudul
Screen Fabrication: Andrew Pandolfino
About Nice Shoes
NYC-based Nice Shoes is a full service, artist-driven design, animation, visual effects and color grading studio specializing in high-end commercials, web content, film, TV and music videos. Since its inception in 1996, the studio has prided itself on consistently reinvesting in its talent, technical backbone, and client experience to set the standard of excellence both creatively and technically. Key company principals include: CEO/Partner Dominic Pandolfino, Colorists/Partners Chris Ryan and Lez Rudge, VFX Artist/Partner Rich Schreck, MD Kristen Martini, CD Brian Bowman, CIO Robert Keske, Senior Producer Pat Portela, and Brand Director Justin Pandolfino.

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

MPC LA recently teamed up with directing duo dom&nic to handle a full range of VFX needs on English singer-songwriter Gaz Coombes’ debut music video. In less than three weeks, the studio worked around the clock between their LA, London and Bangalore studios to handle everything from interactive 3D and 2D lighting to 3D animation, rendering and compositing.

Hot Fruit is at once a dazzling ride through a surreal world and a study in the possibilities of a story told from a confined space. Coombes, who is confined to a brightly lit cube situated in a forest clearing, sings his tale of lust and beauty as a wild and twisted tale unfolds: he is first tied, then gassed, then spun into the air and tossed about the forest, all while confronting an ever-growing pile of pill containers and staring intently through a slit on the lookout for a grim-reaper-esque madman who is stalking him along the shadowy distances.

MPC produced 28 shots of the CG box in a real environment, creating a pipeline that allowed them to quickly make changes to each scene based on new iterations of the CG object or its animation. The process involved creating a CG representation of each scene, then using a projection of both the dark and lit versions with an illumination map created from each CG scene.

“This custom-built pipeline allowed us to continue to work in animation, comp and modeling at the same time with minimum impact on schedule,” noted MPC LA MD Andrew Bell. “We loved working with dom&nic, and it was important that we built as much flexibility into our pipeline as possible so that we could get the most benefit from their creative input.”

This video was the latest in a string of collaborations between directors dom&nic (Nic Goffey and Dominic Hawley) and MPC, including a recent pair of VFX spots for Acura. “MPC LA has provided us with huge technical and creative support and clear communication in both commercial and music video projects,” stated Nic. “They understand how to turn ideas into cinematic images. In this case, their fantastic work displays a painstaking attention to the smallest details and seamless integration of 3D and 2D digital work. “

“MPC’s uncompromising commitment to quality within a challenging schedule was second to none,” added Dom. “Their creative input both prior to the shoot and during postproduction was invaluable. We were able to work together from both sides of the Atlantic with absolute efficiency, having regular conference calls and viewing at full resolution remotely. Wherever you are based you should work with these guys, if you can get them of course!”

Visit MPC

Credits
Artist: Gaz
Songs Title: Hot Fruit

Director: dom&nic
DOP: Giorgio
Prod Co. Producer: John Madsen

VFX: MPC
VFX Supervisor: Ryan Knowles
Shoot Supervisor: Jim Radford
Producer: John Attard
Producer: Ian Luxford

3D Leads: Mike Wynd & Jessie Amadio
3D: Fred Durand, William Schilthuis, Nikki Mull

Color Grade: James Tillet

2D Lead: Ryan Knowles
2D: Kristal Chin, Katerina Arroyo, Lisa Ryan, Benoit Mannequin, Elliott Brennan, Ben Davidson

Matte Painting: Ben Persons
Matte Painting: Jerome Martinez

Match Move: Jacob Oommen, Sathya Narayan

Roto: Brindha Ravichandran, Pinto Sasikumar
About MPC
MPC is an award winning VFX and Digital studio servicing the advertising, motion picture and television industries. From its London, New York, Santa Monica, Vancouver, and Bangalore offices, MPC’s dynamic and diverse team delivers industry-defining VFX, animation, motion graphics, color grading, production, projection mapping, social and mobile application development, online advertising, data management, software R&D and pipeline development.

With a trio of integrated divisions, MPC utilizes a unified approach that drives the use of existing or newly created assets across the whole range of today’s media landscape. MPC Creative handles client projects directly with top-notch directing, CG animation and character design. MPC FX Studio is a dedicated corps of graphic and digital designers who bring clients’ visions to life. MPC Data Lab processes the content and makes it available for editing on demand. MPC is a Technicolor Company.

moving-picture.com

More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com

Lighting designer Herrick Goldman recently scored big at Dallas Cowboys Stadium helping transform the football field into the site of a spectacular event for Ward & Ames Special Events, the company that created a first ever design concept straddling the 50 yard line for the launch of Emirates Airline’s Dubai to Dallas route. With support from GDS LiteWare fixtures and grandMA lighting control, he gave a “larger than life” look to the celebratory dinner and presentation for 950 guests with entertainment by musical group Splash and a performance by cast members of “Dancing With The Stars.” A.C.T Lighting is the distributor of grandMA and GDS lighting in North America.

Goldman deployed 24 GDS LiteWare Satellite up-lighters to illuminate the stadium’s exterior arched entry and positioned additional fixtures along the red carpet, which led guests to the VIP lounge for cocktails. Bright Star Productions of Houston implemented all the entryway designs.

GDS’s LiteWare range of RGB LED solutions for lighting include the new Satellite, which offers a fully-adjustable head with 360º pan and 180º tilt for easy focusing. The up-lighters provide an ideal solution for today’s demanding events. With no cabling required for power or control, the fixtures are deployed in the desired locations by simply switching them on.

“A.C.T Lighting’s Ben Saltzman showed me the fixtures about a year ago, and I saw them again at PLASA,” Goldman explains. “They work great. You just set them and forget them. They’re bright, require no cabling and have handy wireless DMX. They’re perfect for quick one-of installations like the Emirates gala.”

After cocktails in the Legends Club, Emirates guests were led to stadium seating for the first presentation. The venue’s 70×160-foot LED screen (currently the world’s fourth largest) was lowered to 40’ feet above the 50 yard line on the field and curtained off with black velour traveler track. Ward & Ames asked Goldman to create a simulated landing strip runway which he did by lining it with 130 feet of Color Kinetics ColorBlaze lighting and High End Dataflash strobes, using vertical trusses as searchlight towers to amp up excitement in the crowd. When the traveler opened it revealed an elegant dinner setting and a 120-foot wide stage on the opposite side of the field.

Goldman controlled several hundred lights with a grandMA console; a second desk was on hand for backup. “When it’s my choice, I only specify grandMA,” he declares. “Paul Sonnleitner did some fast and beautiful programming on it.”

In addition to the runway lighting, the grandMA controlled cyc lighting with 75 fixtures working together to produce more than 25 different looks for the set. The stage boasted a 115-foot high center cyc flanked by 68-foot high cycs.

The console also controlled stage lighting, dance floor lighting and back lighting. Goldman turned to the grandMA for control of audience lighting, too, which featured 60 fixtures.

Lab Introduces Innovative Veristream Automation Tool Into Digital Content Chain

(Burbank, CA) Testronic Labs – the recognized global leader in quality assurance services for film and television, games, websites, hardware and software – has announced that its File-Based QC Lab has implemented a Veristream testing tool designed by Deluxe Digital Studios, a subsidiary of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc.

Testronic is known for its forward looking approach to quality assurance and testing across the rapidly changing physical to digital content ecosystem. Deluxe Digital Studios is the world’s largest provider of Blu-ray authoring services along with creative, subtitling, compression, and authoring for the home entertainment industry. This announcement supports Testronic’s continued evolution and integration of automation tools.

“Studios are actively exploring solutions that incorporate highly developed automated tools to improve production efficiency,” noted Seth Hallen, CEO of Testronic. “To that end, we have been working with Deluxe Digital Studios to support this development and to implement their toolsets into our workflows. We are very excited by what Deluxe’s powerful new tools can do in the hands of the Testronic team.”

Rob Seidel, Executive Vice President of Deluxe Digital Studios, highlighted the features of Veristream. “Using sophisticated algorithms, Veristream analyzes source video masters and encoded streams identifying potential corruption or processing issues that could have been introduced throughout the video production process. In doing so, Veristream predicts potential video anomalies in a highly accurate, fast, and reliable way providing efficient ways for operators to review and verify potential issues. The efficiency enabled by this automation is a major step forward in quality assurance testing and we are unveiling this service with Testronic Labs because they bring an unparalleled depth of knowledge and testing experience.”

While the human element can never be discounted in the testing field, automation tools are the next important development area for quality assurance. The ability to move large files through a pipeline with automated prequalification is increasingly crucial to a viable workflow. Part of the appeal for Hallen is the ability of Veristream to analyze almost any picture element. “When we work on a title that may have as many as 26 versions and numerous encodes, there are literally thousands of files to test on a single project. Testronic is dedicated to the innovation and investment that is necessary to lead the testing industry forward into these new digital areas. We have engaged in a number of beta trials with Deluxe on these tools and will continue to provide them with usability data to enhance refinement of the software.”

Hallen concluded, “While various types of automation tools have been available for a number of years, Veristream incorporates a fresh approach to creating powerful efficiencies for the rapidly evolving needs of our supply chain. It’s exciting and an honor to be involved with Deluxe Digital Studios on this initiative.”

About Testronic Labs
Testronic Labs’ high standards have been protecting clients and safeguarding the consumer experience since 1998. As the leading global provider of quality assurance, compliance, and localization services for a notable array of industries; including media, entertainment, games, education, e-commerce and consumer electronics, Testronic Labs ensures efficient and secure delivery of the highest quality consumer deliverables. Based in Burbank, CA; London, UK; Diepenbeek, Belgium; Warsaw, Poland; and Tokyo, Japan, Testronic Labs offers an unparalleled history of next-generation innovation and service excellence across the entire digital media industry. For further information, visit www.TestronicLabs.com.

About Deluxe Digital Studios
Deluxe Digital Studios Inc. is a subsidiary of Deluxe Entertainment Services Group Inc, which is wholly owned by MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc. Deluxe Digital Studios is the leading provider of full supply chain services for digital media platforms including Blu-ray, DVD and Digital Distribution. Staffed with more than 1,800 full-time employees and 3,500 language translators, Deluxe Digital Studios provides its customers with innovative creative, localization and technical solutions including menu design, content production, mobile app development, subtitling, dubbing, compression and authoring, and encoding for digital distribution.

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

WIN a FREE seat of Digital Camera Decoding Software

HOLLYWOOD—In response to the enormous interest generated by the launch of its new, on-location review and color management tool, Cortex::Capture, MTI Film is extending a product giveaway that it began at NAB 2012. Each week from now until the product launch, the company will hold a drawing with the winner receiving a FREE Cortex::Capture license. Names entered in the drawing will roll over to the new drawing from week to week. Everyone who enters will be included in the Grand Prize drawing on July 5th for a FREE seat of Cortex::Convey. more

Los Angeles, CA, May 16, 2012 — When Angel Mendoza, Music Supervisor at AV Squad, needed a powerful, emotionally moving track for the trailer promoting the film “Bully,” he called The Hit House, a premier, custom music and sound design company. NOTE: That trailer just received a 2012 Golden Trailer Award nomination for “Best Documentary Film Trailer.”

“I knew The Hit House would bring the right emotional quality to the trailer,” said Angel. “Their remarkable track record was only part of it. I also knew that Scott (Scott Miller, Creative Director at The Hit House) would be inspired by the subject matter, and would deliver a track that truly captured the poignancy of this important project.”

“The moment I saw the ‘Bully’ footage, I knew what needed to be written,” said Scott Miller. “It isn’t often that you get a chance to compose music for a cause you’re passionate about. And it’s even less often that you get a chance to work on a project that has the power to make a real difference in peoples’ lives.”

The Weinstein Company’s acclaimed film “Bully,” written and directed by Lee Hirsch, which was released in theatres March 30, follows five kids and families over the course of a school year. Stories from the film include two families who have lost children to suicide, and a mother awaiting the fate of her 14-year-old daughter, who has been incarcerated after bringing a gun on her school bus.

With an intimate glimpse into homes, classrooms, cafeterias and principals’ offices, “Bully” offers insight into the often cruel world of the lives of bullied children. As teachers, administrators, kids and parents struggle to find answers, the dire consequences of bullying — through the testimony of strong and courageous youth — is examined in the documentary. Through the power of these stories, the film aims to be a catalyst for change in the way we all deal with bullying as parents, teachers, children, and society as a whole. See:

http://thebullyproject.com/

About The Hit House:

The Hit House is a premier, custom music and sound design company in Los Angeles that specializes in trailer and commercial music. Their recent work has been used in national and global television campaigns for clients such as Lexus, Dish Network, and the motion picture campaign for the film “What to Expect When You’re Expecting.”

Hear more at thehithouse.com

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