Archive for August 17th, 2012

After sweeping through an award season during which their Take This Lollipop interactive Facebook app earned a Daytime Emmy, Tool has struck a different kind of gold, bringing the energetic Josh Gold on as its new head of film and TV.

The multi-talented Gold, who specializes in developing film and TV properties, is a former development executive for Todd Phillips, and has ushered numerous projects for Sony Pictures Television International, NBC Studios, Warner Bros., and Miramax Films, to name a few.

As head of the TV and film division, which opened last year, Gold will use these diverse experiences to establish new material for Tool and act as a representative for its roster of directors and writers.

Visit Tool

About Tool
Bicoastal Tool is an award-winning production company, representing top live-action directors and interactive directors for advertising projects. From funny… visually engaging… and/or interactive, Tool’s diverse roster of unique talent creates unforgettable commercial and digital content across all platforms.

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

Ready, set, trade – that’s how easy it is to plunge into the financial markets with new tools from Charles Schwab. High-end creative collective QuietMan recently teamed up with Euro RSCG on a multi-spot campaign showing traders attacking the markets with Schwab’s battery of analytical and informational resources. QuietMan CD Anthony Ferrara and EP Carey Gattyan led a team that delivered title and graphics work on the effort.

The QuietMan team completed a total of four :60 spots for two Charles Schwab campaigns. The three spot Active Trader campaign profiles traders at home as they use the Active Trader online toolset, while an additional spot for OptionsXpress follows brokers in a bustling office setting. Each video highlights Charles Schwab’s top-of-the-line data analysis tools and expert remote team, enabling users to execute a dazzling array of financial trades in domestic and international markets.

“The floating environmental graphics are a product of the main character’s mind, organizing themselves in ways that reflect the nature of his thoughts,” stated Ferrara. “The quantity of floating graphics was something we had to always be mindful of, as we didn’t want the products to come off as overly complex or unapproachable. Our approach cleanly lays out the information so that viewers can appreciate how customizable these products are and how well they simplify large quantities of data.”

The campaign follows a previous effort by Schwab, and they asked QuietMan to hew to a set of graphical guidelines that would be consistent with the earlier spots. The studio worked closely with the ADs at EuroRSCG – an agency they have teamed up with many times in the past – to evolve the look without compromising the continuity of the campaign. The studio reached deep into their toolbox on the effort, recreating all in-screen content on Illustrator and Photoshop, tracking scenes in PFTrack, animating screens in After Effects, creating 3D elements in XSI, and knocking out the final composite in Flame.

Visit QuietMan
View Media

Credits
Client: Charles Schwab
Spot Titles: Raising Your Game, Global, Trading Zone, OptionsXPress
Air Date: July 2012

Agency: Euro RSCG
Chairman, Euro RSCG NY/Chief Creative Officer, Global Brands: Lee Garfinkel
Executive Creative Director: Steve Kashtan
Creative Director: Alex Loomis
Associate Creative Director(s): Billy D’Ambrosio, Ron Rosen
Director of Integrated Production: Joe Guyt
Senior Producer: Arlene Steinwald
Producer: Erin Jackson
Director of Production, Business Affairs: Cathy Pitegoff

Editorial: The Cutting Room
Editor: Chuck Willis

Spots: Raising Your Game, Global, Trading Zone
Production Company: Gartner
Director: James Gartner
Executive Producer(s): Don Block, Rich Carter, Elaine Behnken

Environmental GFX & Demos: Quietman
Partner/Executive Producer: Carey Gattyan
Creative Director/Lead Flame Artist: Johnnie Semerad
Creative Director/Lead Designer: Anthony Ferrara
Producer: Jess Pierik

Spot: OptionsXPress
Production Company: Third Street Mining Company
Director: Neil Tardio
Executive Producer: John LaChapelle

Visual Effects: QuietMan
Partner / Executive Producer: Carey Gattyan
Creative Director / Lead Flame Artist: Johnnie Semerad
Creative Director / Lead Designer: Anthony Ferrara
Producer: Jess Pierik
About QuietMan
The brainchild of CD and Founder Johnnie Semerad and long-time collaborator EP Carey Gattyan, QuietMan is a high-end creative collective set in an innovative workshop atmosphere that fuels projects from concept to completion. A recently overhauled production department includes fully developed print, web and TV arms capable of producing multifaceted advertising campaigns with a specialty in high-quality, groundbreaking VFX.

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

TO PROVIDE TURNKEY INSTALLATION

Alan Dick Broadcast — a world leader in the manufacture and design of radio frequency components and antennas for radio and television transmission — today announced they have been awarded a full turnkey project to install and commission a sizeable DVB-T television antenna system in the Southeast Asian Nation of Brunei.

ADBL will provide Radio Television Brunei (RTB) with their vertically polarized 30 panel UHF DVB-T broadband antenna, along with a Constant Impedance Combiner, unitized Patch Panel Power Splitter and Rigid Line kits. RTB is the official state broadcaster of Brunei. Its first radio broadcast was in May 1957; television service followed in March 1975. RTB currently airs five television channels including the national flagship channel, an HDTV service, a 24-hour international satellite channel, and one dedicated to the nation’s Royal Islamic Mosque.

“We are extremely pleased to be chosen by Radio Television Brunei to implement this important upgrade to their nation’s broadcast infrastructure and 1st DVB-T installation,” said Barry Sugden, director of Alan Dick Broadcast. “Our skilled technical staff is eager to commence installation.”

About Alan Dick Broadcast
UK-based Alan Dick Broadcast (ADBL) is a long-established global leader in the manufacture of antennas, combiners / filters, towers and broadcast infrastructure services for digital and analogue video and audio systems. Our portfolio starts at concept and runs through planning site development, station equipment, towers, antennas, and a full implementation and testing service. Additional information about ADBL may be obtained at: www.alandickbroadcast.com

ADBL contact: Sonia Del Castillo
sonia.delcastillo@alandickbroadcast.com

ADBL contact: Barry Sugden
barry.sugden@alandickbroadcast.com

Press Contact: Desert Moon Communications
Harriet Diener • +1 845-512-8283
harriet@desertmooncomm.com

– Nine International Shops Create Music Videos for Pre-MTV Era Songs –

The standing-room only crowd at the 2012 PromaxBDA Conference said it all. Audiences were inspired by the caliber of music video work they had just witnessed as part of “Videophonic,” a collaborative effort of nine leading design studios working on a common assignment: create a music video for a classic song from the pre-MTV era.

Now, the entire compilation of videos can be seen at the newly launched Videophonic website: http://www.videophonictv.com/

The brainchild of Steve Petersen, Co-Founder/Creative Director of BiG MACHiNE, the nine music videos bear the unique fingerprint and style of each participating studio. “Videophonic” initially launched as a creative exercise for rival design and production studios to unite and collaborate. The participating companies include: BiG MACHiNE, Roger, Pistolera, Radley, Royale, Space Junk, Wildlife, Third Eye Design and Tennant McKay from South Africa.

To view BiG MACHiNE’s video, please go to: http://bigmachine.net/works/i-feel-love-music-video/

“I wanted to come up with a way to take a snapshot of the state of design in our industry,” explains Petersen. “A way to take a look at common design trends and how other agencies approach creative assignments. I thought that a forum where talented – and typically competing — studios could all work on the same assignment would be a great way to compare design styles. By inviting other studios from around the world to interpret a music video in their own way, we were able to get a glimpse into each studio’s one-of-a-kind creative process.”

Adopting a song with a music video that never got one presented a rare opportunity to create without a marketing agenda. The videos, which made their world premiere at the 2012 PromaxBDA Conference in Los Angeles, showed a range of live-action filmmaking, groundbreaking animation, and new storytelling techniques.

BiG MACHiNE selected Donna Summer’s 1977 hit “I Feel Love,” featuring human animals, gorgeously body-painted by artist Hans Haveron as a cheetah, eagle, and hunter, as they move sensually through an enchanted forest.

“The nice thing about music videos is that the narrative concept doesn’t have to be as real world-based as a standard feature film,” says Petersen. “Fantasy and great visuals work really well in this medium. The song features an electro-beat, similar to a contemporary techno song. We felt that the non-specific lyrics allowed for an open-ended interpretation of the song. Our video is a heroic, survival-driven love story. It was the perfect fit for us.”

The biggest challenge for BiG MACHiNE was the extremely tight turnaround. The video was shot in Big Bear on a Sunday, and was set to show at the conference one week later. The post process – from the RED conversation and edit to the VFX, composite and sound design – was completed in a matter of days.

“It was all worth it,” concludes Petersen. “I had wanted to work with [body paint artist] Hans Haveron for a long time. It was one of the most awesome experiences I’ve had as a director and artist. Bringing his art form into our ours made for a really special piece that’s way beyond what I thought it would be.”

Director: Steve Petersen
Director of Photography: Thomas Stanton
Producer: Matt LeBoeuf
Executive Producer: Sean Owolo
Associate Producer: Nancy Berni
Art Directors: Ming Wang & Elizabeth Steinberg
Body Paint Artist: Hans Haveron
Cheetah: Cassie Carpenter
Eagle: Anna Pannici
Hunter: Kenneth Ferguson
Crew: Beni Weinlich, Brian Mogari

About BiG MACHiNE:
BiG MACHiNE is an award-winning visual production company founded in 2003 by Steve Petersen and Ken Carlson. BMD has produced visuals for everything from: film titles, advertising, TV shows, games, multi-screen experiences and mobile devices. Recent clients include Ubisoft, Nike, NFL Network, Warner Bros. / ABC, and Colgate.

www.bigmachine.net

Visit Cobalt at IBC Stand 10.B27

CHRIS SHAW PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE VP OF SALES & MARKETING WORLDWIDE

BOB MCALPINE ASSUMES SENIOR VP OF US SALES POSITION

Urbana, IL – Gene Zimmerman, president and founder of Cobalt Digital – (www.CobaltDigital.com) today announced promotions of two senior level staff members. Chris Shaw has been promoted to executive vice president of sales and marketing, and Bob McAlpine moves to senior vice president of US sales. Cobalt, a leading manufacturer of award-winning 3G/HD/SD-SDI conversion gear for broadcast environments, maintains headquarters in Urbana, IL and offers sales and support throughout the US, Europe and Asia.

“Both Chris and Bob bring extraordinary industry knowledge and experience to Cobalt, and have made major contributions to the Company’s unprecedented growth,” says Zimmerman. “Now, with our expansion into international markets, Chris will devote his talents to building our sales force, dealer channel and marketing efforts on a global level, and we’re fortunate to have Bob and his immense skill available to assume a higher level of domestic responsibility.”

Shaw joined Cobalt in December 2006 as director of sales and marketing after serving in senior management sales positions with numerous advanced technology companies. He soon earned the vp title, and was promoted to senior vp sales and marketing in 2011. In his new position, Shaw will direct all aspects of Cobalt’s international sales and marketing efforts, including dealer channel management, overseeing global trade shows, and world-wide advertising.

McAlpine, a well-respected industry veteran with over 35 years of sales management experience, joined Cobalt in 2011. He will continue to work closely with senior management and the sales staff to ensure that customer needs are addressed and supported.

Added Zimmerman, “As our company moves forward, both technically and geographically, we will continue to add products and staff to accommodate our world-wide customer base. At IBC in September we will demonstrate our commitment to the European market and reveal our latest launches that include quantum leaps in IP-based loudness processing, advanced MADI cards, and our new Blue Box Group conversion modules.”

Please visit Cobalt at IBC in Stand 10.B27. Click on harriet@desertmooncomm.com to schedule an appointment.

ABOUT COBALT DIGITAL INC.
Cobalt Digital Inc. designs and manufactures award-winning 3G/HD/SD conversion gear for the broadcast television environment. Distributed through a worldwide network of dealers, system integrators, and other partnerships, Cobalt products are backed with a 5-year warranty. For more information, visit http://www.cobaltdigital.com.

Company Contact: Chris Shaw, EVP of Sales and Marketing
+1-217-344-1243 / chris.shaw@cobaltdigital.com

Press Contact: Desert Moon Communications / Harriet Diener
+1-845-512-8283 / harriet@desertmooncomm.com

NEW YORK: Don Puluse, President of the AES Educational Foundation, and its Board of Directors, have announced the recipients of the 2012 AES Educational Grants for Graduate Studies in the field of Audio Engineering. “This year our Emil Torick Scholar is Matthias Leimeister, who will pursue an MSi in Medientechnnologie in Audio Signal Processing from the Technische Universitat Ilmenau,” Mr. Puluse said. “Mr. Leimeister holds a degree in Mathematics from the University of Heidelberg. The Emil Torick Award honors an outstanding student with exceptional career goals.”

The John Eargle Award given annually to a student who excels in both technology and music was presented to Ross Penniman, candidate for an MS in Music Engineering, University of Miami. Mr. Penniman holds a BM and a BS from University of Michigan.

Other AES Educational Foundation Awards Include:

Areti Andreopoulos is studying for her PhD at the Steinhart School of NYU. She has a degree from the University of Athens, Greece, and an MM in Music Technology from Steinhart.

Christos Manolas, receives a renewal grant for his PhD studies at the University of York. Manolas has a degree from the New Music School, Thessaloniki, Greece, and two masters’ degrees from University of York.

Magdalena Plewa is pursuing a PhD at Gdansk University of Technology in Audio Engineering and Telecommunication. She has a MSc. from AGH University of Science & Technology in Krakow, Poland. She is current president of the AES International Student Delegate Assembly.

Jamie Tagg will begin his studies towards a PhD in Sound Recording from McGill University. He has a BM from the University of Miami in Music Engineering Technology, and a MM in Sound Recording Technology from U. Mass Lowell.

Mauricio J. Gargel receives a renewal grant to continue his studies towards an MFA in Recording Arts at MTSU. He has a degree in Social Communication from Univerdidade Metodista de São Paulo, Brazil and studied audio at the Institute of Audio and Video.

Scott Levine continues his studies at McGill University for an MM in Sound Recording. He receives a renewal grant. His previous degree is in Music Technology from the University of California at San Diego.

Hannah Robertson holds a BA in Physics from Middlebury College. She continues with a renewal grant at McGill University for an MS in Music Technology.

The Board of Directors has also announced the addition of two new members, Bob Moses and Jim Anderson. Mr. Moses, a product designer, technologist, and pro audio industry advocate, is Executive Director of the AES. Mr. Anderson, a Grammy Award- winning producer and engineer, is a former President and Governor of AES and a professor at NYU.

The AES Educational Foundation was established in 1984 to encourage talented students to enter the profession of audio engineering. Grants for graduate studies with emphasis on audio topics are awarded annually. Recipients are selected on the basis of demonstrated talent, achievements, goals and recommendations. Since its inception, the AESEF has presented 170 grants at 60 universities worldwide, totaling over seven hundred thousand dollars. Grants have been made possible by contributions from AES, Inc., the estate of John K. Hilliard, JBL Inc., the Mix Foundation for Excellence in Audio, and the families of John Eargle, David Smith, and Emil Torick. The AES also receives support from other benefactors such as in memoriam donors, and individuals and companies, which support education in audio.

Application forms and additional information are available from the Audio Engineering Society, 60 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10165, USA, or on its web site: www.aes.org/education/foundation/.

Photo: Don Puluse, president of the AES Educational Foundation

###

The Audio Engineering Society was formed in 1948 by a group of concerned audio engineers. The AES counts over 14,000 members throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe, Japan and the Far East. The organization serves as the pivotal force in the exchange and dissemination of technical information for the industry. For additional information visit http://www.aes.org

ELKHART, Indiana — CTS Audio recently deployed more than 50 of HARMAN’s Crown I-Tech HD Series and XTi Series amplifiers to power a JBL VERTEC® line array system for the for Covenant High in Christ (CHIC) youth conference earlier this summer at the University of Tennessee’s 25,000-seat Thompson-Boling Arena. The 5-day event featured numerous inspirational speakers and musical performers.

“We were given the opportunity to upgrade some of our inventory this past winter, and that included the purchase of more than 150 Crown I-Tech 12000HD amplifiers,” noted Mike Taylor, Vice President at CTS Audio. “A few years ago when we purchased the original Crown I-Techs, we noticed a huge improvement in the way we could power our VERTEC enclosures. With the leap to the new amplifiers that level of improvement has happened all over again.”

The system used at CHIC included 36 Crown I-Tech 12000HD amplifiers and 16 XTi Series XTi 4001 amplifiers, connected to the front of house and monitor mix positions using an all-digital signal path. The JBL VERTEC loudspeaker system consisted of 32 VT4888 midsize, 24 VT4887 compact and 12 VT4886 subcompact line array elements along with 16 VT4880 fullsize arrayable subwoofers and 16 VT4881ADP compact subs.

“The performance improvement provided by the IT-12000HD amps really contributed to the exceptional sound we were able to achieve in the Thompson-Boling Arena,” stated Taylor. “Aside from the amplifier’s sheer power capability and ‘grunt’ factor, the inclusion of the VERTEC V5 DSP preset tunings made a big difference in enabling us to match and optimize the performance of the amps to the VERTEC speakers. The frequency response and smoothness of the system is noticeably better, and we were able to achieve better pattern control from the line arrays and get more consistent sound coverage throughout the arena.”

Taylor also noted the solid reliability of the amplifiers. “We have experienced zero failures. Having equipment that simply works consistently is a piece of the tour sound puzzle that not many people talk about, but it’s not something to be taken for granted. We now have a system in place for our fall and winter tours that we can completely rely upon.”

“What the Crown I-Tech HD series amplifiers are capable of is astounding,” said Jon Schwarz, CTS Audio’s Lead System Designer. “This amplifier just does naturally what I have been trying to emulate in the field for the past few years. It really is a game-changer.”

For more information about CTS Audio, please visit www.ctsaudio.com.

HARMAN (www.harman.com) designs, manufactures and markets a wide range of audio and infotainment solutions for the automotive, consumer and professional markets – supported by 15 leading brands, including AKG, Harman Kardon, Infinity, JBL, Lexicon and Mark Levinson. The company is admired by audiophiles across multiple generations and supports leading professional entertainers and the venues where they perform. More than 20 million automobiles on the road today are equipped with HARMAN audio and infotainment systems. HARMAN has a workforce of about 13,400 people across the Americas, Europe and Asia, and reported sales of $4.4 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012.