Hula Post Production provided 3D editorial gear and space for Metallica: Through the Never, the new feature-length 3D concert film released worldwide this month by Picturehouse. Editor Joe Hutshing (Savages, Almost Famous) and his crew spent more than eight months at Hula’s facility in West Los Angeles cutting the film, which blends footage from Metallica concerts in Edmonton, Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia, with a narrative story about a roadie on a surreal odyssey to recover a mysterious bag. Metallica: Through the Never will screen both in digital 3D cinemas and IMAX theaters.rn rnHula engineers designed and built a complete offline editorial workflow that included five Avid Nitris DX Media Composer 6.0.3 systems (each equipped with 3D editing software) and a Unity Media Engine shared storage device with a capacity of 40TB. Hula also provided space for the film’s music editorial team and built an onsite screening facility equipped with a large-screen JVC 3D monitor. The package also included onsite technical support, production offices and concierge services.rnrn”We were happy from the moment we arrived,” recalls Nimród Antal, the film’s director. “Hula’s facilities are beautiful and the equipment, top notch. They supported and gave us love throughout the process.”rnrnHutshing and his crew had an incredible amount of source material to work with in crafting the finished film. The live concerts were shot with pairs of ARRI Alexa cameras mounted in Cameron Pace Group 3D rigs. More than 30 camera set-ups were used to capture each song in the concert. “The amount of source material was almost mind-numbing,” says Antal, “and we faced the additional challenge of weaving in narrative material. Most films follow a straightforward path through editorial; this was a maze.”rnrnThe ability to quickly review scenes in 3D made the editorial process much easier. rnrnAntal and Hutshing were able to determine immediately how well the cut was working in 3D and make any necessary technical or creative adjustments. “I had some concerns about the technology, as this was my first 3D film,” Antal explains, “but they were quickly alleviated because I was surrounded by experienced and wonderfully talented people.”rnrnThe result is an engaging and immersive experience that captures the power, electricity and spectacle of a live Metallica concert. Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, one critic wrote that “Metallica: Through the Never should proudly take a position alongside classic films like Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Waltz” and Jonathan Demme’s “Stop Making Sense.”rnrn
rn rnAbout Hula Post ProductionrnFor more than fifteen years, Hula Post has provided exceptional equipment rental services to the post production and broadcast communities. With offices in Burbank and West Los Angeles, we are the industry leader in customized workflow solutions. We offer a huge inventory of editorial and finishing systems, storage solutions, and support gear, and we back it up with the most experienced and knowledgeable support team in the industry. Whether you need a single system or a complex, customized workflow to take you from production through post, we can provide you with the tools to meet your technical requirements, budget and production schedule.rnrnFor more information, visit http://hulapost.com.
