By Theresa Piti
SHORT CUTS
Edgeworx, New York, finished three independent films at its digital postproduction facility. Brian Sloan’s Bumping Heads, Angela Robinson’s D.E.B.S. and Miles Kahn’s The Tool were all shot in high definition and posted in 24P at Edgeworx. The facility’s postproduction chores included graphics, color correction and finishing. Previously, Edgeworx had worked on the indy films The Kid Stay in the Picture, Blue Vinyl and Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
Anthony Marinelli of New York-headquartered Steel Rose Editorial cut four spots for The Wiz for the Wolf Group, New York. "People," "Sunday Circulars," "Product" and "Policy" all feature spokesman Michael Collins introducing viewers to "The New Wiz." Marinelli cut the commercials on the Avid, assisted by John Marinis. Ken Alvarez of sister shop Splash Design, New York, conformed the campaign using Avid DS. Skip D’Amico of bicoastal The Artists Company helmed the spots.
Click 3X, New York, produced a :30 for New York University using computer animation to show how its School of Continuing and Professional Studies helps busy students connect and "put it all together." "Connect the Dots," conceived by New York agency Seiter & Miller, represents NYU students as points on a vast grid. Lines animate to connect one person to the next, as a voiceover details their interrelations. As more people connect, the grid grows larger and more complex. Ultimately, the camera pulls back to reveal the grid marks the outline of New York’s Washington Square Arch. The arch becomes a solid and takes its place in NYU’s logo. Click 3X director/designer Susan Armstrong worked with lead animator Jim Collins in choreographing the animation. Their work included making a trip to Washington Square to photograph the real arch so that the animation could be matched to its detail. Armstrong also performed the compositing on the ad, which included several layers of computer animation to suggest that the grid goes on endlessly.
MUSIC NOTES
Composer Paul Riggio of Big Foote Music, New York, gave a fresh twist using a hip-hop beat to "Deck the Halls" for Coca-Cola’s holiday :30, "For Everyone." The commercial–created entirely from shots of Coke bottles, caps and other Coke-related items–was directed by Michael Schrom of Michael Schrom & Co., Long Island City, N.Y. Riggio was given the narrative of two alternating female voices and traditional stock music of "Deck the Halls" to sample. Using Emagic’s Logic software for digital audio and MIDI production, Riggio proceeded to filter the melody, chop it up and make it his own. Once he established a sound and tempo, Riggio time shifted elements of the carole to work with his tempo. He employed AutoFilter Logic plug-in to give a "wa" sound to the woodwind arrangement, then chopped it up to create a syncopated feeling, and added sampled drum kits and synthesizers. The ad was created by McCann-Erickson, New York. Additional Big Foote credits included sound designer Matt Hauser and producer Paul Seymour.
Fluid, New York, created sound design and sound effects to Young & Rubicam, New York, for Red Fusion’s "Last Drop," a Dr Pepper beverage. The :15 features sound design by Fred Szymanski, who used Pro Tools with a Mac G4, DSP Capybara 320 and a Yamaha 02R digital mixing board in the execution of the ad. Kevin Smith of Backyard Productions, Venice, Calif., directed.
IN GEAR
Panasonic Broadcast & Television Systems Company, Secaucus, N.J., has announced that its industry-standard D-5 HD multi-format/multi-standard mastering VTR–the AJ-HD3700–has been enhanced with new capabilities that make it a universal, international mastering recorder. The AJ-HD3700A VTR can record and playback both 625 PAL and 525 NTSC D-5 cassettes, as well as D-5 tapes from all previous versions of the VTR. It also provides full resolution 4:2:2 digital 10-bit component recording with 74.25 MHz (Y) and 37.125 MHz (Pb/Pr) sampling in HD formats to assure the picture quality of high-end applications. Additionally, the AJ-HD3700A can record and play back 1080/23.98p and 1080/24p HD formats.
Visual effects/editorial/transfer company Command Post Toybox West, Vancouver, B.C., has acquired Quantel‘s newest Resolution co-Existent editing and effects system, eQ. The HD nonlinear editing system allows 1080/24p, standard definition and DV in the same timeline with no rendering. The eQ also features the Henry and Paintbox effects and compositing capabilities, which includes tracking, color correction and title generation. Toybox West is a division of Command Post & Transfer Corporation. Its other divisions include visual effects shop Toybox, Toronto; Medallion-PFA Film-Video-Audio, Toronto, a film, video and audio services house; audio post arm Manta Sound, Toronto; and AlphaCine Motion Picture Laboratory, Vancouver.
Alec Baldwin Urges Judge To Stand By Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Case In “Rust” Shooting
Alec Baldwin urged a New Mexico judge on Friday to stand by her decision to skuttle his trial and dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against the actor in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
State District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer dismissed the case against Baldwin halfway through a trial in July based on the withholding of evidence by police and prosecutors from the defense in the 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
The charge against Baldwin was dismissed with prejudice, meaning it can't be revived once any appeals of the decision are exhausted.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey recently asked the judge to reconsider, arguing that there were insufficient facts and that Baldwin's due process rights had not been violated.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer on "Rust," was pointing a gun at cinematographer Halyna Hutchins during a rehearsal when it went off, killing her and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer — but not the trigger — and the revolver fired.
The case-ending evidence was ammunition that was brought into the sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammunition unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers alleged that they "buried" it and filed a successful motion to dismiss the case.
In her decision to dismiss the Baldwin case, Marlowe Sommer described "egregious discovery violations constituting misconduct" by law enforcement and prosecutors, as well as false testimony about physical evidence by a witness during the trial.
Defense counsel says that prosecutors tried to establish a link... Read More