In a move to cement a position in the Digital Intermediate (DI) space in the Big Apple, Technicolor Creative Services (TCS), New York, had opened a second DI color grading suite. In conjunction with this move, it has hired commercial colorist Tim Stipan, who will handle both long and short form projects.
VP/general manager Steve Coffey expects that the set up will “push the bar up in what New York can offer [in DI services for features].” He added, “It’s harder to define the impact on the commercial market.” Commercials of course are behind the curve in adopting DI workflows, although the industry has started to see DI applications particularly for theatrically released ads.
Stipan arrives following three years as a colorist at SOL designfx, Chicago, where he worked on spots for advertisers including Budweiser, Kelloggs, Mini Wheats, Apple Jacks, Gerber and Coke. Prior, he had a brief stop during 2001 at commercial post house 7 Stars in Athens, Greece, after serving as an assistant colorist at the Chicago office of The Filmworker’s Club.
Since joining TCS, Stipan graded it first project in 2k data resolution–an independent feature titled Trust the Man, directed by Bart Freundlich and lensed by Tim Orr.
TCS reported that the new suite contains a Discreet Lustre color correction software system, Revival for clean up, and an SGI CXFS SAN with additional Discreet switchable storage (a total of 40 TB).
Stipan said he is happy to stay on a Lustre, which he used at SOL for commercial work. “My clients [at SOL] were blown away working in a nonlinear environment,” Stipan said. “It’s a great experience for them.”
The TCS suite includes an NEC 2k digital projector and Kineton film projector, as well as 5.1 surround sound. And, it boasts a 17×7 ft. screen with space to accommodate about 10 clients.
The grading workflow begins with scanning film on a Grass Valley Spirit 4k, and an Arri Film Recorder will be used to take projects back to film. TCS’ first grading suite, currently centered on a da Vinci 2k, remains open.
Stipan, who met representatives from TCS earlier this year at NAB, said an attraction to the company was the opportunity to expand into feature film work. “I knew they were building a DI theatre for feature film releases,” he said. “With the DI market taking off, it’s an imperative time for me to get into it.”