By Carolyn Giardina
NEWBURY, U.K. --Quantel, the Newbury-headquartered maker of the iQ and eQ postproduction systems, announced that it promoted managing director Ray Cross to the position of CEO. Simultaneously, it announced the departure of longtime Quantel executives Richard Taylor, formerly chairman and CEO, and Paul Kellar, R&D director. Martin Mulligan continues to lead the Post/Digital Intermediate (DI) division.
Quantel–which has been privately held since it orchestrated a management buyout in 2000–reported that this latest move is part of a broad strategic initiative to accelerate the deployment of Quantel’s generationQ technology across the broadcast, post and DI industries.
“With a very healthy order book, a renewed focus on customer requirements and a significantly enhanced sales organization, Quantel is now positioning itself to exploit its new-generation technology to the full, delivering world-class systems that meet and exceed the demands of our industry’s most visionary–and demanding–clients,” said Cross, who came to Quantel roughly 18 months ago with an IT background and earlier served as CEO of U.K.-based Expert Systems, a communications systems company.
“Richard and Paul have successfully navigated Quantel practically from its birth in the mid-’70s right through to the launch of the current generationQ range of products,” Cross continued. “This is a terrific accomplishment and the company and our customers owe them a debt of gratitude for the strength of their vision. Our focus is now one hundred percent on ensuring that we deliver the full potential of generationQ technology to the widest possible market.”
Originally unveiled in 2002, Quantel’s generationQ concept has matured into an all-encompassing product range. Quantel’s eQ is in use in HD/multi-resolution postproduction workflows for applications including commercial post, and the company estimates that over 500 movies been touched by it highest-end iQ.
“There are still a huge amount of plans for [the generationQ systems],” Cross told SHOOT in a recent interview. “The products are complete but we are expanding their scope and reach.”
He declined to disclose specifics, but in general commented that the company is focusing on 4k data support. Cross added, “DI is not just about grading. I think the workflow will change and our products have to be capable of change.” That, he said, means emphasizing more collaborative workflows and products that can produce all deliverables.
Judge Upholds Dismissal Of Involuntary Manslaughter Charge Against Alec Baldwin In “Rust” Shooting
A New Mexico judge has upheld her decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Alec Baldwin in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer on the set of a Western movie.
In a ruling Thursday, state District Court Judge Mary Marlowe Sommer stood by her July decision to dismiss an involuntary manslaughter charge against Baldwin. She said prosecutors did not raise any factual or legal arguments that would justify reversing her decision.
"Because the state's amended motion raises arguments previously made, and arguments that the state elected not to raise earlier, the court does not find the amended motion well taken," the judge wrote, adding that the request was also untimely.
A spokesperson for Baldwin's lawyers said Friday that they had no immediate reaction to teh decision.
The case was thrown out halfway through trial on allegations that police and prosecutors withheld evidence from the defense in the 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the film "Rust."
Baldwin's trial was upended by revelations that ammunition was brought into the Santa Fe County sheriff's office in March by a man who said it could be related to Hutchins' killing. Prosecutors said they deemed the ammo unrelated and unimportant, while Baldwin's lawyers say investigators "buried" the evidence in a separate case file and filed a successful motion to dismiss.
Special prosecutor Kari Morrissey can now decide whether to appeal to a higher court.
Baldwin, the lead actor and co-producer for "Rust," was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on a movie set outside Santa Fe in October 2021 when the revolver went off, killing Hutchins and wounding director Joel Souza. Baldwin has said he pulled back the hammer —... Read More